the hadith of Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī in the two Sahīh collections:

“He saw traces of water and mud on the nose of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and on its tip.”

In another wording, he said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led us in prayer, and I saw traces of water and mud on his forehead and the tip of his nose, confirming his dream.”

Al-Bukhārī narrated it with this wording.

Al-Humaydī said: “This hadith is cited as evidence that the forehead should not be wiped during prayer, but rather afterwards, because water was seen on the tip of the Prophet’s nose and on his forehead after he had prayed, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

I say: Scholars such as Ahmad and others regarded it as disliked to wipe the forehead during prayer to remove dust and the like that clings to it during prostration. They differed over wiping it after prayer, holding two views, both reported from Ahmad. Similarly, two views are reported from Ahmad concerning drying off the water of ablution with a towel, removing the changed odor of a fasting person’s mouth with a tooth-stick after noon, and other such matters involving the traces left by worship.

Abū Humayd al-Sā‘idī reported:

“When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prostrated, he would place his forehead firmly on the ground, keep his arms away from his sides, and place his hands level with his shoulders.”

Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī narrated it, and al-Tirmidhī said: “A sound, authentic hadith.”

Wā’il ibn Hujr said:

“I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prostrating on the ground, placing his forehead and nose on it during his prostration.”

Ahmad narrated it.