حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، - وَهَذَا حَدِيثُ أَحْمَدَ قَالَ - أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ - أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا حُمَيْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ، فِي عَشْرَةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهُمْ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ قَالَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ أَنَا أَعْلَمُكُمْ بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ قَالُوا فَلِمَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتَ بِأَكْثَرِنَا لَهُ تَبَعًا وَلاَ أَقْدَمَنَا لَهُ صُحْبَةً ‏.‏ قَالَ بَلَى ‏.‏ قَالُوا فَاعْرِضْ ‏.‏ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلمإِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حَتَّى يَقِرَّ كُلُّ عَظْمٍ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ مُعْتَدِلاً ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ فَيَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَرْكَعُ وَيَضَعُ رَاحَتَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَعْتَدِلُ فَلاَ يَصُبُّ رَأْسَهُ وَلاَ يُقْنِعُ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ فَيَقُولُ ‏"‏ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ مُعْتَدِلاً ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ يَهْوِي إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَيُجَافِي يَدَيْهِ عَنْ جَنْبَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ وَيَثْنِي رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى فَيَقْعُدُ عَلَيْهَا وَيَفْتَحُ أَصَابِعَ رِجْلَيْهِ إِذَا سَجَدَ وَيَسْجُدُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَيَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ وَيَثْنِي رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى فَيَقْعُدُ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ كُلُّ عَظْمٍ إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِ ثُمَّ يَصْنَعُ فِي الأُخْرَى مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ كَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ كَمَا كَبَّرَ عِنْدَ افْتِتَاحِ الصَّلاَةِ ثُمَّ يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ فِي بَقِيَّةِ صَلاَتِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتِ السَّجْدَةُ الَّتِي فِيهَا التَّسْلِيمُ أَخَّرَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَقَعَدَ مُتَوَرِّكًا عَلَى شِقِّهِ الأَيْسَرِ ‏.‏قَالُوا صَدَقْتَ هَكَذَا كَانَ يُصَلِّي صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

Abu Humaid al-Sa’idi once told a company of ten of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ; Abu Qatadah was one of them

Abu Humaid al-Sa'idi said among a group of ten Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), among whom was Abu Qatadah: "I am the most knowledgeable among you regarding the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." They said: "Why? For by Allah, you were neither the most frequent of us in following him nor the oldest of us in companionship with him." He said: "Indeed." They said: "Then present it." He said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up for prayer, he would raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, then he would say the takbir until every bone settled in its proper place, keeping poised. Then he would recite, then he would say the takbir and raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, then he would bow and place the palms of his hands on his knees, keeping his back straight without lowering his head or raising it. Then he would raise his head and say, 'Allah listens to the one who praises Him.' Then he would raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, keeping poised, and say, 'Allah is the greatest.' Then he would incline toward the earth, keeping his arms apart from his sides. Then he would raise his head and bend his left foot, sitting upon it and spreading the toes of both feet when he prostrated. Then he would prostrate and say, 'Allah is the greatest.' Then he would raise his head and bend his left foot, sitting upon it until every bone returned to its proper place, and he would do the same in the other prostration. Then, when he stood up from the two rak'ahs, he would say the takbir and raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, just as he said the takbir at the opening of the prayer. Then he would do that throughout the remainder of his prayer, until when it was the prostration that contained the taslim, he would push back his left foot and sit mutawarrik on his left thigh." They said: "You have spoken the truth; this is how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray."