They were with 'Abdullah in his house and he said: "Have these people prayed?" We said: "Yes." So he led them in prayer and stood between them, with no Adhan and no Iqamah, and said: "If you are three then do this, and if you are more than that then let one of you lead the others in prayer, and let him lay his hands on his thighs. It is as if I can see the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), interlaced.'"
"We prayed with Abdullah bin Mas'ud in his house. He stood between us and we placed our hands on our knees, but he took them off and made us interlace our fingers, and said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do that.'"
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught us the prayer. He stood up and said the takbir, and when he wanted to bow, he put his hands together and put his hands between his knees and bowed." News of that reached Sa'd and he said: "My brother has spoken the truth. We used to do that, then we were commanded to do this," meaning to hold the knees.
"I prayed beside my father and I put my hands between my knees, and he told me: 'Put your hands on your knees.' Then I did that again and he struck my hands and said: 'We were forbidden to do that, and we were commanded to put our hands on our knees.'"
"We came to Abu Mas'ud and said to him: 'Tell us about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He stood in front of us and said the takbir, then when he bowed he placed his palms on his knees and put his fingers lower than that, and he held his elbows out from his sides until every part of him had settled. Then 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 stood up until every part of him had settled."
"Shall I not show you how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray?" We said: "Yes." So he stood up and when he bowed, he placed his palms on his knees and put his fingers behind his knees, and held his arms out from his sides, until every part of him settled. Then he raised his head and stood up until every part of him settled. Then he prostrated and held his arms out from his sides, until every part of him settled. Then he sat up until every part of him settled. Then he prostrated again until every part of him settled. Then he did four rak'ahs like that. Then he said: "This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray, and this is how he used to lead us in prayer."
أَخْبَرَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ الْبَرَّادِ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ أَلاَ أُرِيكُمْ كَيْفَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي قُلْنَا بَلَى . فَقَامَ فَكَبَّرَ فَلَمَّا رَكَعَ جَافَى بَيْنَ إِبْطَيْهِ حَتَّى لَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَصَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ هَكَذَا وَقَالَ هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي .
"Abu Mus'ad said: 'Shall I not show you how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed?' We said: 'Yes.' So he stood up and said the takbir, and when he bowed, he held his arms out from his sides until, when every part of him settled, he raised his head. He prayed four rak'ahs like that, and said: 'This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying.'"