the hadith, “Blowing during prayer counts as speech,” it has no basis as a report from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, Sa‘īd narrated it in his Sunan (1) as Ibn ‘Abbās’s own statement—if the report is authentic.
He would weep during prayer, and he would also clear his throat during prayer. ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib said: “I had a particular time to visit the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Whenever I came, I would ask permission to enter. If I found him praying, he would clear his throat and I would enter; if I found him unoccupied, he would give me permission.” Al-Nasā’ī and Ahmad recorded this (2). Ahmad’s wording is: “I had two occasions to visit the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), one by night and one by day. Whenever I entered his presence while he was praying, he would clear his throat” (3). Ahmad narrated this and acted upon it, so he would clear his throat
(1) Also reported by ‘Abd al-Razzāq (3018), Ibn Abī Shayba (6604, 6605), and Ibn al-Mundhir in al-Awsat (3:428–429), through good chains that reinforce one another.
(2) Al-Nasā’ī (1211) and Ahmad (598). Also reported by al-Bazzār (882) and al-Bayhaqī (3467), who said: “There is disagreement over both the chain and the wording of this hadith: one version reads sabbaha (he glorified Allah), while another reads tanahnaha (he cleared his throat). Its transmission centres on ‘Abd Allāh ibn Nujayy al-Hadramī. Al-Bukhārī said [al-Tārīkh al-Kabīr (5:214)]: ‘He warrants scrutiny,’ and others graded him weak.” The hadith master clarified the disagreement over its chain, saying: “I say: Reports from him differ: one version has him narrating from ‘Alī; another has him narrating from his father, from ‘Alī.” See al-Badr al-Munīr (4:186–187) and al-Talkhīs (2:816–817).
(3) The printed edition of al-Musnad (598) reads sabbaha (he glorified Allah). The editors note that the margin of some copies reads tanahnaha (he cleared his throat). See also al-Bayhaqī’s statement in the note documenting the hadith’s sources.