The Book of The At-Tatbiq (Clasping One's Hands Together)
كتاب التطبيق
Chapter 1: Clasping one's hands together
They were with 'Abdullah in his house and he said: "Have these people prayed?" We said: "Yes." So he led them in prayer and stood between them, with no Adhan and no Iqamah, and said: "If you are three then do this, and if you are more than that then let one of you lead the others in prayer, and let him lay his hands on his thighs. It is as if I can see the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), interlaced.'"
"We prayed with Abdullah bin Mas'ud in his house. He stood between us and we placed our hands on our knees, but he took them off and made us interlace our fingers, and said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do that.'"
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught us the prayer. He stood up and said the takbir, and when he wanted to bow, he put his hands together and put his hands between his knees and bowed." News of that reached Sa'd and he said: "My brother has spoken the truth. We used to do that, then we were commanded to do this," meaning to hold the knees.
Chapter 2: Abrogation of that
"I prayed beside my father and I put my hands between my knees, and he told me: 'Put your hands on your knees.' Then I did that again and he struck my hands and said: 'We were forbidden to do that, and we were commanded to put our hands on our knees.'"
"I bowed and put my hands together, and my father said: 'This is something that we used to do, then we brought them up to our knees.'"
Chapter 3: Holding the knees when bowing
"It is established for you to hold the knees, so hold the knees."
" 'Umar said: 'The Sunnah is to hold the knees.'"
Chapter 4: Where to place the palms when bowing
"We came to Abu Mas'ud and said to him: 'Tell us about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He stood in front of us and said the takbir, then when he bowed he placed his palms on his knees and put his fingers lower than that, and he held his elbows out from his sides until every part of him had settled. Then he said: Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him, our Lord, and to You be the praise), then he stood up until every part of him had settled."
Chapter 5: Where to place the fingers when bowing
"Shall I not show you how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray?" We said: "Yes." So he stood up and when he bowed, he placed his palms on his knees and put his fingers behind his knees, and held his arms out from his sides, until every part of him settled. Then he raised his head and stood up until every part of him settled. Then he prostrated and held his arms out from his sides, until every part of him settled. Then he sat up until every part of him settled. Then he prostrated again until every part of him settled. Then he did four rak'ahs like that. Then he said: "This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray, and this is how he used to lead us in prayer."
Chapter 6: Holding the arms out from one's side when bowing
"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.'"
Chapter 7: Being moderate in bowing
"When the Prophet (ﷺ) bowed he was balanced, he did not make his head higher or lower than his back, and he put his hands on his knees."
Chapter 8: The prohibition of reciting Qur'an while bowing
"The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade me from wearing A-Qassi and silk, and gold rings, and from reciting Qur'an when bowing."
"The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade me from wearing gold rings, from reciting the Qur'an when bowing, and from wearing Al-Qassi, and clothes dyed with safflower."
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade me-but I do not say he forbade you- from wearing gold rings, Al-Qassi, and from wearing Al-Mufaddam, and from wearing clothes dyed with safflower, and from reciting Qur'an when bowing."
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade me from wearing gold rings, and Al-Qassi, and clothes dyed with safflower, and reciting Qur'an while I am bowing."
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade me from wearing Al-Qassi, and clothes dyed from safflower, and from wearing gold rings, and from reciting Qura'n while bowing."
Chapter 9: Glorification of the Lord while bowing
"The Prophet (ﷺ) drew back the curtain when the people were in rows behind Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: 'O people, there is nothing left of the features of Prophethood except a good dream that a Muslim sees or is seen by others for him.' Then he said: 'Verily, I have been forbidden from reciting the Qur'an when bowing or prostrating. As for bowing, glorify the Lord therein, and as for prostration, strive hard in supplication for it is more deserving of a response.'"
Chapter 10: Remembrace while bowing
"I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he bowed and said when bowing: 'Subhana Rabbial-azim (Glory be to my Lord Almighty).' And when prostrating: 'Subhana Rabbial-'Ala (Glory be to my Lord Most High).'"
Chapter 11: Another kind of remembrance when bowing
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) often used to say when bowing and prostrating: 'Subhanaka Rabbana wa bi Hamdika, Allahumm aghfirli (Glorfy and praise be to You, our Lord. O Allah, forgive me.).'"