12/5. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1038 — Abu Mas'ud’s Prayer Demonstration
Holding the arms out from one's side when bowing
Hadith About Abu Mas'ud Showing the Prophet’s Prayer
Sunan an-Nasai : 1038
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1038
أَخْبَرَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ الْبَرَّادِ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ أَلاَ أُرِيكُمْ كَيْفَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي قُلْنَا بَلَى . فَقَامَ فَكَبَّرَ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ جَافَى بَيْنَ إِبْطَيْهِ حَتَّى لَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ هَكَذَا وَقَالَ هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي .
Salim Al- Barrad Narrated from:
Abu Mus'ad said: 'Shall I not show you how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed?' We said: 'Yes.' So he stood up and said the takbir, and when he bowed, he held his arms out from his sides until, when every part of him settled, he raised his head. He prayed four rak'ahs like that, and said: 'This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1038In-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 10English translation : Vol. 2, Book 12, Hadith 1039
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1038
This Hadith reports that Salim Al-Barrad heard Abu Mas'ud ask whether he should show them how the Messenger of Allah prayed. They said yes, so he stood, said the takbir, and when he bowed, he held his arms away from his sides until every part of him settled. He then raised his head and prayed four rak'ahs like that. Afterward, he said that this was how he saw the Messenger of Allah praying. The core topic is demonstration of the Prophet’s prayer. The Hadith is useful for people searching for how the Prophet prayed or how to perform ruku with calmness. It focuses on bowing, arm position, settling the body, and a four-rak'ah demonstration, without adding extra details beyond the narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Mas'ud taught by showing the prayer in front of others.
- The narration highlights settled bowing.
- The arms were held away from the sides in the described posture.
- The demonstration was linked to what Abu Mas'ud saw from the Prophet.
