Explanation

This noble Hadīth explains the manner in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the prayer, and indeed it is the most perfect manner that should be followed by whoever intends to perform it. The Hadīth mentions a set of the acts related to prayer, including the prayer's pillars and obligatory and recommended acts, starting from Takbīr and ending with Taslīm, as follows: When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up for prayer, he would raise his hands up to the level of his shoulders, then say Takbīr and wait in submissive devotion until every bone returned to its normal place. Then he would recite the Qur’an, then make Takbīr, raising his hands parallel with his shoulders. Then he would bow, placing his palms on his knees. Then he would stand straight, without raising up his head nor lowering it much; rather he kept it in a mild position. Thereafter, he would raise his head and say: "Allah hears those who praise him", raising his hands up to the level of his shoulders while standing straight. He would then say "Allah is the Greatest" and fall down in prostration, distancing his hands from his sides. Then he would raise his head, tuck his left foot, and sit on it. he used to spread out his toes when he prostrated. He would then prostrate once more and say "Allah is the Greatest" and then raise his head. After that, he would tuck his left foot again and sit on it and wait until every bone returned to its normal place. he would do the same in the second Rak‘ah. When he stood up after finishing the second Rak‘ah, he would say "Allah is the Greatest" and raise his hands up to the level of his shoulders, just as he did at the beginning of the prayer. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would do the same throughout his prayer, until he came to the prostration that would be followed by Taslīm, wherein he would lay aside his left leg and sit with his left posterior placed on the ground (Tawarruk). The statement "the prostration that would be followed by Taslīm" is mentioned as such in the wording of this narration of the Hadīth; but Hadīth commentators have explained that what is meant here is the final sitting that precedes the Taslīm.