English Translation

Abu al-Nadr narrated to us: Abu Mu'awiyah — meaning Shayban — and Layth narrated to us, from Shahr ibn Hawshab, from Abu Malik al-Ash'ari, from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, that he used to make the four rak'ahs equal in recitation and standing, making the first rak'ah the longest of them so that people might arrive/gather, and he would place the men in front of the boys, the boys behind them, and the women behind the boys. He would say the takbir every time he prostrated and every time he rose, and he would say the takbir every time he stood up between the two rak'ahs when he had been sitting.