✿ The Complete Prophetic Method of Salah with the Consensus of the Companions ✿
From the Opening Takbeer to the Final Salam
The Complete Method of Salah Based on the Testimony of Eleven Companions (رضي الله عنهم)
It is narrated from Ḥaḍrat Abū Ḥumayd al-Sāʿidī (رضي الله عنه) that in the presence of ten other companions of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم), he declared:
"I know more than all of you about the way the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to perform Salah."
When the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) requested clarification, he described the complete method of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayer as follows:
When the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would stand for prayer:
① He would raise both hands up to the level of his shoulders.
② Then he would say the Takbīr al-Taḥrīmah.
③ Then he would recite the Qur’an.
After reciting the Qur’an:
① He would say Takbīr again and raise both hands to the level of the shoulders.
② Then he would go into Rukūʿ:
• He would place both palms on his knees.
• He would keep his back completely straight, neither lowering nor raising his head (i.e., his back and head would be aligned).
① Then he would raise his head and say:
"سَمِعَ ﷲُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ"
② He would raise both hands to the level of the shoulders.
③ And he would stand upright calmly and completely.
① Then he would say Allāhu Akbar and go into Sujūd:
• He would keep his arms away from his sides.
• He would spread the toes and point them toward the Qiblah.
① Then he would raise his head from Sujūd:
• He would bend his left foot and sit upon it.
• He would sit with full composure until every bone returned to its proper place.
① He would perform the second Sujūd.
② Then say Allāhu Akbar and rise for the next standing position:
• Again, he would bend his left foot and sit upon it briefly.
• He would sit calmly (in Jalsah al-Istirāḥah) until every bone returned to its place.
① He would perform the second Rakʿah in the same manner.
② After completing two Rakʿahs and rising again:
• He would say Allāhu Akbar.
• He would raise both hands to the level of the shoulders (just as he did at the beginning of prayer).
③ He would continue the rest of the prayer in the same manner.
① When he would perform the second Sujūd of the final Rakʿah, after which the Salam is given:
• He would bring his left foot out from under his right shin.
• He would sit on his left hip.
② Then he would conclude the prayer by saying Salam.
After this detailed explanation, the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) said:
"O Abū Ḥumayd al-Sāʿidī! You have spoken the truth; the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to pray in this exact manner."
(Abū Dāwūd: Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Iftitāḥ al-Ṣalāh, Ḥadīth: 730; al-Tirmidhī: Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Mā Jāʾa fī Waṣf al-Ṣalāh, Ḥadīth: 304)
This narration has been authenticated by Ibn Ḥibbān, al-Tirmidhī, and al-Nawawī.
From this noble ḥadīth, many important points are established. One of them is:
◈ According to the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), the practice of raising the hands (Rafʿ al-Yadayn) was never abrogated up to the death of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
From the Opening Takbeer to the Final Salam
The Complete Method of Salah Based on the Testimony of Eleven Companions (رضي الله عنهم)
❀ Narration of Ḥaḍrat Abū Ḥumayd al-Sāʿidī (رضي الله عنه)
It is narrated from Ḥaḍrat Abū Ḥumayd al-Sāʿidī (رضي الله عنه) that in the presence of ten other companions of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم), he declared:
"I know more than all of you about the way the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to perform Salah."
When the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) requested clarification, he described the complete method of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayer as follows:
◈ Beginning of the Prayer: Takbīr al-Taḥrīmah
When the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would stand for prayer:
① He would raise both hands up to the level of his shoulders.
② Then he would say the Takbīr al-Taḥrīmah.
③ Then he would recite the Qur’an.
◈ Description of Rukūʿ (Bowing)
After reciting the Qur’an:
① He would say Takbīr again and raise both hands to the level of the shoulders.
② Then he would go into Rukūʿ:
• He would place both palms on his knees.
• He would keep his back completely straight, neither lowering nor raising his head (i.e., his back and head would be aligned).
◈ After Rukūʿ: Qawmah (Standing Posture)
① Then he would raise his head and say:
"سَمِعَ ﷲُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ"
② He would raise both hands to the level of the shoulders.
③ And he would stand upright calmly and completely.
◈ Description of Sujūd (Prostration)
① Then he would say Allāhu Akbar and go into Sujūd:
• He would keep his arms away from his sides.
• He would spread the toes and point them toward the Qiblah.
◈ After Sujūd: Jalsah (Sitting Between Two Sujūd)
① Then he would raise his head from Sujūd:
• He would bend his left foot and sit upon it.
• He would sit with full composure until every bone returned to its proper place.
◈ Second Sujūd and Standing for Next Rakʿah
① He would perform the second Sujūd.
② Then say Allāhu Akbar and rise for the next standing position:
• Again, he would bend his left foot and sit upon it briefly.
• He would sit calmly (in Jalsah al-Istirāḥah) until every bone returned to its place.
◈ Second Rakʿah and Continuation of Prayer
① He would perform the second Rakʿah in the same manner.
② After completing two Rakʿahs and rising again:
• He would say Allāhu Akbar.
• He would raise both hands to the level of the shoulders (just as he did at the beginning of prayer).
③ He would continue the rest of the prayer in the same manner.
◈ Final Tashahhud and Salam
① When he would perform the second Sujūd of the final Rakʿah, after which the Salam is given:
• He would bring his left foot out from under his right shin.
• He would sit on his left hip.
② Then he would conclude the prayer by saying Salam.
✔ Confirmation by the Companions
After this detailed explanation, the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) said:
"O Abū Ḥumayd al-Sāʿidī! You have spoken the truth; the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to pray in this exact manner."
(Abū Dāwūd: Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Iftitāḥ al-Ṣalāh, Ḥadīth: 730; al-Tirmidhī: Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Mā Jāʾa fī Waṣf al-Ṣalāh, Ḥadīth: 304)
This narration has been authenticated by Ibn Ḥibbān, al-Tirmidhī, and al-Nawawī.
❀ Important Inference
From this noble ḥadīth, many important points are established. One of them is:
◈ According to the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), the practice of raising the hands (Rafʿ al-Yadayn) was never abrogated up to the death of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
