Chapter on the Manner of Prayer, Explanation of the Fifty-One Rak‘ahs; The Order, Recitation, Tasbih in Bowing and Prostration, Qunut, and What is Obligatory and Recommended Therein

Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub, from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammad ibn ‘Isa, who said: One day, Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said to me: “O Hammad, do you know how to perform prayer properly?” I said: “O my master, I have memorized the book of Hariz regarding prayer.” Imam عليه السلام said: “It does not matter, O Hammad. Stand and pray.” So I stood before Him عليه السلام, facing the qiblah. I began the prayer, bowed, and prostrated. Then Imam عليه السلام said: “O Hammad, you do not perform prayer properly. How unbecoming it is for a man like you, sixty or seventy years may pass over him, and he does not establish even one prayer with all of its boundaries complete?!” Hammad said: ‘So I felt humiliated within myself and I said; “May I be your ransom, then teach me the prayer.” So Abu Abdillah عليه السلام stood, facing the qiblah, upright. He عليه السلام placed both his hands on his thighs, brought his fingers together, and positioned his feet close together until the distance between them was about the width of three spread-out fingers. He عليه السلام pointed all the toes of his feet toward the qiblah, not turning them away from the qiblah, and Imam عليه السلام said with humility: “Allahu Akbar.” Then He عليه السلام recited al-Hamd with measured tone and ‘Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad’, then paused for a short moment, the amount of time one takes a breath, while standing. Then He عليه السلام raised his hands in line with his face and said: “Allahu Akbar,” while still standing. Then He عليه السلام bowed and filled his hands with his knees, spreading his fingers apart. He عليه السلام pulled his knees backward and straightened his back until, had a drop of water or oil been poured on it, it would not have moved, due to the straightness of his back. He عليه السلام extended his neck and closed his eyes. Then Imam عليه السلام said tasbih three times with measured tone, saying: ‘Subhana Rabbi al-‘Azim wa bi-hamdih.’ Then He عليه السلام stood up straight, and when He عليه السلام became fully upright, Imam عليه السلام said “‘Samia’a Allahu liman hamidah’ (Allah سبحانه وتعالى has heard the one who praises Him),” then Imam عليه السلام said ‘Allahu Akbar’ while standing, and raised his hands in line with his face. Then He عليه السلام went into prostration and placed his palms, with fingers joined together, between his knees, in line with his face, and said: ‘Subhana Rabbi al-A’la wa bi-hamdih’ three times. He عليه السلام did not rest any part of his body on another part. He عليه السلام prostrated on eight bones; the two palms, the two knees, the tips of the big toes, the forehead, and the nose. Imam عليه السلام said: “Seven of them are obligatory to prostrate upon, and they are the ones Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Mighty and Majestic, mentioned in His Book, where He سبحانه وتعالى said: ‘And that the masajid belong to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, so do not call upon anyone with Allah سبحانه وتعالى’ (Surah Jinn 72:18). These are the forehead, the two palms, the two knees, and the two big toes. Placing the nose on the ground is a sunnah.” Then He عليه السلام raised his head from prostration, and when He عليه السلام was fully upright sitting, Imam عليه السلام said: ‘Allahu Akbar’. Then He عليه السلام sat on his left thigh, placing his right foot on the instep of his left foot, and said: “Astaghfirullaha Rabbi wa atubu ilayh.” Then Imam عليه السلام said takbir while sitting and performed the second prostration, saying as Imam عليه السلام said in the first. He عليه السلام did not rest any part of his body upon another in bowing or in prostration. He عليه السلام was balanced and did not place his forearms on the ground. He عليه السلام prayed two rak’ahs in this manner, with his fingers joined together, and He عليه السلام was seated during the tashahhud. When He عليه السلام completed the tashahhud, He عليه السلام gave salam and said: ‘O Hammad, pray like this.’”