Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Masood that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The prayer of that person is not correct whose back is not straight in bowing (ruku) and prostration (sajdah).

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) bin Shiban says that we came to the service of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as a delegation, and we pledged allegiance at his hand and prayed with him. During the prayer, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) glanced at a man whose back was not straight in bowing and prostration. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) completed the prayer, he said: O group of Muslims! The prayer of that person is not valid whose back is not straight in bowing and prostration.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) bin Yahya bin Khallad narrates from his father, and he from his uncle, that once we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when a man came and performed the prayer very quickly, not performing the bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujud) properly. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was staring at him, while we did not realize this. When he finished his prayer and came to the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and greeted him, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied to his greeting and said, "Repeat the prayer, you have not prayed." He did this three times, but each time the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told him, "Repeat the prayer, you have not prayed." When he came the fourth time, he said, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me the prayer, by Allah! I have tried my best." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "When you stand for prayer, face the Qiblah. Then say the takbir, then recite (Qur'an), then bow and perform the bowing with calmness. Then when you rise from bowing, stand with calmness. Then prostrate and perform the prostration with calmness. Then when you sit, sit with calmness, and then stand up again. If you do this, your prayer is complete, and if you fall short in any of these actions, know that there is a deficiency in your prayer."

Hazrat Abu Huraira narrates that a man entered the mosque and offered prayer. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in a corner of the mosque. The man came and greeted the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet replied to his greeting and said, "Go and pray, for you have not yet prayed." The man went and after returning, greeted again, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Go, you have not yet prayed." Then for the third time, the man said, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me how to pray." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "When you stand for prayer, perform ablution properly, then face the Qiblah and say the Takbeer. Then recite from the Holy Qur'an whatever is easy for you. Then bow with calmness, then stand up straight with full composure, then prostrate with calmness, then stand up straight or he said, then sit straight. Then perform these actions throughout your prayer."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The worst thief is the one who steals in prayer." The people asked, "O Messenger of Allah! How can one steal in prayer?" He replied, "By not performing its bowing and prostration properly."

Hazrat Thabit narrates that once Hazrat Anas described to us the way the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed prayer. First, he stood straight for prayer, then he bowed (in ruku‘), then he raised his head from ruku‘, then stood up straight. And he remained standing for so long that some of us thought he had forgotten. Then Hazrat Anas performed sajdah, then sat up straight, and remained sitting for so long that some of us thought he had forgotten.

Hazrat Salim Barad says that we went to the house of Hazrat Abu Masood and requested him to teach us the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He stood before us for prayer, then he bowed (in ruku) and placed his palms on his knees and his fingers below his knees. He kept his elbows away from his body in such a way that every part of the body became straight. Then he raised his head and said "Sami Allahu liman Hamidah." Then he stood in such a way that every part of the body was in balance, then he performed prostration (sajdah) and did the same in prostration. Then he performed two units (rak'ahs) of prayer. When he finished, he said that we saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, praying in this manner.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah says that a man keeps offering prayers for sixty years, but his prayer is not accepted, because sometimes he performs the bowing (ruku) properly but not the prostration (sajdah), and sometimes he performs the prostration properly but not the bowing.

Hazrat Muhammad bin Amr says that I saw Hazrat Abu Humaid Sa'idi with ten companions. Hazrat Abu Humaid said, "Shall I not describe to you the way the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed prayer?" They said, "Certainly, do so." He said, "When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would raise his head from bowing (ruku'), he would remain still for so long that every bone would return to its place, then he would bend to go into prostration (sajdah) and then say the takbeer."

Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ruku, he would not lower his blessed head below his back nor raise it above, but would keep it in a position between the two. When he raised his head from ruku, he would not go into prostration until he stood up straight in an upright position. And when he raised his head after prostration, he would not perform the second prostration until he sat in a state of calmness. After every two rak‘ahs, he used to recite at-Tahiyyat.

Hazrat Zaid bin Wahb narrates that Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) once entered the mosque and saw that a man was praying towards the doors of Kindah, but he was not performing the bowing (ruku) and prostration (sajda) properly. When the man completed his prayer, Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him, "For how long have you been praying like this?" He replied, "For forty years." Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "You have not prayed for forty years. If you had died while praying in this manner, you would have departed from this world on a way other than the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) began to teach him how to pray and said, "A person may lighten the prayer, but he should not be deficient in bowing and prostration."

It is narrated from Hasan that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The worst thief is the one who steals in prayer." The people asked, "O Messenger of Allah! How can one steal in prayer?" He replied, "By not performing its bowing and prostration properly."

Hazrat Hamla bin Abdur Rahman narrates that Hazrat Ubadah saw a man who was not performing ruku and sujood properly. He took hold of that man's hand, so the man became frightened. Hazrat Ubadah said, "Do not imitate him or those like him. And remember that there is no prayer without Surah Al-Fatiha."

Hazrat Abu Ja'far narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man who was prostrating in such a manner as if he was striking his head on the ground. Upon seeing him, the Prophet said: "If this person dies upon this prayer, he will not die upon my religion."

Hazrat Abu Yahya narrates that Hazrat Abu Hurairah saw a woman who was praying in such a manner as if a hen was pecking. Upon seeing her, he said, "You are lying."

Hasan narrates that Hazrat Saeed bin Musayyib saw a man who was not performing the bowing and prostration properly. He scolded him and said, "You have ruined your prayer."

Hazrat A’mash says that I saw Hazrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) performing prayer near the Ka’bah in Makkah. I did not come in front of him. He was offering the prayer with utmost calmness; when he would rise from bowing (ruku’), he would stand completely straight, to the extent that even the veins of his stomach would become straight.

Hazrat Ibn Abi Laila narrates that a man entered the mosque and performed prayer in such a way that he did not perform the bowing and prostration properly. I mentioned this to Hazrat Abdullah bin Yazid, so he said that it would have been better if he had not performed the prayer at all.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) bin Zaid narrates that Hazrat Miswar bin Makhramah saw a man who was not performing the bowing and prostration properly. He said to him, "Repeat your prayer." The man refused to repeat the prayer, but he did not leave him until he performed the prayer again.

Hazrat Musa bin Muslim says that Hazrat Tawus was sitting when a man was performing prayer and was not performing the bowing and prostration properly. A man said that his prayer is not valid. Hazrat Tawus said, "Leave him; whatever prayer he has performed, its reward has been written in his book of deeds."

Hazrat Yahya bin Ubaid says that Hazrat Abdullah bin Yazid was asked about the person who does not perform bowing and prostration properly in prayer, so he replied that it is better than not praying at all.

Hazrat Abu Qais says that Hazrat Masruq saw a man who was praying and in prostration he had lifted his feet. Hazrat Masruq said that his prayer was not complete.

Hazrat Imran says that Hazrat Abu Majliz saw a man who, while in the state of prostration, had lifted one of his feet. He said, "Allah the Exalted made them six, and you have made them five!"

Hazrat Salman Farsi says that prayer is a measure; whoever fulfills it, Allah Almighty will grant him full reward on the Day of Judgment. And you know what Allah Almighty has said about the measure { وَیْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِینَ } "Woe to those who give less in measure."

A man narrates that once Hazrat Abu Darda passed by a person who was not performing bowing and prostration properly. When this was mentioned to Hazrat Abu Darda, he said that it is better not to pray at all than to pray like this.

Hazrat Qais narrates that Hazrat Bilal saw a man who was not performing bowing and prostration properly. He said that if he dies in this state, he will die having deviated from the religion of Isa ibn Maryam.