Its chain is sound, as noted above. Ibn Khuzaymah also records it with the wording: “and he moved his hands away from his sides” (see al-Talkhis 3/381). Among the Companions who transmitted this description is Abu Masud al-Badri; his report has just been cited. Another is Waʾil b. Hujr, who said: “I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah; when he entered the prayer he made the takbir and raised his hands, when he wished to bow (*rukuʿ*) he raised his hands, and when he lifted his head from the bowing he raised his hands. He then placed his palms, kept his arms apart, spread his left thigh away from the right, and pointed with his index finger.” One version adds: “and he distanced (his arms) during the bowing,” and another says: “he *khawwa* in his bowing and *khawwa* in his prostration (*sujud*).” All of this is narrated by Ahmad (4/316, 319) through Shuʿbah, from ʿAsim b. Kulayb, who said, “I heard my father relate it from him.” The chain is sound according to Muslim’s criterion. Al-Tirmidhi commented: “This is the practice preferred by the scholars: that a man separate his arms from his sides in both rukuʿ and sujud.” I say: al-Tahawi (1/135) cited a consensus on the matter, and al-Nawawi (3/410) wrote, “I know of no scholarly disagreement regarding its recommendation; the wisdom behind it is that it perfects the form and appearance of the prayer.” (*) *khawwa*: he drew his elbows away from his sides.