Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Ibrahim narrates that Hazrat Aswad and Hazrat Alqama came to Hazrat Abdullah. Hazrat Abdullah asked, "Have these people performed the prayer?" Both of them replied, "No." Hazrat Abdullah said, "Get up and pray." He did not instruct for the adhan or the iqamah. Then he stepped forward and led us in prayer. When we began to move back, he pulled us and made us stand with him. When we bowed for ruku, Aswad placed his hands on his knees. When Hazrat Abdullah saw him do this, he struck his hands. Aswad saw that Hazrat Abdullah's both hands were between his knees and his fingers were spread apart. When Hazrat Abdullah completed the prayer, he said, "When you are three, one of you should lead the prayer. When you bow for ruku, spread your arms over your thighs. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to keep his fingers spread apart in the state of ruku, and this scene is still before my eyes." After this, Hazrat Abdullah said, "Soon there will come such rulers who will destroy the prayer. Their prayer will be worse than that of a donkey, and there will be no benefit in such a prayer. When any of you reaches such a time, perform your prayer at its proper time, and join them only as a voluntary (nafl) prayer." The narrator says, "I asked Ibrahim, 'Did Hazrat Aswad and Hazrat Alqama continue to do this afterwards?' He replied, 'Yes.' I asked, 'Do you also do the same?' He replied, 'Yes.' I said, 'Many people place their hands on their knees.' Ibrahim said, 'I heard Hazrat Abu Ma'mar say that Hazrat Umar used to place his hands on his knees.'"