Sayyiduna Wa'il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I said (in my heart) that I will definitely look towards the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to see how he performs the prayer. He says that I looked towards him. When he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood up for prayer, he said the takbeer and raised both his hands until they were in line with his ears, then he placed his right hand on the back of his left palm, wrist, and forearm.

Because when the person praying turns his attention here and there during his prayer, Allah Almighty also turns His blessed face away from the face of the one praying.

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said likewise.

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty continuously pays attention to His servant as long as he does not turn away, but when the servant turns his face away (removes his attention from the prayer), then Allah Almighty also turns His attention away from him."

Sayyiduna Harith Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah the Exalted commanded Sayyiduna Yahya bin Zakariya (peace be upon him) to act upon five things and to command the Children of Israel to act upon them as well. Therefore, he used to admonish the people regarding these matters. Then he said: 'Verily, Allah the Exalted has commanded you to perform prayer. So when you turn your faces (towards prayer), then do not turn here and there, because when a servant prays to Allah the Exalted, Allah turns His Face towards the face of His servant, and He does not turn His Face away from him until the servant turns his face away.'"

Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about turning in prayer, so he (peace be upon him) said: "It is a snatching which Satan snatches from a servant's prayer." In the narration of Abu Al-Ahwas, it is mentioned that I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about a person's inattentiveness and looking here and there during prayer.

By this, it is not meant to glance to the right or left without turning the neck, because the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم would sometimes, when necessary, turn during his prayer without turning his neck behind his back.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to glance to the right and left in his prayer, but he would not turn his neck behind his back. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the statement of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to glance in his prayer," means that he would look to the right and left with his eyes.

The imam should not need to observe the actions of the followers or look at any one of them so that he may instruct them to do something or prohibit them from something through such gestures or indications that they understand what action they must perform in their prayer and what they must refrain from.

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) became ill, so we prayed behind him (standing) while he (peace be upon him) was leading the prayer sitting. And Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was saying the takbeer and conveying your (peace be upon him) takbeer to the people. He says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) looked towards us and saw us standing (praying), so he (peace be upon him) gestured to us (to sit), so we sat down. Then when he finished the prayer with salam, he said: "You have just done as the Persians and Romans do. They stand before their kings while they (the kings) are sitting. Therefore, do not do this (in the future). Follow your imams. If the imam leads the prayer standing, then you should pray standing, and if he leads sitting, then you should also pray sitting."

And the hadith of Sayyiduna Sahl bin Hanzaliyah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which it is mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent Sayyiduna Anas bin Abi Marthad (may Allah be pleased with him) to guard (the mountain pass), he says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) kept turning towards the pass during the prayers until, when he completed his prayer, he finished with salam and said to me: "Rejoice, your (guard) horseman has arrived."