and Abū al-Ahwaṣ, recorded by al-Ṭaḥāwī 1/152 and by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr 22/34/80; and Khālid, cited by al-Ṭaḥāwī; as well as Zuhayr ibn Muʿāwiyah, Mūsā ibn Abī Kathīr, and Abū ʿAwānah, all three of whom are reported by al-Ṭabarānī, nos. 84, 89, and 90.

ʿAbd al-Razzaq, however, differs from all of the above in his narration from al-Thawrī. In al-Muṣannaf 2/68/2522—and through him Aḥmad 4/317 and al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr 22/34/81—he relates: from al-Thawrī, from ʿĀṣim ibn Kulayb, from his father, who said:
“I watched the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); he raised his hands in the prayer when he pronounced the opening takbir … [and he prostrated and placed his hands level with his ears].
Then he sat, spread out his left leg, placed his left hand on his left knee and his right forearm on his right thigh, then pointed with his index finger … then he prostrated, and his hands were level with his ears.”
I say: the wording is that of the Muṣannaf, while the bracketed addition comes from Aḥmad.

Mentioning the second prostration after pointing with the index finger is a clear mistake, for it contradicts the version of every trustworthy narrator cited earlier: none of them report a prostration after the pointing, though some mention it before it—and that is certainly the correct sequence. They merely left out the second prostration for brevity. Zuhayr ibn Muʿāwiyah did include it, however, saying:
“…then he prostrated and placed his hands in line with his ears; then he prostrated again and placed his hands in line with his ears; then he sat and spread out his left leg … then I saw him do this”—and Zuhayr raised his index finger.
Al-Ṭabarānī recorded this under the previously cited number 84.

Someone might now say: “This investigation has shown that mentioning the finger-movement between the two prostrations is erroneous …”