Sahih Muslim , Hadith 534 ⓘ
Al-Aswad and 'Alqama reported: We came to the house of 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud. He said: Have these people said prayer behind you? We said: No. He said: Then stand up and say prayer. He neither ordered us to say Adhan nor Iqama. We went to stand behind him. He caught hold of our hands and mode one of us stand on his right hand and the other on his left side. When we bowed, we placed our hands on our knees. He struck our hands and put his hands together, palm to palm, then put them between his thighs. When he completed the prayer he said. There would soon come your Amirs, who would defer prayers from their appointed time and would make such delay that a little time is left before sunset. So when you see them doing so, say prayer at its appointed time and then say prayer along with them as (Nafl), and when you are three, pray together (standing in one row), and when you are more than three, appoint one amongst you as your Imam. And when any one of you bows he must place his hands upon hie thighs and kneel down. and putting his palms together place (them within his thighs). I perceive as if I am seeing the gap between the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him).
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، وَعَلْقَمَةَ، قَالاَ أَتَيْنَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فِي دَارِهِ فَقَالَ أَصَلَّى هَؤُلاَءِ خَلْفَكُمْ فَقُلْنَا لاَ . قَالَ فَقُومُوا فَصَلُّوا . فَلَمْ يَأْمُرْنَا بِأَذَانٍ وَلاَ إِقَامَةٍ - قَالَ - وَذَهَبْنَا لِنَقُومَ خَلْفَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِأَيْدِينَا فَجَعَلَ أَحَدَنَا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَالآخَرَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ - قَالَ - فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ وَضَعْنَا أَيْدِيَنَا عَلَى رُكَبِنَا - قَالَ - فَضَرَبَ أَيْدِيَنَا وَطَبَّقَ بَيْنَ كَفَّيْهِ ثُمَّ أَدْخَلَهُمَا بَيْنَ فَخِذَيْهِ - قَالَ - فَلَمَّا صَلَّى قَالَ إِنَّهُ سَتَكُونُ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَرَاءُ يُؤَخِّرُونَ الصَّلاَةَ عَنْ مِيقَاتِهَا وَيَخْنُقُونَهَا إِلَى شَرَقِ الْمَوْتَى فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُمْ قَدْ فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَصَلُّوا الصَّلاَةَ لِمِيقَاتِهَا وَاجْعَلُوا صَلاَتَكُمْ مَعَهُمْ سُبْحَةً وَإِذَا كُنْتُمْ ثَلاَثَةً فَصَلُّوا جَمِيعًا وَإِذَا كُنْتُمْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَلْيَؤُمَّكُمْ أَحَدُكُمْ وَإِذَا رَكَعَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَفْرِشْ ذِرَاعَيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ وَلْيَجْنَأْ وَلْيُطَبِّقْ بَيْنَ كَفَّيْهِ فَلَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى اخْتِلاَفِ أَصَابِعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَرَاهُمْ .
also referenced under: Book 5, Hadith 31 (In-Book) & Book 4, Hadith 1086 (USC-MSA)
This hadith is narrated on the authority of Alqama and Aswad by another chain of transmitters and in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Mus-hir and Jabir the words are: " I perceive as if I am seeing the gap between the fingers of the Messenger of Allah as he was bowing."
وَحَدَّثَنَا مِنْجَابُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ التَّمِيمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، ح قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، ح قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُفَضَّلٌ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَالأَسْوَدِ، أَنَّهُمَا دَخَلاَ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ . بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ . وَفِي حَدِيثِ ابْنِ مُسْهِرٍ وَجَرِيرٍ فَلَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى اخْتِلاَفِ أَصَابِعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ رَاكِعٌ .
also referenced under: Book 5, Hadith 32 (In-Book) & Book 4, Hadith 1087 (USC-MSA)
'Alqama and Aswad reported that they went to 'Abdullah. He said: Have (people) behind you said prayer? They said: Yes. He stood between them ('Alqama and Aswad). One was on his right aide and the other was on his left. We then bowed and placed our hands on our knees. He struck our hands and then putting his hands together, palm to palm, placed them between his thighs. When he completed the prayer he said: This is how the Messenger of Allah used to do.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَالأَسْوَدِ، أَنَّهُمَا دَخَلاَ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَصَلَّى مَنْ خَلْفَكُمْ قَالاَ نَعَمْ . فَقَامَ بَيْنَهُمَا وَجَعَلَ أَحَدَهُمَا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَالآخَرَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ ثُمَّ رَكَعْنَا فَوَضَعْنَا أَيْدِيَنَا عَلَى رُكَبِنَا فَضَرَبَ أَيْدِيَنَا ثُمَّ طَبَّقَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُمَا بَيْنَ فَخِذَيْهِ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى قَالَ هَكَذَا فَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
also referenced under: Book 5, Hadith 33 (In-Book) & Book 4, Hadith 1088 (USC-MSA)