It is narrated from Alqamah that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us prayer. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said the takbeer and raised his hands, then he bowed (in ruku‘) and placed his hands together between his knees. When Sayyiduna Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) came to know of this, he said: My brother (Ibn Mas'ud) has spoken the truth, but in reality, we used to do this, then we were commanded otherwise. Then, clarifying, he held his knees.

Mus'ab bin Sa'd says: When I used to bow (in ruku'), I would place my hands between my knees. When Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) saw me, he said: We used to do the same, but then we were forbidden from doing so.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: A man asked the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about a matter related to prayer, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Clean between the fingers of your hands and feet. That is, perform ablution thoroughly. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said to him: When you bow (in ruku‘), place your palms on your knees until they are settled in their place, then when you prostrate, place your forehead on the ground until you feel the surface of the earth.

A man from Banu Tamim narrates from his father or uncle, who says: I performed prayer following the leadership of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. (Upon hearing this) we asked him about the duration of the bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujud) of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said: It was such that a person could say three times: Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi.

(Hadith with another chain) Their father narrates from their uncle, who says: I closely observed the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in prayer. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would remain in bowing and prostration for as long as it takes a person to say this phrase three times: Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: I have not seen anyone who resembled the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) more in prayer than this young man (i.e., Umar bin Abdul Aziz). Saeed bin Jubair says: We estimated that this young man recited the tasbihat ten times each in his bowing and prostration.

Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed prayer, his bowing (ruku‘), standing up straight after bowing, prostration (sajdah), and sitting between the two prostrations were all nearly equal in duration. (Sahih Bukhari: 792, Sahih Muslim: 471)

A companion of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Every Surah has its portion from bowing (ruku) and prostration (sajdah). And in another narration: Give every Surah its portion from bowing and prostration. ‘Asim says: Later I met Abu Al-‘Aliyah and said to him: Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite several Surahs in one rak‘ah; do you know who narrated this hadith to you? He said: There is no doubt that I know it, and I even know how long it has been since he narrated this hadith to me; he narrated this hadith to me fifty years ago.

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed ruku‘, he would be so straight that if a bowl of water were placed on his back, it would not spill.

Hani bin Muawiyah Sadafi says: I performed Hajj during the time of Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). I was sitting in the Prophet’s Mosque (peace and blessings be upon him), and there was a man narrating hadiths to the people. He said: One day we were present with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when a man came and prayed near this pillar, and he hastened in completing his prayer and then left. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If this person were to die, he would die in a state that he would not be characterized by anything of the religion. A man can lighten his prayer while still completing it. I asked about this (hadith-narrating) man, who he was. I was told that he is Sayyiduna Uthman bin Hunaif Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him).