Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of The At-Tatbiq (Clasping One's Hands Together)

It was narrated from 'Alqamah and Al-Aswad that:

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.'"

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَالأَسْوَدِ، أَنَّهُمَا كَانَا مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَقَالَ أَصَلَّى هَؤُلاَءِ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ . فَأَمَّهُمَا وَقَامَ بَيْنَهُمَا بِغَيْرِ أَذَانٍ وَلاَ إِقَامَةٍ . قَالَ إِذَا كُنْتُمْ ثَلاَثَةً فَاصْنَعُوا هَكَذَا وَإِذَا كُنْتُمْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَلْيَؤُمَّكُمْ أَحَدُكُمْ وَلْيَفْرِشْ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَى اخْتِلاَفِ أَصَابِعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ .

It was narrated that 'Alqamah and Al-Aswad said:

"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.'"

أَخْبَرَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الرِّبَاطِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَمْرٌو، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي قَيْسٍ - عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ، قَالاَ صَلَّيْنَا مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَقَامَ بَيْنَنَا فَوَضَعْنَا أَيْدِيَنَا عَلَى رُكَبِنَا فَنَزَعَهَا فَخَالَفَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِنَا وَقَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَفْعَلُهُ .

It was narrated that Abdullah said:

"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.

أَخْبَرَنَا نُوحُ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ عَلَّمَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الصَّلاَةَ فَقَامَ فَكَبَّرَ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ طَبَّقَ يَدَيْهِ بَيْنَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَرَكَعَ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ سَعْدًا فَقَالَ صَدَقَ أَخِي قَدْ كُنَّا نَفْعَلُ هَذَا ثُمَّ أُمِرْنَا بِهَذَا يَعْنِي الإِمْسَاكَ بِالرُّكَبِ .

It was narrated that Mus'ab bin Sa'd said:

"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.'"

أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ، عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ صَلَّيْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي وَجَعَلْتُ يَدَىَّ بَيْنَ رُكْبَتَىَّ فَقَالَ لِي اضْرِبْ بِكَفَّيْكَ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ . قَالَ ثُمَّ فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فَضَرَبَ يَدِي وَقَالَ إِنَّا قَدْ نُهِينَا عَنْ هَذَا وَأُمِرْنَا أَنْ نَضْرِبَ بِالأَكُفِّ عَلَى الرُّكَبِ .

It was narrated that Mus'ab bin Sa'd said:

"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.'"

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ رَكَعْتُ فَطَبَّقْتُ فَقَالَ أَبِي إِنَّ هَذَا شَىْءٌ كُنَّا نَفْعَلُهُ ثُمَّ ارْتَفَعْنَا إِلَى الرُّكَبِ .

It was narrated that 'Umar said:

"It is established for you to hold the knees, so hold the knees."

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عُمَرَ، قَالَ سُنَّتْ لَكُمُ الرُّكَبُ فَأَمْسِكُوا بِالرُّكَبِ .

It was narrated that 'Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami said:

" 'Umar said: 'The Sunnah is to hold the knees.'"

أَخْبَرَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ إِنَّمَا السُّنَّةُ الأَخْذُ بِالرُّكَبِ .

It was narrated that Salim said:

"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."

أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، فِي حَدِيثِهِ عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، قَالَ أَتَيْنَا أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ حَدِّثْنَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ . فَقَامَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا وَكَبَّرَ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ وَضَعَ رَاحَتَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ أَصَابِعَهُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَجَافَى بِمِرْفَقَيْهِ حَتَّى اسْتَوَى كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَقَامَ حَتَّى اسْتَوَى كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ .

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said:

"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."

أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الرَّهَاوِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ أَلاَ أُصَلِّي لَكُمْ كَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي فَقُلْنَا بَلَى . فَقَامَ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ وَضَعَ رَاحَتَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ أَصَابِعَهُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَجَافَى إِبْطَيْهِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَامَ حَتَّى اسْتَوَى كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَجَافَى إِبْطَيْهِ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ حَتَّى اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ صَنَعَ كَذَلِكَ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي وَهَكَذَا كَانَ يُصَلِّي بِنَا .

It was narrated that Salim Al- Barrad said:

"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.'"

أَخْبَرَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ الْبَرَّادِ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ أَلاَ أُرِيكُمْ كَيْفَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ يُصَلِّي .