Rifa'a b. Raf’i said: We were praying behind the Prophet, and when he raised his head at the end of the rak'a he said, “God listens to him who praises Him.” A man behind him said, ‘O our Lord, to Thee be the praise, abundant, good, blessed, sufficient.” When he ended he asked, “Who was the speaker just now ?” and when the man replied that he had spoken he said, “I saw over thirty angels racing one another to be the first to record it.”
Bukhari transmitted it.
Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A man’s prayer does not avail him unless he keeps his back steady when bowing and prostrating himself.”
Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih tradition.
‘Uqba b. ‘Amir said that when “Glorify the name of your mighty Lord” (Al-Qur’an; 56:74, 96; 69:52) was revealed, God’s Messenger said, “Use it when bowing;” and when “Glorify the name of your most high Lord” (Al-Qur’an; 87) was revealed, he said, “Use it when prostrating yourselves.”
Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.
‘Aun b. ‘Abdallah reported on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud that God’s Messenger said: When one of you bows and says three times while doing so, “Glory be to my mighty Lord”, his bowing is complete; and that is the least which effects this. When he prostrates himself and says three times while doing so, “Glory be to my most high Lord”, his prostration is complete; and that is the least which effects this.
Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Tirmidhi said that its isnad is not connected, because ‘Aun did not meet Ibn Mas'ud.
Hudhaifa said that he prayed along with the Prophet (ﷺ) and that he said when bowing, “Glory be to my mighty Lord”, and when prostrating himself, “Glory be to my most high Lord”; when he came to a verse which spoke of mercy he stopped and made supplication, and when he came to a verse which spoke of punishment he stopped and sought refuge in God.
Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it. Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted up to “my most high Lord”. Tirmidhi said that this is a hasan sahih tradition.
‘Auf b. Malik said that he stood up to pray along with God’s Messenger and that when he bowed he paused about as long as it would take to recite Sura al-Baqara (Al-Qur’an; 2) and said while bowing, “Glory be to the Possessor of greatness, the kingdom, grandeur and majesty.”
Nasa’i transmitted it.
Ibn Jubair said that he heard Anas b. Malik declare, “After the death of God’s Messenger I never prayed behind anyone whose prayer more closely resembled that of God’s Messenger than this young man,” meaning ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘AzIz.* He reported him as saying, “I computed that he uttered ten tasbihas when bowing and ten when prostrating himself.”
* He was Caliph from 99 to 101 A.H. and was noted for his piety.
Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.
Shaqiq said that Hudhaifa saw a man who was not performing the bowing or the prostration perfectly, so when he finished his prayer he called him. Hudhaifa said to him, “You have not prayed.” He added that he thought he also said, “If you were to die, you would die following something other than the true religion which God created Muhammad to proclaim.”
Bukhari transmitted it.
Abu Qatada reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one who commits the worst theft is he who steals from his prayer.” When asked how one could steal from his prayer he replied, “By not performing his bowing and his prostration perfectly.”
Ahmad transmitted it.
An-Nu‘man b. Murra reported God’s Messenger as saying, “What do you think of the drinker, the fornicator, and the thief?” That was before the prescribed punishments regarding them were revealed. On receiving the reply that God and His Messenger knew best, he said, “Such sins are abominations and punishment is prescribed for them, but the worst theft is what one steals from his prayer.” He was asked how one could steal from his prayer and replied, “By not performing his bowing and his prostration perfectly.”
Malik and Ahmad transmitted it, and Darimi transmitted something similar.
Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I have been commanded to prostrate myself on seven bones: the forehead, the hands, 1 the knees, and the extremities of the feet, 2 and not to fold back the clothing or the hair.”
1. i.e. the palms.
2. i.e. the toes.
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Adopt a moderate position when prostrating yourselves, and see that none of you stretches out his forearms [on the ground] like a dog.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib reported God's Messenger as saying, “When you prostrate yourself, place the palms of your hands on the ground and raise your elbows.”
Muslim transmitted it.
Maimuna said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated himself he kept his arms so far away from his sides that if a lamb had wanted to pass under his arms it could have done so.
This is Abu Dawud’s wording, as [Baghawi] explained in Sharh as-sunna with his isnad. Muslim has something to the same effect: She said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated himself, if a lamb had wanted to pass between his arms it could have done so.
‘Abdallah b. Malik Ibn Buhaina* said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated himself he spread out his arms so that the whiteness under his armpits was visible.
* Buhaina was ‘Abdallah’s mother.
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
Abu Huraira said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when prostrating himself, “O God, forgive me all my sins, small and great, first and last, open and secret.”
Muslim transmitted it.
'A’isha said: One night I missed God’s Messenger from the bed, and when I sought him my hand came on the soles of his feet while he was in the act of prostration with them raised, and he was saying, “O God, I seek refuge in Thy good pleasure from Thy anger, and in Thy forgiveness from Thy punishment, and I seek refuge in Thee from Thee.* I cannot reckon Thy praise. Thou art as Thou hast lauded Thyself.”
* This form of words indicates that God alone can give refuge from His wrath.
Muslim transmitted it.
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication often.”
Muslim transmitted it.
He reported God’s Messenger as saying: When a man recites as-Sajda (Al-Qur’an; 32) the devil retires weeping and saying, “Woe is me! The son of Adam has been commanded to prostrate himself and has done so, and will be rewarded with paradise; but I have been commanded to prostrate myself and have refused, so I will be punished with hell.”
Muslim transmitted it.
Rabi'a b. Ka‘b said: I was with God’s Messenger at night, and when I brought him his water for ablution and what he required, he told me to make a request. I said, “I ask to accompany you in paradise.” He asked if I had any other request to make, and when I replied that that was all, he said, “Then help me to accomplish this for you by devoting yourself often to prostration.”
Muslim transmitted it.