Sunan ad-Darimi

Sayyiduna Wa'il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I resolved in my heart that I would definitely see how the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the prayer. So I watched him: he stood up, said Allahu Akbar, and raised both his hands up to his ears (i.e., performed Raf’ al-Yadayn), and placed his right hand over the back of his left hand. Then, when he intended to bow (ruku’), he raised his hands in the same way (performed Raf’ al-Yadayn), and (in ruku’) placed both his hands on his knees. Then, when he raised his head from ruku’, he performed Raf’ al-Yadayn, then when he prostrated, he placed his hands level with his ears. Then (after rising from prostration) he sat, spread his left foot (on the ground), placed his left hand on his left thigh and left knee, and placed his right elbow on his right thigh. Then he bent two fingers (i.e., the thumb and the middle finger) to form a ring, and kept the index finger raised. I saw him moving it, as if he was supplicating with it by gesture. Sayyiduna Wa'il (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then, after a long time, I came in the winter and saw that people were wrapped in their cloaks and were moving their hands inside their cloaks (for Raf’ al-Yadayn).