Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 725 ⓘ
Narrated Wa'il ibn Hujr: I purposely looked at the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, how he offered it. The Messenger of Allah stood up, faced the direction of the qiblah and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and then raised his hands in front of his ears, then placed his right hand on his left (catching each other). When he was about to bow, he raised them in the same manner. He then placed his hands on his knees. When he raised his head after bowing, he raised them in the like manner. When he prostrated himself he placed his forehead between his hands. He then sat down and spread his left foot and placed his left hand on his left thigh, and kept his right elbow aloof from his right thigh. He closed his two fingers and made a circle (with the fingers). I (Asim ibn Kulayb) saw him (Bishr ibn al-Mufaddal) say in this manner. Bishr made the circle with the thumb and the middle finger and pointed with the forefinger.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَنْظُرَنَّ إِلَى صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي قَالَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَكَبَّرَ فَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى حَاذَتَا أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ شِمَالَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْزِلِ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ فَافْتَرَشَ رِجْلَهُ الْيُسْرَى وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى وَحَدَّ مِرْفَقَهُ الأَيْمَنَ عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَحَلَّقَ حَلْقَةً وَرَأَيْتُهُ يَقُولُ هَكَذَا . وَحَلَّقَ بِشْرٌ الإِبْهَامَ وَالْوُسْطَى وَأَشَارَ بِالسَّبَّابَةِ .
also referenced under: Hadith 726 (DarusSalam) & Book 3, Hadith 725 (USC-MSA)