The Companions of the Prophet (saws) complained to the Prophet (saws) about the hardship when they kept their forearms far away from their sides while prostrating. He said: Take help with the elbows (by spreading them on the ground and sticking them to the sides).

Abu Dawud said: What is correct is that the tradition reported by Ibn ‘Umar does not go back to the Prophet (may peace beupon him). Abu Dawud said: The narrator Baqiyyah reported the first part of this tradition from ‘Ubaid Allah and traced it back to the Prophet (saws); and the narrator al-Thaqafi reported it from ‘Ubaid Allah as a statement of Ibn ‘Umar himself(not from the Porphet). In this version he said: When he stood at the end of two rak’ahs he raised them up to his breasts. And this is the correct version.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted as a statement of Ibn ‘Umar (and not of the Prophet) by al-Laith b. Sa’d, Malik, Ayyub, and Ibn Juraij; and this has been narrated as a statement of the Prophet (saws) by Hammad b. Salamah alone on the authority of Ayyub. Ayyub and Malik did not mention his raising of hands when he stood after two prostrations, but al-Laith mentioned it in his version. Ibn Juraij said in this version: I asked Nafi’: Did Ibn ‘Umar raise (his hands) higher for the first time? He said: No, I said: Point out to me. He then pointed to the breasts or lower than that.

Sa'd ibn Hisham said: I came to Medina and called upon Aisha, and said to her: Tell me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

She said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to lead the people in the night prayer, and then go to his bed and sleep. When midnight came he got up, went to answer the call of nature and to perform ablution with water. Having performed ablution, he entered the mosque and prayed eight rak'ahs.

To my mind he performed the recitation of the Qur'an, bowing and prostrating equally. He then observed witr with one rak'ah and prayed two rak'ahs sitting. Then he lay down on the ground. Sometimes Bilal came to him and called him for prayer. He then dozed, and sometimes I doubted whether he dozed or not, till he (Bilal) called him for prayer.

This is the prayer he offered till he grew old or put on weight. She then mentioned how he put on weight as Allah wished.

The Prophet said, "Do the prostration properly and do not put your forearms flat with elbows touching the ground like a dog. And if you want to spit, do not spit in front, nor to the right for the person in prayer is speaking in private to his Lord."

I saw that the Prophet (saws) placed his knees (on the ground) before placing his hands when he prostrated himself. And when he stood up, he raised his hands before his knees.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Salih ibn Khawwat that Sahl ibn Abi Hathma related to him that the form of the prayer of fear was that the imam stood with a group of his companions, while another group faced the enemy. The imam prayed one raka with them, including the prostration, and then stood. He remained standing while they completed the remaining raka by themselves. They then said the taslim, left, and formed up opposite the enemy while the imam remained standing. Then the others who had not prayed came forward and said the takbir behind the imam and he prayed one raka with them, including the prostration. He then said the taslim, while they stood up and prayed the remaining raka by themselves. Then they said the taslim.

Maymun al-Makki said: that he saw Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr leading in prayer. He pointed with his hands (i.e. raised his hands opposite to the shoulders) when he stood up, when he bowed and when he prostrated, and when he got up after prostration, he pointed with his hands (i.e. raised his hands).

The I went to Ibn Abbas and said (to him) I saw Ibn az-Zubayr praying that I never saw anyone praying. I then told him about the pointing with his hands (raising his hands). He said: If you like to see the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws) follower the prayer as offered by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr.

The Prophet said, "I have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones i.e. on the forehead along with the tip of the nose and the Prophet pointed towards his nose, both hands, both knees and the toes of both feet and not to gather the clothes or the hair."

When the Prophet prostrated, he used to keep his arms so widely apart that we used to see his armpits. (The sub-narrator, Ibn Bukair said, "The whiteness of his armpits.")

The Prophet (saws) said: Do not try to outstrip me in bowing and prostrating because however earlier I bow you will join me when I raise (my head from bowing); I have become bulky.

When "Glorify the name of your mighty Lord" was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Use it when bowing, and when "Glorify the name of your most high Lord" was revealed, he said: Use it when prostrating yourself.

Allah's Apostle said, "It was said to the children of Israel, 'Enter the gate in prostration and say Hitatun. (7.161) We shall forgive you, your faults.' But they changed (Allah's Order) and entered, dragging themselves on their buttocks and said, 'Habatun (a grain) in a Sha'ratin (hair).

I used to stretch my legs towards the Qibla of the Prophet while he was praying; whenever he prostrated he touched me, and I would withdraw my legs, and whenever he stood up, I would restretch my legs.

"The Messenger of Allah (saws) prohibited me from rings of gold, and from wearing Al-Qassi, and from reciting in the bowing and prostration positions, and from wearing what was dyed with 'Usfur."

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: One of you who believes in Allah and in the Last Day should not raise her head until the men raise their heads (after prostration) lest they should see the private parts of men.

A Jewess came to ask `Aisha (the wife of the Prophet) about something. She said to her, "May Allah give you refuge from the punishment of the grave." So `Aisha ' asked Allah's Apostle "Would the people be punished in their graves?" Allah's Apostle after seeking refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave (and thus replied in the affirmative). Then one day, Allah's Apostle rode to go to some place but the sun eclipsed. He returned in the forenoon and passed through the rear of the dwellings (of his wives) and stood for the (eclipse) prayer, and the people stood behind him. He stood up for a long period and then performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first bowing. Then he raised his head and prostrated. Then he stood up (for the second rak`a) for a long while but the standing was shorter than that of the first rak`a. Then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first one. Then he raised his head and prostrated. Then he stood up for a long time but shorter than the first. Then he performed a prolonged bowing but shorter than the first. Then he raised his head and prostrated and finished the prayer and (then delivered the sermon and) said as much as Allah wished. And then he ordered the people to seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave.

A Jewess came to `Aisha to ask her about something and then she said, "May Allah give you refuge from the punishment of the grave." So `Aisha asked Allah's Apostle, "Would the people be punished in their graves?" Allah's Apostle asked Allah's refuge from the punishment of the grave (indicating an affirmative reply). Then one day Allah's Apostle rode (to leave for some place) but the sun eclipsed. He returned on the forenoon and passed through the rear of the dwellings (of his wives) and stood up and started offering the (eclipse) prayer and the people stood behind him. He stood for a long period and then performed a long bowing and then stood straight for a long period which was shorter than that of the first standing, then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first bowing, then he raised his head and prostrated for a long time and then stood up (for the second rak`a) for a long while, but the standing was shorter than the standing of the first rak`a. Then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than that of the first one. He then stood up for a long time but shorter than the first, then again performed a long bowing which was shorter than the first and then prostrated for a shorter while than that of the first prostration. Then he finished the prayer and delivered the sermon and) said what Allah wished; and ordered the people to seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Hammam from ibn Juhadah, but he did not mention the raising of hands after he raised his head at the end of the prostration.

Ibn ‘Isa said: No one narrated this tradition to Umayyah except Mu’tamir.

(He was not a liar) We used to pray behind the Prophet and when he said, "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah", none of us would bend his back (to go for prostration) till the Prophet had placed his, forehead on the ground.

Abu dawud said: Anyone who narrated this tradition did not mention the words “ then he uttered the takbir”, nor the words “he returned”

It is not good that you people have made us (women) equal to dogs and donkeys. No doubt I saw Allah's Apostle praying while I used to lie between him and the Qibla and when he wanted to prostrate, he pushed my legs and I withdrew them.

A cloud came and it rained till the roof started leaking and in those days the roof used to be of the branches of date-palms. Iqama was pronounced and I saw Allah's Apostles prostrating in water and mud and even I saw the mark of mud on his forehead.

The Prophet used to say in his bowing and prostrations, "Subhanaka l-lahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika; Allahumma ghfir li.' (Exalted [from unbecoming attributes] Are you O Allah our Lord, and by Your praise [do I exalt you]. O Allah! Forgive me).