Hadithcore
Sunan Abi Dawud, 853
sahih· Al-Albani

Anas b. Malik said:

I did not offer prayer behind anyone more brief than the one offered by the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) and that was perfect. When the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said: “Allah listens to him who praises Him,” he stood long we thought that he had omitted something; then he say takbir(Allah is most great) and prostrate, and would sit between the two prostrations so long that we thought that he had omitted something.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ، وَحُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ مَا صَلَّيْتُ خَلْفَ رَجُلٍ أَوْجَزَ صَلاَةً مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي تَمَامٍ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَالَ ‏

‏ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ‏

‏ ‏.‏ قَامَ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَوْهَمَ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ وَيَسْجُدُ وَكَانَ يَقْعُدُ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ حَتَّى نَقُولَ قَدْ أَوْهَمَ ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 2, Hadith 463
English Reference
Book 2, Hadith 852
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the best prayer. It was a complete prayer, performed with its pillars and actions in humility, with the enabling of the body's members in every posture. All this was done while being light and concise.In this Hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "I have not prayed behind anyone whose prayer was more concise than that of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in completeness." This means it was light and concise while completing its postures and pillars without any deficiency. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "And when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Sami`a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him)’" This means he would stand for a long time after rising from the Ruku` (bowing) for supplication, until those behind him would think he had forgotten in his prayer. But it was neither forgetfulness nor an error from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Rather, it was his Sunnah in prayer. "He would say the Takbir and prostrate, and he would sit between the two prostrations until we would say: 'He has forgotten.'" This means he would sit and prolong the sitting between the two prostrations, and supplicate until those behind him would think he had forgotten in his prayer..
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