In his Silsilah, Al-Albaani declared pointing between the two prostrations to be an innovation for two reasons. One of those reasons was that "the report from Abdur-Razzaaq is weak because Al-Farayaabi was the only one to report it from Sufyan and he had weakness in his old age, so perhaps it is from his weak reports." Al-Albaani could not confirm that this report is weak while, according to Ibn Uthaymin in Fataawa Arkaan Al-Islam, the author of Fath Ar-Rabbaani graded it good and at least one of the checkers of Zad Al-Ma'ad authenticated it. Who are these two authenticators and what is their strength in authenticating reports?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The author of the book entitled Al-Fat-h ar-Rabbaani is Shaykh Ahmad ibn Abdul-Rahmaan ibn Muhammad Al-Banna, who is known as As-Saa’aati. The other authenticator whom you referred to is Shaykh Shu'ayb Al-Arnaa’oot.

They are both contemporary scholars who are praised for their great efforts in the propagation of the Sunnah and in authenticating its registers; they are the scholars of authenticating and reviewing books although Shaykh Shu'ayb Al-Arnaa’oot is more famous in this regard than Shaykh Ahmad Al-Banna As-Saa’aati.

It is known that Shaykh Al-Albaani all, is more well-grounded than them in Hadeeth sciences and he is more knowledgeable than them in this profession.

The hadeeth which you referred to was reported by Imaam Ahmad, who reported in his Musnad that Waa’il ibn Hujr said:

“I saw the Prophet when he started to pray, and he said the takbeer (i.e. saying Allaahu Akbar at the beginning of the prayer) while raising his hands (until they were in level with his ears). When he was about to bow down, he raised his hands in the same manner. He raised his hands again when he said, ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah’ (Allaah hears the one who praised Him) [i.e. he did so when he raised from the position of rukoo’ (bowing)]; then he prostrated and put his hands in level with his ears. Then he sat down, spread his left foot, placed his left hand on his left thigh, and kept his right arm aloof from his right thigh. He then pointed with his index finger and put his thumb on his middle finger (making a circle) while closing the remaining fingers. Then he prostrated, and his hands were in level with his ears.”

Shu’ayb Al-Arnaa’oot when reviewing the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad, said, “Its chain of narrators is saheeh (sound).”

This hadeeth suggests that pointing with the index finger was in the position of sitting between the two prostrations; the evidence is that he said after it: ‘then he prostrated’.

Shaykh Al-Albaani is of the view that this addition, ‘then he prostrated,’ was only reported by Abdur-Razzaaq from Sufyaan Ath-Thawri.

He provided evidence that Muhammad ibn Yoosuf Al-Firyaabi differed with him, and although he was a close companion of Ath-Thawri, he did not mention this prostration. Abdullah ibn Al-Waleed reported the same narration from Ath-Thawri as reported by Al-Firyaabi, but he did not mention this addition.

Also, a large number of trustworthy scholars reported the same narration as Ath-Thawri, but none of them mentioned the addition “then he prostrated”.

Among the scholars who reported the same narration as Ath-Thawri were the following:

1) Abdul Waahid ibn Ziyaad.

2) Imaam Shu’bah.

3) Zaa’idah ibn Qudaamah.

4) Bishr ibn Al-Mufadh-dhal.

5) Zuhayr ibn Mu'aawiyah.

6) Abul Ahwas.

7) Abu ‘Awaanah.

8) Ibn Idrees.

9) Sallaam ibn Sulaymaan.

10) Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah.

Al-Albaani said, “All the above scholars did not mention this addition in the hadeeth by Waa’il; rather, some of them mentioned it before pointing out with the index finger, such as Bishr ibn Al-Mufadh-dhal, Abu ‘Awaanah, and others, and their wording has already been mentioned. Some of them explicitly mentioned that pointing out with the index takes place in the position of tashahhud.”

Allaah knows best.