Imam Abu Dawud, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
حدثنا أحمد بن حنبل بحدثنا أبو عاصم الضحاك بن مخلد ح و حدثنا مسدد بحدثنا يحي۔ وهذا حديث أحمد۔ قال أخبرنا عبدالحميد يعني ابن جعفر أخبرني محمد بن عمرو بن عطاء قال سمعت أبا حميد الساعدي فى عشرة من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم منهم أبو قتادة، قال أبو حميد أنا أعلمكم بصلوة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، قالوا : فلم ؟ فو الله ! ماكنت بأكثرنا له تبعة ولا أقدمناله صحبة، قال يليٰ، قالوا : فاعرض، قال : كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قام إلى الصلوة يرفع يديه حتي يحاذي بهما منكبيه، ثم كبر حتي يقر كل عظم فى موضعه معتدلا، ثم يقرأ، ثم يكبر فيرفع يديه حتي يحاذي بهما منكبيه، ثم يركع و يضع راحتيه على ركبتيه، ثم يعتدل فلا يصب رأسه ولا يقنع، ثم يرفع رأسه فيقول : سمع الله لمن حمدهٗ، ثم يرفع يديه حتي يحاذي بهما منكبيه معتدلا، ثم يقول : الله اكبر، ثم يهوي إلى الأرض فيجافي يديه عن جنبيه، ثم يرفع رأسه و يثني رجله اليسري فيقعد عليها، ويفتح أصابع رجليه إذا سجد، ثم يسجد، ثم يقول : الله أكبر و يرفع رأسه و يثني رجله اليسري فيقعد عليها حتي يرجع كل عظم إلى موضعه، ثم يصنع فى الأخري مثل ذلك، ثم إذا قام من الركعتين كبر ورفع يديه حتي يحاذي بهما منكبيه كما كبر عندافتتاح الصلوة، ثم يصنع ذلك فى بقية صلاته حتي إذا كانت السجدة التى فيها التسليم أخر رجله اليسري وقعد متوركا على شقه الأيسر، قالوا : صدقت، هكذا كان يصلي صلى الله عليه وسلم
Sayyiduna Abu Humayd al-Sa’idi, may Allah be pleased with him, said in the presence of ten Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, among whom was Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him: “I know the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ better than all of you.” They said: “How so? By Allah, you were neither more diligent in following him than us, nor did you accompany him before us.” He said: “Yes indeed!” The Companions said: “Then present it.” He said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up for prayer, he would raise his hands until they reached his shoulders (i.e., he would perform raising of the hands), then he would say the takbir (Allahu Akbar) until every bone settled in its place in balance. Then he would recite, then say the takbir and raise his hands until they reached his shoulders, then bow and place his palms on his knees. Then he would straighten up (in the back) in balance, neither lowering his head too much nor keeping it raised (i.e., the blessed head of the Prophet ﷺ and his back would be in one straight line). Then, when he raised his head, he would say سمع الله لمن حمدهٗ, then raise his hands in balance until they reached his shoulders, then say Allahu Akbar, then descend towards the ground. (In prostration) he would keep his arms away from his sides. Then the Prophet ﷺ would raise his head, and, laying his left foot flat, he would sit upon it. He would keep the fingers of his feet open when prostrating. Then he would prostrate, then say Allahu Akbar and raise his head, and he would lay his left foot flat and sit upon it until every bone returned to its place. Then he would do the same in the second rak’ah. Then when he stood up from the two rak’ahs, he would say the takbir and raise his hands until they reached his shoulders, just as he said Allahu Akbar and raised his hands at the beginning of the prayer. Then he would do that throughout the rest of his prayer, until, when it came to the final prostration after which the salam is given, he would move his left foot back (out to the right side) and sit in the tawarruk position on his left side.” The Companions said: صدقت، هكذا كان يصلي صلى الله عليه وسلم “You have spoken the truth; this is how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray.”
The chain of this narration is absolutely Sahih. For details, please see the article by our Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai, may Allah have mercy on him, this article. Also, there is no difference between the prayer of men and women; for details, read these two articles. Is there a difference between the prayer of men and women? Also, A review of the evidences of the Deobandi scholars on the difference in the prayer of men and women.
