Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 4510 — from his father, from his uncle Sayyiduna

Ali bin Yahya bin Khallad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from his father, from his uncle Sayyiduna Rifa'ah bin Rafi' (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu al-Walid added in his narration that Rifa'ah and Malik were two brothers from the people of Badr. He said: Once the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting and looking around him when he saw a man who faced the qiblah and prayed two rak'ahs. And Hajjaj said in his narration: I was sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when a man came and entered the mosque. When he had finished his prayer, he came and greeted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the people with salam, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "And upon you too. Go back and pray again, for you have not prayed." The narrator said: So he went back and prayed, paying attention to his prayer, but he did not know what was faulty in it. When he finished his prayer, he came and greeted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the people with salam, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go back and pray again, for you have not prayed." The narrator said: And this was repeated twice or three times. The man said: I do not know what fault you have found in me. The narrator said: So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The prayer of any of you is not complete until he performs ablution thoroughly as Allah has commanded him: he washes his face and his hands up to the elbows, and wipes his head and his feet up to the ankles; then he proclaims Allah's greatness (takbir) and praises Him, and recites from the Qur'an whatever Allah has permitted him and made easy; then he says takbir and bows, placing his palms on his knees until his joints are at rest and relaxed; then he says: Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him), and stands up straight until every bone takes its place, and straightens his back; then he says takbir and prostrates, settling his forehead firmly (Hammam said: and sometimes he said: settling his face firmly) on the ground until his joints are at rest and relaxed; then he says takbir, raises his head, sits upright on his seat and straightens his back." In this way he (peace and blessings be upon him) described the prayer until he finished, then said: "The prayer of any of you is not complete until he does this." These are the words of Hajjaj's narration.