Laylā, who said: ‘I heard al-Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib say: “In the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, his standing, bowing, standing after raising his head from bowing, prostration, and sitting between the two prostrations were nearly equal in duration.”’”

Shuʿba said: “I mentioned this to ʿAmr ibn Murra, who said, ‘I have seen ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn Abī Laylā, and his prayer was not like that.’”

Matar’s wording, narrated from Shuʿba, is:

“The Prophet’s bowing, prostration, sitting between the two prostrations, and standing after raising his head from bowing—excluding the standing and sitting—were nearly equal in duration.”

It also appears in the Sahīh and the Sunan collections, through Hilāl ibn Abī Humayd, from Ibn Abī Laylā, from al-Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib, who said:

“I closely observed the prayer with Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. I found that his standing, then his bowing, then his standing upright after bowing, then his prostration, then his sitting between the two prostrations, then his prostration, then his sitting between the final salutation and leaving were nearly equal in duration.”

This is supported by what Muslim, Abū Dāwūd and al-Nasā’ī narrated from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, may Allah be pleased with him: when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, raised his head from bowing, he would say:

“Allah hears those who praise Him. O Allah, our Lord, to You belongs all praise, filling the heavens, filling the earth, and filling whatever else You will. You are worthy of praise and glory—the truest words a servant has spoken—and we are all Your servants. None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold; nor can worldly fortune avail its possessor before You.”

His words, “The truest words a servant has spoken,” appear exactly thus in the hadith. This phrase is