and pray, for you have not prayed.’ He went back and prayed, then came to him and greeted him. He replied: ‘And peace be upon you. Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.’ This happened twice or three times. The man said: ‘By Him who sent you with the truth, I do not know how to pray any better than this, so teach me what is sufficient for my prayer to be valid.’ He said: ‘When you stand for prayer, say “Allahu akbar,” then recite whatever you can of the Quran. Then bow until you are at rest in bowing, then rise until you are standing fully upright. Then prostrate until you are at rest in prostration, then sit until you are at rest sitting, then prostrate until you are at rest in prostration. Do this throughout your prayer.’”

In the Sunan collections, it is reported that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The prayer of one who does not straighten his back in bowing and prostration is not accepted.”

He also “forbade pecking like a crow.”

Hudhayfah saw a man praying without completing his bowing and prostration properly. He said: “If you were to die, you would die in a state other than the natural disposition upon which Allah created Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).” Or he said: “If this man were to die…” Ibn Khuzaymah related it in his Sahīh.

He was asked:

A man said: “Children are commanded to pray before reaching puberty.” Another said: “We do not concede that.” The first replied: “It is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Command them to pray at seven, and strike them for neglecting it at ten.’” The other responded: “This is not a command from Allah.” No disparagement was understood from his words. Does anything become obligatory on account of this? Give us a ruling; may you be rewarded.