He gathered his companions and said, "Come, let me pray for you the prayer of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ." He was a man from the Asharis.He called for a large bowl of water, washed his hands three times, rinsed his mouth and nose, washed his face three times, washed his forearms three times, wiped his head and ears, and washed his feet.Then he prayed Zuhr, reciting in it the Opening of the Book, and he made twenty-two takbirs.
أنه جمع أصحابه فقال: هلم أصلي صلاة نبي الله ﷺ- قال: وكان رجلا من الأشعريين قال: فدعا بجفنة من ماء فغسل يديه ثلاثا، ومضمض واستنشق، وغسل وجهه ثلاثا، وذراعيه ثلاثا، ومسح برأسه وأذنيه، وغسل قدميه. قال: فصلي الظهر فقرأ فيها بفاتحة الكتاب، وكبر ثنتين وعشرين تكبيرة.
Ahmad (22893) and Tabarani (3412, 3414) both narrated it through the route of Qatada, from Shahr bin Hawshab, from Abdul-Rahman bin Ghanm, from Abu Malik Ashari, who related the hadith. Its isnad is hasan, due to some criticism regarding Shahr bin Hawshab, though his hadith is hasan as long as it does not contradict others, and Qatada is a mudallis who narrated here using "an" (without stating direct hearing). However, Ibn Majah (417) narrated it through the route of Layth bin Abu Salim, from Shahr bin Hawshab, from Abu Malik Ashari, who said, "The Messenger of Allah used to perform wudu three times, three times."Layth bin Abu Salim has been criticized regarding his memory, because his memory became confused later in life, though he was a devoted and righteous worshipper. Al-Hafiz placed him at the rank of "sadooq" (truthful). This particular hadith is not among those affected by his confusion, since Qatada corroborates him in narrating it, and furthermore his hadith has supporting narrations (shawahid) from other companions.