Suhail reported on the authority of his father that Abu Huraira used to recite takbir on all occasions of rising and bending (in prayer) and narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to do like that.

Then the other section came; they stood up and uttered the takbir and bowed by themselves. The Messenger of Allah (saws) prostrated himself and they also prostrated with him. Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) stood up and they performed the second prostration by themselves. Then both the sections stood up and prayed with the Messenger of Allah (saws). He bowed and they also bowed, and then he prostrated himself and they also prostrated themselves. Then he returned and performed the second prostration and they also prostrated with him as quickly as possible, showing no slackness in quick prostration. The Messenger of Allah (saws) then uttered the salutation. After that the Messenger of Allah (saws) stood up. Thus everyone participated in the entire prayer.

I offered the prayer with `Ali in Basra and he made us remember the prayer which we used to pray with Allah's Apostle. `Ali said Takbir on each rising and bowing.

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) informed his companions about the death of An-Najashi and then he went ahead (to lead the prayer) and the people lined up behind him in rows and he said four Takbir.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to straighten our rows when we stood up to pray, and when we were straight, he said: Allah is most great (takbir).

The Prophet offered as sacrifices, two horned rams, black and white in color. He slaughtered them with his own hands and mentioned Allah's Name over them and said Takbir and put his foot on their sides.

Yahya related to me from Malik that he asked Ibn Shihab about talking in the jumua after the imam had come down from the mimbar but before he had said the takbir. Ibn Shihab said, "There is no harm in that."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Umar ibn al-Khattab used to order the rows to be straightened, and when they had come to him and told him that the rows were straight he would say the takbir.

The Prophet performed Tawaf of the Ka`ba riding a camel, and every time he came in front of the Corner (having the Black Stone), he pointed towards it with something he had with him and said Takbir.

The Prophet led us in the Zuhr prayer, offering only two rak`at and then (finished it) with Taslim, and went to a piece of wood in front of the mosque and put his hand over it. Abu Bakr and `Umar were also present among the people on that day but dared not talk to him (about his unfinished prayer). And the hasty people went away, wondering. "Has the prayer been shortened" Among the people there was a man whom the Prophet used to call Dhul-Yadain (the longarmed). He said, "O Allah's Prophet! Have you forgotten or has the prayer been shortened?" The Prophet said, "Neither have I forgotten, nor has it been shortened." They (the people) said, "Surely, you have forgotten, O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet said, Dhul-Yadain has told the truth." So the Prophet got up and offered other two rak`at and finished his prayer with Taslim. Then he said Takbir, performed a prostration of ordinary duration or longer, then he raised his head and said Takbir and performed another prostration of ordinary duration or longer and then raised his head and said Takbir (i.e. he performed the two prostrations of Sahu, i.e., forgetfulness).

The Prophet offered one of the evening prayers (the sub-narrator Muhammad said, "I think that it was most probably the `Asr prayer") and he finished it after offering two rak`at only. He then stood near a price of wood in front of the Mosque and put his hand over it. Abu Bakr and `Umar were amongst those who were present, but they dared not talk to him about that (because of excessive respect for him), and those who were in a hurry went out. They said, "Has the prayer been reduced?" A man who was called Dhul-Yadain by the Prophet said (to the Prophet), "Has the prayer been reduced or have you forgotten?" He said, "Neither have I forgotten, nor has the prayer been reduced." He said, "Certainly you have forgotten." So the Prophet offered two more rak`at and performed Taslim and then said Takbir and performed a prostration of Sahu like his ordinary prostration or a bit longer and then raised his head and said Takbir and then put his head down and performed a prostration like his ordinary prostration or a bit longer, and then raised his head and said Takbir.

The Prophet slaughtered two rams, black and white in color (as sacrifices), and I saw him putting his foot on their sides and mentioning Allah's Name and Takbir (Allahu Akbar). Then he slaughtered them with his own hands.

The Prophet (saws) said: The key of prayer is purification; takbir (saying "Allah is most great") makes (all acts which break prayer) unlawful and taslim (uttering the salutation) makes (all such acts) lawful.

When Abu Huraira led us in prayer he used to say Takbir on each bowing and rising. On the completion of the prayer he used to say, "My prayer is more similar to the prayer of Allah's Apostle than that of anyone of you."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'n Nadr, the mawla of Umar ibn Ubaydullah, from Malik ibn Abi Amir that Uthman ibn Affan used to say in khutbas, and he would seldom omit it if he was giving the khutba, "When the imam stands delivering the khutba on the day of jumua, listen and pay attention, for there is the same portion for someone who pays attention but cannot hear as for someone who pays attention and hears. And when the iqama of the prayer is called, straighten your rows and make your shoulders adjacent to each other, because the straightening of the rows is part of the completion of the prayer." Then he would not say the takbir until some men who had been entrusted with straightening the rows came and told him that they were straight. Then he would say the takbir.

One of the Companions of the Prophet (may peace be upon), came upon us in Egypt. When he was narrating traditions in the Mosque of Egypt, I heard him say: I was the seventh or the sixth person in the company of the Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him) in the house of a person.

In the meantime Bilal came and called him for prayer. He came out and passed by a person who had his fire-pan on the fire. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to him: Has the food in the fire-pan been cooked? He replied: Yes, my parents be sacrificed upon you. He then took a piece out of it and continued to chew it until he uttered the first takbir (AllahuAkbar) of the prayer. All this time I was looking at him.

This hadith has been transmitted with the same chain of transmitters by al. Zuhri as narrated by Ibn Juraij (who) said. When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up for prayer, he raised hands (to the height) apposite the shoulders and then recited takbir.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) would say the takbir (Allah is most great) seven times in the first rak'ah and five times in the second rak'ah on the day of the breaking of the fast and on the day of sacrifice (on the occasion of both the 'Id prayers, the two festivals).

I saw a person praying at Muqam-Ibrahim (the place of Abraham by the Ka`ba) and he was saying Takbir on every bowing, rising, standing and sitting. I asked Ibn `Abbas (about this prayer). He admonished me saying: "Isn't that the prayer of the Prophet?"

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) was on a journey and wished to say voluntary prayer, he made his she-camel face the qiblah and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great), then prayed in whatever direction his mount made his face.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu Nuaym Wahb ibn Kaysan that Jabir ibn Abdullah used to teach them the takbir in the prayer. Abu Nuaym said, "He used to tell us to say 'Allah is greater' whenever we lowered or raised ourselves."

I saw Malik bin Huwairith saying Takbir and raising both his hands (on starting the prayers and raising his hands on bowing and also on raising his head after bowing. Malik bin Huwairith said, "Allah's Apostle did the same."

Allah's Apostle informed about the news of the death of An-Najash (King of Ethiopia) on the day he expired. He said, "Ask Allah's forgiveness for your brother. " Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet made them align in rows at the Musalla and said four Takbir.

Abu Sa`id led us in the prayer and said the Takbir aloud on arising from the prostration, and on prostrating, on rising again, and on getting up from the second rak`a. Abu Sa`id said, "I saw the Prophet doing the same."

Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) fell down from a horse and his right side was either injured or scratched, so we went to inquire about his health. The time for the prayer became due and he offered the prayer while sitting and we prayed while standing. He said, "The Imam is to be followed; so if he says Takbir, you should also say Takbir, and if he bows you should also bow; and when he lifts his head you should also do the same and if he says: Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah (Allah hears whoever sends his praises to Him) you should say: Rabbana walakal-Hamd (O our Lord! All the praises are for You.") (See Hadith No. 656 Vol. 1).

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by al-Thawri to the same effect on the authority of Khusaif. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah also prayed in like manner. But the section which he (the Prophet) led in one rak'ah and then uttered the salutation and went and took the place of their companions. They came and prayed one rak'ah by themselves. Then they returned to their place and they prayed (one rak'ah) by themselves.

Abu Dawud said: Muslim b. Ibrahim reported from 'Abd al-Samad b. Habib on the authority of his father that they had fought a battle at Kabul along with 'Abd al-Rahman b. Samurah. He led us in prayer in time of danger.

Another chain reports a similar hadith.

The Prophet said, "The Imam is to be followed. Say the Takbir when he says it; bow if he bows; if he says 'Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah', say, ' Rabbana wa laka l-hamd', prostrate if he prostrates and pray sitting altogether if he prays sitting."

Yahya related to me from Malik, from Yahya ibn Said, that Umar ibn Abd alAziz was once going from Mina (to Arafa) on the day of Arafa and heard the takbir being said loudly, so he sent the guard to shout out to the people, "O people, you should be saying the talbiya."

We used to be ordered to come out on the Day of `Id and even bring out the virgin girls from their houses and menstruating women so that they might stand behind the men and say Takbir along with them and invoke Allah along with them and hope for the blessings of that day and for purification from sins.

Ash Shu`bi said, "I was informed by a man who had seen the Prophet going to a grave that was separate from the other graves and he aligned the people in rows and said four Takbir." I said, "O Abu `Amr! who narrated (that) to you"? He said, "Ibn `Abbas. "

If I were in front of the Prophet (saws), I would see his armpits. Ibn Mu'adh added that Lahiq said: Do you not see, AbuHurayrah could not stand in front of the Prophet (saws) while he was praying. Musa added: When he uttered the takbir, he raised his hands.

When the Prophet returned (from Jihad), he would say Takbir thrice and add, "We are returning, if Allah wishes, with repentance and worshipping and praising (our Lord) and prostrating ourselves before our Lord. Allah fulfilled His Promise and helped His Slave, and He Alone defeated the (infidel) clans."

(the wife of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) In the lifetime of the Prophet the sun eclipsed and he went to the Mosque and the people aligned behind him. He said the Takbir (starting the prayer) and prolonged the recitation (from the Qur'an) and then said Takbir and performed a prolonged bowing; then he (lifted his head and) said, "Sami allahu liman hamidah" (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him). He then did not prostrate but stood up and recited a prolonged recitation which was shorter than the first recitation. He again said Takbir and then bowed a prolonged bowing but shorter than the first one and then said, "Sami`a l-lahu Lyman hamidah Rabbana walak-lhamd, (Allah heard him who sent his praises to Him. O our Sustainer! All the praises are for You)" and then prostrated and did the same in the second rak`a; thus he completed four bowing and four prostrations. The sun (eclipse) had cleared before he finished the prayer. (After the prayer) he stood up, glorified and praised Allah as He deserved and then said, "The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of the death or the life (i.e. birth) of someone. When you see them make haste for the prayer." Narrated Az-Zuhri: I said to 'Urwa, "When the sun eclipsed at Medina your brother (`Abdullah bin Az-Zubair) offered only a two-rak`at prayer like that of the morning (Fajr) prayer." 'Urwa replied, "Yes, for he missed the Prophet's tradition (concerning this matter)."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ismail ibn Abi Hakim that Ata ibn Yasar told him that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said the takbir in one of the prayers and then indicated to them with his hand to stay in place. He left and then returned with traces of water on his skin.