Abu Humaid al-Sa’idi once told a company of ten of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ; Abu Qatadah was one of them: I am one among you who is more informed of the way the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed. They said: Why, By Allah, you did not follow him more than us, nor did you remain in his company longer than us? He said: Yes. They said: Then describe (how the Prophet prayed). He said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up to pray, he raised his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders, and uttered the takbir (Allah is the most great), until every bone rested in its place properly: then re recited (some verses from the Quran); then he uttered the takbir (Allah is most great), raising his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders; then he bowed; placing the palms of his hands on his knees and keeping himself straight, neither raising nor lowering his head; then raised his head saying: “Allah listens to him who praise Him”; then raised his hands so as to bring them exactly opposite to his shoulders; then uttered: “Allah is most great”; then lowered himself to the ground (in prostration), keeping his arms away from his sides; then raised his head, bent his left foot and sat on it, and opened the toes when he prostrated: then he uttered: “Allah is most great”; then raised his head, bent his left foot and sat on it so that every bone returned to its place properly; then he did the same in the second (rak’ah). At the end of the two Rak’ahs he stood up and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great), raising his hands so as to bring them opposite to his shoulders; then he bowed, placing the palms of his hands on his knees and keeping himself straight, neither raising or lowering his head: then raised his head saying: “Allah listens to him who praises Him”; then raised his hands so as to bring them exactly opposite his shoulders; then uttered: “Allah is most great”; then lowered himself to the ground (in prostration), keeping his arms away from his sides; then raised his head, bent his left foot and sat on it, and opened the toes when he prostrated himself; then he prostrated; then uttered: “Allah is most great”; then raised his head, bent his left foot and sat on it so that every bone returned to its place properly; then he did the same in the second (rak’ah). At the end of two rak’ahs he stood up and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great), raising his hands so as to bring them opposite to his shoulders in the way he had uttered the Takbir (Allah is most great) at the beginning of the prayer; then he did that in the remainder of his prayer; and after prostration which if followed by the taslim (salutation) he out his left foot and sat on his left hip. They said: You have spoken the truth. This is how he(peace be upon him) used to pray.
Hadith In Arabic Text :
حدثنا أحمد بن حنبل، حدثنا أبو عاصم الضحاك بن مخلد، ح وحدثنا مسدد، حدثنا يحيى، – وهذا حديث أحمد قال – أخبرنا عبد الحميد، – يعني ابن جعفر – أخبرني محمد بن عمرو بن عطاء، قال سمعت أبا حميد الساعدي، في عشرة من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم منهم أبو قتادة قال أبو حميد أنا أعلمكم بصلاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم . قالوا فلم فوالله ما كنت بأكثرنا له تبعا ولا أقدمنا له صحبة . قال بلى . قالوا فاعرض . قال كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قام إلى الصلاة يرفع يديه حتى يحاذي بهما منكبيه ثم يكبر حتى يقر كل عظم في موضعه معتدلا ثم يقرأ ثم يكبر فيرفع يديه حتى يحاذي بهما منكبيه ثم يركع ويضع راحتيه على ركبتيه ثم يعتدل فلا يصب رأسه ولا يقنع ثم يرفع رأسه فيقول ” سمع الله لمن حمده ” . ثم يرفع يديه حتى يحاذي بهما منكبيه معتدلا ثم يقول ” الله أكبر ” . ثم يهوي إلى الأرض فيجافي يديه عن جنبيه ثم يرفع رأسه ويثني رجله اليسرى فيقعد عليها ويفتح أصابع رجليه إذا سجد ويسجد ثم يقول ” الله أكبر ” . ويرفع رأسه ويثني رجله اليسرى فيقعد عليها حتى يرجع كل عظم إلى موضعه ثم يصنع في الأخرى مثل ذلك ثم إذا قام من الركعتين كبر ورفع يديه حتى يحاذي بهما منكبيه كما كبر عند افتتاح الصلاة ثم يصنع ذلك في بقية صلاته حتى إذا كانت السجدة التي فيها التسليم أخر رجله اليسرى وقعد متوركا على شقه الأيسر . قالوا صدقت هكذا كان يصلي صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Chapter : Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat) – كتاب الصلاة