I asked 'Ata': What do you recite when you are in a state of bowing (in prayer)? He said:" Hallowed be Thou, and with Thy praise, there is no god but Thou." Son of Abd Mulaika narrated to me on the anthority of 'A'isha (who reported): I missed one night the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (from his bed). I thought that he might have gone to one of his other wives. I searched for him and then came back and (found him) in a state of bowing, or prostration, saying: Hallowed be Thou and with Thy praise; there is no god but Thou. I said: With my father mayest thou be ransomed and with my mother. I was thinking of (another) affair, whereas you are (occupied) in another one.
One night I missed Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) from the bed, and when I sought him my hand touched the soles of his feet while he was in the state of prostration; they (feet) were raised and he was saying:" O Allah, I seek refuge in Thy pleasure from Thy anger, and in Thy forgiveness from Thy punishment, and I seek refuge in Thee from Thee (Thy anger). I cannot reckon Thy praise. Thou art as Thou hast lauded Thyself."
I met Thauban, the freed slave. of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and asked him to tell me about an act for which, if I do it, Allah will admit me to Paradise, or I asked about the act which was loved most by Allah. He gave no reply. I again asked and he gave no reply. I asked him for the third time, and he said: I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about that and he said: Make frequent prostrations before Allah, for you will not make one prostration without raising you a degree because of it, and removing a sin from you, because of it. Ma'dan said that then lie met Abu al-Darda' and when he asked him, he received a reply similar to that given by Thauban.
I was with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) one night. and I brought him water and what he required. He said to me: Ask (anything you like). I said: I ask your company in Paradise. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Or anything else besides it. I said: That is all (what I require). He said: Then help me to achieve this for you by devoting yourself often to prostration.
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) had been commanded that he should prostrate on the seven (bones) and he was forbidden to fold back the hair and clothing. And in the narration transmitted by Abu Rabi' (the words are):" on the seven bones and I was forbidden to fold back the hair and clothing". According to Abu'l-Rabi' (the seven bones are): The hands, the knees, and the (extremities) of the feet and the forehead.
I have been commanded to prostrate myself on seven bones:" forehead," and then pointed with his hand towards his nose, hands, feet, and the extremities of the feet; and we were forbidden to fold back clothing and hair.