It was narrated from Abu Ishaq, that 'Asim bin Damrah said:"We asked 'Ali about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: 'Who among you could manage to do that?' We said: 'Even if we cannot do it, we still want to hear about it.' He said: 'When the sun reached the same height (in the east) as it reaches (in the west) at the time of 'Asr, he would pray two rak'ahs, and when the sun reached the same height (in the east) as it reaches (in the west) at the time for Zuhr he would pray four Rak'ahs. He would pray four Rak'ahs before Zuhr and two after, and he would pray four Rak'ahs before 'Asr, separating each two Rak'ahs with Taslim upon the angels who are close to Allah, and the prophets, and those who follow them of the believers and Muslims."'
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ، قَالَ سَأَلْنَا عَلِيًّا عَنْ صَلاَةِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَيُّكُمْ يُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ قُلْنَا إِنْ لَمْ نُطِقْهُ سَمِعْنَا . قَالَ كَانَ إِذَا كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَا هُنَا عِنْدَ الْعَصْرِ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَإِذَا كَانَتْ مِنْ هَا هُنَا كَهَيْئَتِهَا مِنْ هَا هُنَا عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ صَلَّى أَرْبَعًا وَيُصَلِّي قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعًا وَبَعْدَهَا ثِنْتَيْنِ وَيُصَلِّي قَبْلَ الْعَصْرِ أَرْبَعًا يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ بِتَسْلِيمٍ عَلَى الْمَلاَئِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ .
Nesai
The Book of Leading the Prayer (Al-Imamah) • Hadith 874