Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim 535 c
The recommendation to place the hands on the knees when bowing, and the abrogation of tatbiq
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَرَكَعْتُ فَقُلْتُ بِيَدَىَّ هَكَذَا - يَعْنِي طَبَّقَ بِهِمَا وَوَضَعَهُمَا بَيْنَ فَخِذَيْهِ - فَقَالَ أَبِي قَدْ كُنَّا نَفْعَلُ هَذَا ثُمَّ أُمِرْنَا بِالرُّكَبِ .
Translation
Ibn Sa'd reported
I bowed and my hands were in this state, i. e. they were put together, palm to palm, and were placed between his thighs. My father said: We used to do like this but were later on commanded to place them on the knees.