Arabic (Original)
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ زُهَيْرٍ الْحَافِظُ بِتُسْتَرَ وَكَانَ أَسْوَدَ مِنْ رَأَيْتُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَطَاءٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا حُمَيْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ فِي عَشْرَةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِيهِمْ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ أَنَا أَعْلَمُكُمْ بِصَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالُوا لِمَ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتَ أَكْثَرَنَا لَهُ تَبَعَةً وَلَا أَقْدَمَنَا لَهُ صُحْبَةً قَالَ بَلَى قَالُوا فَاعْرِضْ قَالَ «كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَيُقِيمُ كُلَّ عَظْمٍ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ وَيَضَعُ رَاحَتَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ مُعْتَدِلًا لَا يُصَوِّبُ رَأْسَهُ وَلَا يَقْنَعْ بِهِ يَقُولُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ وَيَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ حَتَّى يَقَرَّ كُلُّ عَظْمٍ إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِ ثُمَّ يَهْوِي إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَيُجَافِي يَدَيْهِ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ وَيَثْنِي رِجْلَهُ فَيَقْعُدُ عَلَيْهَا وَيَفْتَخُ أَصَابِعَ رِجْلَيْهِ إِذَا سَجَدَ ثُمَّ يَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ وَيَجْلِسُ عَلَى رِجْلِهِ الْيُسْرَى حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ كُلُّ عَظْمٍ إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيَصْنَعُ فِي الْأُخْرَى مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ كَمَا صَنَعَ عِنْدَ افْتِتَاحِ الصَّلَاةِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي بَقِيَّةَ صَلَاتِهِ هَكَذَا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ فِي السَّجْدَةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا التَّسْلِيمُ أَخْرَجَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَجَلَسَ عَلَى شِقِّهِ الْأَيْسَرِ مُتَوَرِّكًا» فَقَالُوا صَدَقْتَ هَكَذَا كَانَ يُصَلِّي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ
English Translation
Abu Humayd al-Sa'idi said - and Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn 'Ata' heard him among ten of the Prophet's companions, including Abu Qatadah - Abu Humayd said: 'I know best among you the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).' They said, 'Why? By Allah, you were not the most frequent of us in following him nor the earliest in his companionship.' He said, 'Nevertheless.' They said, 'Then demonstrate.' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), when he stood for prayer, said the takbir, then raised his hands until they were level with his shoulders, and settled every bone in its place. Then he recited. Then he raised his hands until they were level with his shoulders, then bowed and placed his palms on his knees, straightening, not lowering his head nor raising it. He said: Allah hears the one who praises Him, and raised his hands until they were level with his shoulders, until every bone settled in its place. Then he descended to the ground, keeping his hands away from his sides. Then he raised his head and bent his foot and sat on it, spreading the toes of his feet when he prostrated. Then he prostrated, then said the takbir and sat on his left foot until every bone returned to its place. Then he stood and did likewise in the other. When he stood from the two rak'ahs, he raised his hands until they were level with his shoulders as he did at the beginning of the prayer. Then he prayed the rest of his prayer like this until, when he was in the prostration in which is the salutation, he brought out his feet and sat on his left side, leaning to one side.' They said, 'You have spoken the truth; thus the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray.'