I know the similar surahs that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite, twenty surahs in ten rak'ahs." Then he took 'Alqamah's hand and went in, then 'Alqamah came out and we asked him and he told us what they were.
"I heard Abu Wa'il say: "A man said in the presence of Abdullah: 'I recited Al-Mufassal in one rak'ah.' He said: 'That is like reciting poetry. I know the similar surahs that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite together.' And he mentioned twenty surahs from Al-Mufassal, two by two in each rak'ah."
A man came to him and said: "Last night I recited Al-Mufassal in one rak'ah." He said: "That is like reciting poetry. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite similar surahs, twenty surahs from Al-Mufassal, those that start with Ha-Mim."
"I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the Conquest (of Makkah). He prayed in front of the Ka'bah. He took off his shoes and placed them to his left, and he started to recite Surat Al-Mu'minun. When he reached the passage that mentions Musa and 'Eisa, peace be upon them both, he started coughing, then he bowed."
He prayed beside the Prophet (ﷺ) one night. He recited, and when he came to a verse that mentioned punishment, he would pause and seek refuge with Allah; if he came to a verse that mentioned mercy, he would pause for mercy. In his bowing he would say: 'Subhana Rabbil-Azim (Glory be to my Lord Almighty)' and in his prostration he would say: 'Subhan Rabbil-A'la (Glory be to my Lord the Most High).'"
The Prophet (ﷺ) recited Surat Al-Baqarah, Al 'Imran and An-Nisa' in one rak'ah, and he did not reach any verse that spoke of mercy but he asked Allah for it, nor any verse that spoke of punishment but he asked Allah for protection therefrom.
"I heard Abu Dharr say: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) stayed up all night repeating one verse. The verse was: 'If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.'"
Concerning the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: "And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice"- It was revealed when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was still (preaching) in secret in Makkah. When he led his companions in prayer, he would raise his voice" -(One of the narrators) Ibn Mani' said: He would recite the Quran out loud"- "And when the idolators heard his voice they would insult the Quran, and the One Who revealed it, and the one who brought it. So Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said to His Prophet (ﷺ): And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud that is, such that the idolators can hear your recitation and insult the Quran; nor in a low voice, so that your companions cannot hear; but follow a way between."
Chapter 80: The saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: "And offer your salah (prayer) neither alou - كتاب الافتتاح
It was narrated that Ibn Abbas said:
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ إِيَاسٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَرْفَعُ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ إِذَا سَمِعُوا صَوْتَهُ سَبُّوا الْقُرْآنَ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَخْفِضُ صَوْتَهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَا كَانَ يَسْمَعُهُ أَصْحَابُهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ { وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً } " .
"The Prophet (ﷺ) used to raise his voice when reciting Quran, and when the idolaters heard his voice they would insult the Quran and the one who had brought it. So the Prophet (ﷺ) began to lower his voice such that his companions would not hear him. Then Allah (SWT), the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: 'And offer your salah (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way between.'"
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: He has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the family of Dawud, peace be upon him."
Chapter 83: Making one's voice beautiful when reciting Quran - كتاب الافتتاح
It was narrated that 'Aishah said:
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْجَبَّارِ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَمِعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قِرَاءَةَ أَبِي مُوسَى فَقَالَ
" لَقَدْ أُوتِيَ هَذَا مِنْ مَزَامِيرِ آلِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ " .
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: 'This man has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the family of Dawud, peace be upon him.'"
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the recitation of Abu Musa and said: 'This man has been given a Mizmar among the Mazamir of the family of Dawud, peace be upon him.'"
He asked Umm Salamah about the recitation and prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and she said: "Why do you want to know about his prayer?" Then she described his recitation and as being so measured and clear that each letter could be distinguished.
Marwan appointed Abu Hurairah as governor of Al-Madinah. When he stood to offer an obligatory prayer, he would say the takbir, then he said the takbir when he bowed, and when he raised his head from bowing he said: "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, and to You be the praise)." Then he would say the takbir when he went down in prostration, then he said the takbir when he stood up after two rak'ahs, after saying the Tashahhud, and he did that until he had finished the prayer. When he had finished his prayer and said the Salam, he turned to the people in the masjid and said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I am the one among you whose prayer most closely resembles that of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."
"I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raise his hands until they reached the highest part of his ears, when he said the takbir, when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing."
Chapter 86: Raising the hands parallel to the shoulders before bowing - كتاب الافتتاح
It was narrated from Salim that:
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلاَةَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَإِذَا رَكَعَ وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ .
His father said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he started to pray, raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, (and he did that) when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing."