Sayyiduna Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I remember this about the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he would observe silence twice during the prayer: once when the Imam had said the takbir and was about to begin the recitation, and the second silence would be after he had finished reciting Surah al-Fatihah. Sayyiduna Imran bin Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) did not accept this, so the people wrote a letter to Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) in Madinah Munawwarah regarding this, and he confirmed the statement of Sayyiduna Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him). There is a difference of opinion regarding Hasan al-Basri's hearing of hadith from Sayyiduna Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him). Hasan al-Basri heard one hadith from him, and that is the hadith regarding 'aqiqah, which Quraish bin Anas has narrated from the narrator named Habib.

Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates: When Sayyiduna Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) would begin the prayer, he would remain silent for a short while. Then, when he recited "wa la ad-dallin," he would again remain silent for a short while. He was objected to regarding this matter. A letter was written to Sayyiduna Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) about this, so he said: The ruling is as Samurah has done.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would say the takbir at the beginning of the prayer, he would remain silent for a short while. I asked: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for you, what do you recite between saying the takbir and reciting (Qur'an)? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I recite this: O Allah! Create distance between me and my sins as You have created distance between the East and the West. O Allah! Cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah! Wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail."