2/155. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 863 — Prophetic Prayer Posture
The Prayer Of One Whose Back Does Not Come To A Complete Rest During Ruku' And Prostration
Prophetic Prayer Posture: A Hadith About Salah Calmness
Sunan Abi Dawud : 863
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 863
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ الْبَرَّادِ، قَالَ أَتَيْنَا عُقْبَةَ بْنَ عَمْرٍو الأَنْصَارِيَّ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ حَدِّثْنَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَامَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَكَبَّرَ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ أَصَابِعَهُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَجَافَى بَيْنَ مِرْفَقَيْهِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَقَامَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ جَافَى بَيْنَ مِرْفَقَيْهِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَجَلَسَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ فَفَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا ثُمَّ صَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ مِثْلَ هَذِهِ الرَّكْعَةِ فَصَلَّى صَلاَتَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَكَذَا رَأَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي .
Uqbah ibn Amr al-Ansari Narrated from:
Salim al-Barrad said: We came to AbuMas'ud Uqbah ibn Amr al-Ansari and said to him: Tell us about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He stood up before us in the mosque and said the takbir. When he bowed, he placed his hands upon his knees and put his fingers below, and kept his elbows (arms) away from his sides, so everything returned properly to its place.Then he said: "Allah listens to him who praises Him"; then he stood up so that everything returned properly to its place; then he said the takbir and prostrated and put the palms of his hands on the ground; he kept his elbow (arms) away from his sides, so that everything returned to its proper place. Then he raised his head and sat so that everything returned to its place; he then repeated it in a similar way. Then he offered four rak'ahs of prayer like this rak'ah and completed his prayer. Then he said: Thus we witnessed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offering his prayer.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 863In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 473English translation : Book 3, Hadith 862
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 863
This hadith gives a living example of prophetic prayer posture. Abu Mas’ud stood in the mosque and showed how the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed. He began with takbir, bowed with his hands on his knees, kept his arms away from his sides, and let everything settle into place. He stood after bowing until everything settled, then prostrated with his palms on the ground. He also sat calmly after raising his head. The repeated phrase about everything returning to its proper place is the heart of this hadith. It teaches that salah is not only recitation. It is also calm movement, careful bowing, proper sujud, and a steady rhythm that shows respect before Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- The bowing position includes placing the hands on the knees.
- Each posture should settle before moving to the next.
- The palms are placed on the ground in prostration.
- The Companions taught prayer by showing how they saw the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) pray.
