This is part 2 of 3 of “Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Voluntary Prayers”, book 5 of Sunan Abu Dawud — Hadith 1,300–1,349. The book is long enough that it is split across 3 pages so each one stays quick to load; the parts run in order and are linked at the foot of the page.
Narrated Ka'b ibn Ujrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) came to the mosque of Banu AbdulAshhal. He prayed the sunset prayer there. When they finished the prayer, he saw them praying the supererogatory prayer after it. He said: This is the prayer to be offered in the houses
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to prolong the recitation of the Qur'an in the two rak'ahs after the sunset prayer until the people praying in the mosque dispersed. Abu Dawud said: This has been reported by Nasr al-Mujaddir from Ya'qub al-Qummi with the same chain of narrators. Abu Dawud said: Muhammad b. 'Isa b. al-tabba' transmitted from Nasr al-Mujaddir from Ya'qub in like manner
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْعَتَكِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَعْنَاهُ مُرْسَلٌ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ حُمَيْدٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ يَعْقُوبَ يَقُولُ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ حَدَّثْتُكُمْ عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَهُوَ مُسْنَدٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Narrated Sa'id b. Jubair: This tradition from the Prophet (ﷺ) without mentioning the name of the Companion in the chain (in the mursal form). Abu dawud said: I heard Muhammad b. Humaid say: I heard Ya'qub say: Anything I narrated to you from Ja'far on the authority of Sa'id b. Jubair from the Prophet (ﷺ) is directly coming from Ibn Abbas from the Prophet (ﷺ)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ الْعُكْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكُ بْنُ مِغْوَلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي مُقَاتِلُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ الْعِجْلِيُّ، عَنْ شُرَيْحِ بْنِ هَانِئٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَ سَأَلْتُهَا عَنْ صَلاَةِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ مَا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْعِشَاءَ قَطُّ فَدَخَلَ عَلَىَّ إِلاَّ صَلَّى أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ أَوْ سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ وَلَقَدْ مُطِرْنَا مَرَّةً بِاللَّيْلِ فَطَرَحْنَا لَهُ نِطْعًا فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى ثُقْبٍ فِيهِ يَنْبُعُ الْمَاءُ مِنْهُ وَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ مُتَّقِيًا الأَرْضَ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْ ثِيَابِهِ قَطُّ .
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Shurayh ibn Hani said: I asked Aisha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) never offered the night prayer and thereafter came to me but he offered four or six rak'ahs of prayer. One night the rain fell, so we spread a piece of leather (for his prayer), and now I see as if there is a hole in it from which the water is flowing. I never saw him protecting his clothes from the earth (as he did on that occasion)
Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas: In Surat al-Muzzammil (73), the verse: "Keep vigil at night but a little, a half thereof" (2-3) has been abrogated by the following verse: "He knoweth that ye count it not, and turneth unto you in mercy. Recite then of the Qur'an that which is easy for you" (v.20). The phrase "the vigil of the night" (nashi'at al-layl) means the early hours of the night. They (the companions) would pray (the tahajjud prayer) in the early hours of the night. He (Ibn Abbas) says: It is advisable to offer the prayer at night (tahajjud), prescribed by Allah for you (in the early hours of the night). This is because when a person sleeps, he does not know when he will awake. The words "speech more certain" (aqwamu qilan) means that this time is more suitable for the understanding of the Qur'an. He says: The verse: "Lo, thou hast by day a chain of business" (v.7) means engagement for long periods (in the day's work)
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:When the opening verses of Surah Al-muzammil was revealed, the Companions would pray as long as they would pray during Ramadan until its last verses were revealed. The period between the revelation of its opening and the last verses was one year
Narrated Abu Hurairah:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: When one you sleeps, the devil ties three knots at the back of his neck, sealing every knot with, "You have a long night, so sleep." So if one awakes and mentions Allah, a knot will be loosened; if he performs ablution another knot will be loosened; and if he prays, the third knot will be loosened; and in the morning he will be active and in good spirits; otherwise he will be in bad spirits and sluggish
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih Bukhari (1142) Sahih Muslim (776)· Zubair Ali Zai
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ خُمَيْرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رضى الله عنها لاَ تَدَعْ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ لاَ يَدَعُهُ وَكَانَ إِذَا مَرِضَ أَوْ كَسِلَ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا .
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Do not give up prayer at night, for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would not leave it. Whenever he fell ill or lethargic, he would offer it sitting
Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: May Allah have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays, and awakens his wife; if she refuses, he should sprinkle water on her face. May Allah have mercy on a woman who gets up at night and prays, and awakens her husband; if he refuses, she would sprinkle water on his face
Narrated AbuSa'id and AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If a man awakens his wife at night, and then both pray or both offer two rak'ahs together, the (name of the )man will be recorded among those who mention the name of Allah, and the (name of the) woman will be recorded among those who mention the name of Allah. Ibn Kathir did not narrate this tradition as a statement of the Prophet (ﷺ), but he reported it as a statement of Abu Sa'id. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Ibn Mahdi from Sufyan and I think he mentioned the name of Sufyan. He also said: The tradition transmitted by Sufyan is a statement of the Companion (and not that of the Prophet)
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا نَعَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَلْيَرْقُدْ حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ عَنْهُ النَّوْمُ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا صَلَّى وَهُوَ نَاعِسٌ لَعَلَّهُ يَذْهَبُ يَسْتَغْفِرُ فَيَسُبَّ نَفْسَهُ " .
Narrated 'Aishah, wife of Prophet (ﷺ):When one of you dozes in prayer he should sleep till his sleep is gone, for when one of you prays while he is dozing, perhaps he might curse himself if he begs pardon of Allah
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih Bukhari (212) Sahih Muslim (786)· Zubair Ali Zai
Narrated Abu Hurairah:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: When one of you gets up by night (to pray), and falters in reciting the Qur'an (due to sleep), and he does not understand what he utters, he should sleep
Narrated Anas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque (and saw that) a rope tied between two pillars. He asked: What is this rope (for) ? The people told him: This is (for) Hamnah b. Jahsh who prays (here). When she is tired, she reclines on it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: She should pray as much as she has strength. When she is tired, she should sit down. This version of Ziyad has: He said: What is this ? The people told him: This is for Zainab who prays. When she becomes lazy, or is tired, she holds it. He said: Undo it. One of you should pray in good spirits. When he is lazy or tired, he should sit down
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih Bukhari (1150) Sahih Muslim (784)· Zubair Ali Zai
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: He who misses him daily round of recital or part of it due to sleep and he recites it between the dawn and the noon prayers, will be reckoned as if he recited it at night
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، عِنْدَهُ رَضِيٍّ أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا مِنِ امْرِئٍ تَكُونُ لَهُ صَلاَةٌ بِلَيْلٍ يَغْلِبُهُ عَلَيْهَا نَوْمٌ إِلاَّ كُتِبَ لَهُ أَجْرُ صَلاَتِهِ وَكَانَ نَوْمُهُ عَلَيْهِ صَدَقَةً " .
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Any person who offers prayer at night regularly but (on a certain night) he is dominated by sleep will be given the reward of praying. His sleep will be almsgiving
Narrated Abu Hurairah:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Our Lord who is blessed and exalted descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last one-third of the night remains, and says: Who supplicated Me so that I may answer him ? Who asks of Me so that I may give to him ? Who asks My forgiveness so that I may forgive him ?
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih Bukhari (1145) Sahih Muslim (758)· Zubair Ali Zai
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، - وَهَذَا حَدِيثُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ - عَنْ أَشْعَثَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ لَهَا أَىُّ حِينٍ كَانَ يُصَلِّي قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا سَمِعَ الصُّرَاخَ قَامَ فَصَلَّى .
Masruq said:I asked 'Aishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and I said to her: At what time he prayed at night ? She said: When he heard the cock crow, he got up and prayed
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih Bukhari (1132) Sahih Muslim (741)· Zubair Ali Zai
Narrated Rab'iah b. Ka'b al-Aslami:I used to live with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at night. I would bring water for his ablution and his need. He asked: Ask me. I said: Your company in Paradise. He said: Is there anything other than that ? I said: It is only that. He said: Help me for yourself by making prostrations abundantly
Anas b. Malik said (explaining the meaning of the Qur'anic verse "Who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of what We have bestowed on them" (32:16). The people used to remain awake between the sunset and the night prayers and would pray. Al-Hasan used to say:(This verse means) the prayer and vigil at night
Anas said (explaining the meaning) of the following Qur'anic verse "They used to sleep but little of the night" (51:17):They (the people) used to pray between the Maghrib and 'Isha. The version of Yahya adds: The verse tatajafa junubuhum also means so
This tradition has also been transmitted by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. This version adds:He should then prolong it afterwards as much as he likes. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Hammad b. Salamah, Zuhair b. Mu'awiyah and a group of narrators from Hisham. They transmitted it as a statement of Abu Hurairah himself (mauquf). This tradition has also been transmitted by Ibn 'Awn from Muhammad (b. Sirin). This version has the wordings: These two rak'ahs were short
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، : أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : " صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى، فَإِذَا خَشِيَ أَحَدُكُمُ الصُّبْحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً وَاحِدَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ مَا قَدْ صَلَّى " .
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the prayer at night. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Prayer during the night should consist of pairs of rak'ahs, but if one of you fears the morning is near he should pray one rak'ah which will make his prayer an odd number for him
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih Bukhari (990) Sahih Muslim (749)· Zubair Ali Zai
Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet's (ﷺ) recitation at night was partly in a loud voice and partly in a low voice. Abu Dawud said: The name of Abu Khalid al-Walibi is Hurmuz
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ح وَحَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، : أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ لَيْلَةً فَإِذَا هُوَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ - رضى الله عنه - يُصَلِّي يَخْفِضُ مِنْ صَوْتِهِ - قَالَ - وَمَرَّ بِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي رَافِعًا صَوْتَهُ - قَالَ - فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعَا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم : " يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ مَرَرْتُ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ تُصَلِّي تَخْفِضُ صَوْتَكَ " . قَالَ : قَدْ أَسْمَعْتُ مَنْ نَاجَيْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ وَقَالَ لِعُمَرَ : " مَرَرْتُ بِكَ وَأَنْتَ تُصَلِّي رَافِعًا صَوْتَكَ " . قَالَ فَقَالَ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُوقِظُ الْوَسْنَانَ وَأَطْرُدُ الشَّيْطَانَ . زَادَ الْحَسَنُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ : فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم : " يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ ارْفَعْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ شَيْئًا " . وَقَالَ لِعُمَرَ : " اخْفِضْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ شَيْئًا " .
Narrated AbuQatadah: The Prophet (ﷺ) went out at night and found AbuBakr praying in a low voice, and he passed Umar ibn al-Khattab who was raising his voice while praying. When they both met the Prophet (ﷺ) together, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: I passed by you, AbuBakr, when you were praying in a low voice. He replied: I made Him hear with Whom I was holding intimate converse, Messenger of Allah. He (the Prophet) said to Umar: I passed by you when you were praying in a loud voice. He replied: Messenger of Allah, I was awakening the drowsy and driving away the Devil. Al-Hasan added in his version: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Raise your voice a little, AbuBakr, and he said to Umar: Lower your voice a little
This tradition has also been transmitted by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of narrators. This version dies not mention that the Prophet (ﷺ) said to Abu Bakr:Raise your voice a litte ; or he said to 'Umar: Lower your voice a little. But this version adds: (The Prophet said:) I heard you, Bilal, (reciting) ; you were reciting partly from this surah and partly from that surah. He said: This is all good speech ; Allah has combined one part with the other; The Prophet (ﷺ) said: All of you were correct
Narrated 'Aishah: A man got up at night and recited the Qur'an in a loud voice. When the dawn came, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: May Allah have mercy on so-and-so who reminded me many verses that I had nearly forgotten. Abu Dawud said: Harun al-Nahwi transmitted from Hammad b. Salamah the Quranic verse of Surah Al-'Imran: "How many of the prophet fought (in Allah's way)" (3:)
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) retired to the mosque. He heard them (the people) reciting the Qur'an in a loud voice. He removed the curtain and said: Lo! every one of you is calling his Lord quietly. One should not trouble the other and one should not raise the voice in recitation or in prayer over the voice of the other
Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir al-Juhani: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: One who recites the Qur'an in a loud voice is like one who gives alms openly; and one who recites the Qur'an quietly is one who gives alms secretly
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ : كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ عَشْرَ رَكَعَاتٍ، وَيُوتِرُ بِسَجْدَةٍ، وَيَسْجُدُ سَجْدَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ، فَذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً .
Narrated 'Aishah:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray ten rak'ahs during the night, and would observe the witr with one rak'ah, he then prayed two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer. Thus he prayed thirteen rak'ahs in all
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih Bukhari (1140) Sahih Muslim (738)· Zubair Ali Zai
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم : أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً، يُوتِرُ مِنْهَا بِوَاحِدَةٍ، فَإِذَا فَرَغَ مِنْهَا اضْطَجَعَ عَلَى شِقِّهِ الأَيْمَنِ .
Narrated 'Aishah, wife of Prophet (ﷺ):The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray eleven rak'ahs (at night, observing the witr with one rak'ahs). When he finished it (the prayer), he would lie down on his right side
Narrated 'Aishah:Between the time when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished the night prayer till the dawn broke, he used to pray eleven rak'ahs, uttering the salutation at the end of every two and observing the witr with a single one, and during that he would make a prostration about as long a one of you would take to recite fifty verses before raising his head. When the mu'adhdhin finished making the call for the dawn prayer, he stood up and prayed two short rak'ahs, then he lay down on his right side till the mu'adhdhin came to him
This tradition has been transmitted by Ibn Shihab through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. This version adds:He would observe witr with a single rak'ah and make a prostration as long as you would take to recite fifty verses before raising his head. When the mu'adhdhin finished his call for the dawn prayer and the dawn became clear to him.... Then the narrator transmitted the rest of the tradition to the same effect. Some narrators added something more in their version
Narrated 'Aishah:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs during the night, observing a witr out of that with five, he did not sit during the five except the last and then gave the salutation. Abu Dawud said: Ibn Numair reported it from Hisham recently
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ : كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي بِاللَّيْلِ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي إِذَا سَمِعَ النِّدَاءَ بِالصُّبْحِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ .
Narrated 'Aishah:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs during the night ; he then offered two light rak'ahs of prayer when he heard the call to the dawn prayer
Narrated 'Aishah:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs during the night. He would offer eight rak'ahs observing the witr with one rak'ah. Then he prayed (the narrator Muslim said) two rak'ahs after witr prayer in sitting position. When he wished to bow, he stood up and bowed. He used to pray two rak'ahs between the call to the dawn prayer and the iqamah
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ : أَنَّهُ، سَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَتْ : مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَزِيدُ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَلاَ فِي غَيْرِهِ عَلَى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً : يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسْأَلْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وَطُولِهِنَّ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسْأَلْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وَطُولِهِنَّ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي ثَلاَثًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ - رضى الله عنها - فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتَنَامُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُوتِرَ قَالَ : " يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ عَيْنَىَّ تَنَامَانِ وَلاَ يَنَامُ قَلْبِي " .
Abu Salamah b. 'Abd al-Rahman asked 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ):How did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray during Ramadhan ? She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pray more than eleven rak'ahs during Ramadhan and other than Ramadhan. He would pray four rak'ahs. Do not ask about their elegance and length. He then would pray for rak'ahs. Do not ask about their alegance and length. Then he would pray three rak'ahs. 'Aishah said: I asked: Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before observing witr ? He replied: 'Aishah, my eyes sleep, but my heart does not sleep
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih Bukhari (1147) Sahih Muslim (737)· Zubair Ali Zai
Narrated Sa'd bin Hisham: I divorced my wife. I then came to Medina to sell my land that was there so that I could buy arms and fight in battle. I met a group of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ). They said: Six persons of us intended to do so (i.e. divorce their wives and purchase weapons), but the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited them. He said: For you in the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent model. I then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the witr observed by the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: I point to you a person who is most familiar with the witr observed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Go to 'Aishah. While going to her I asked Hakim b. Aflah to accompany me. He refused, but I adjured him. He, therefore, went along with me. We sought permission to enter upon 'Aishah. She said: Who is this ? He said: Hakim b. Aflah. She asked: Who is with you ? He replied: Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Hisham son of 'Amir who was killed in the Battle of Uhud. I said: Yes. She said: What a good man 'Amir was! I said: Mother of faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She asked: Do you not recite the Quran ? The character of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was the Qur'an. I asked: Tell me about his vigil and prayer at night. She replied: Do you not recite: "O thou folded in garments" (73:1). I said: Why not ? When the opening of this Surah was revealed, the Companions stood praying (most of the night) until their fett swelled, and the concluding verses were not revealed for twelve months from heaven. At last the concluding verses were revealed and the prayer at night became voluntary after it was obligatory. I said: Tell me about the witr of the Prophet (ﷺ). She replied: He used to pray eight rak'ahs, sitting only during the eighth of them. Then he would stand up and pray another rak'ahs. He would sit only after the eighth and the ninth rak'ahs. He would utter salutation only after the ninth rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son. But when he grew old and became fleshy he observed a witr of seven, sitting only in sixth and seventh rak'ahs, and would utter salutation only after the seventh rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting, and that made nine rak'ahs, O my son. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would not pray through a whole night, or recite the whole Qur'an in a night or fast a complete month except in Ramadan. When he offered prayer, he would do that regularly. When he was overtaken by sleep at night, he would pray twelve rak'ahs. The narrator said: I came to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated all this to him. By Allah, this is really a tradition. Has I been on speaking terms with her, I would have come to her and heard it from her mouth. I said: If I knew that you were not on speaking terms with her, I would have never narrated it to you
The above mentioned tradition has also been narrated by Qatadah through a different chain of narrators. This version adds:He (the Prophet( used to pray eight rak'ahs during which he did not sit except the eight rak'ahs. He would sit, make mention of Allah, supplicate Him and then utter the salutation so loudly that we could hear it. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after he had uttered the salutation. Then he would pray one rak'ah, and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) grew old and became fleshy, he offered seven rak'ahs of witr, and then he would pray two rak'ahs sitting after he had uttered the salutation. The narrator narrated the tradition to the same effect till the end
The above tradition has also been transmitted by Yahya b. Sa'id to the same effect. The version adds the words:"He uttered the salutation so loudly that we could hear it
This tradition has also been transmitted by Sa'id through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. Ibn Bashshar narrated the tradition like that of Yahya b. Sa'id. His version has:He uttered the salutation in a way that we could hear it
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: Zurarah ibn Awfa said that Aisha was asked about the midnight prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: He used to offer his night prayer in congregation and then return to his family (in his house) and pray four rak'ahs. Then he would go to his bed and sleep, but the water for his ablution was placed covered near his head and his tooth-stick was also kept there until Allah awakened him at night. He then used the tooth-stick, performed ablution perfectly then came to the place of prayer and would pray eight rak'ahs, in which he would recite Surah al-Fatihah, and a surah from the Qur'an as Allah willed. He would not sit during any of them but sit after the eighth rak'ah, and would not utter the salutation, but recite (the Qur'an) during the ninth rak'ah. Then he would sit and supplicate as long as Allah willed, and beg Him and devote his attention to Him; He would utter the salutation once in such a loud voice that the inmates of the house were almost awakened by his loud salutation. He would then recite Surah al-Fatihah while sitting, bow while sitting, and then recite the Qur'an during the second rak'ah, and would bow and prostrate while sitting. He would supplicate Allah as long as He willed, then utter the salutation and turn away. This amount of prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continued till he put a weight. During that period he retrenched two rak'ahs from nine and began to pray six and seven rak'ahs standing and two rak'ahs sitting. This continued till he died
The above-mentioned tradition has also been narrated by Banu al-Hakim through a different chain of narrators. This version adds:He (the Prophet) would offer the night prayer and go to his bed. In this version there is no mention of praying four rak'ahs. The narrator then transmitted the rest of the tradition. This version further says: He would pray eight rak'ahs during which his recitation of the Qur'an, bowing and prostration were all equal. He would sit only after the eight rak'ah, and then stand up without uttering the salutation, and pray one rak'ah observing witr prayer and then give the salutation raising his voice so much so that we were about to awake. The narrator then transmitted the tradition to the same effect
Zurarah b. Awfa said that 'Aishah was asked about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said:He used to lead the people in the 'Isha prayer and return to his family and pray four rak'ahs and go to his bed. The narrator then transmitted the tradition in full. This version does not mention the words: "During them (the rak'ahs) he equated all the recitation of the Qur'an, bowing and recitation." This also does not mention the words about the salutation: "Till he almost awakened us
This tradition has also been transmitted by 'Aishah through a different chain of narrators. But the tradition narrated by Hammad b. Salamah is not equal to the tradition narrated by others
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih· Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid
Sahih· Shuaib Al Arnaut
Sahih· Zubair Ali Zai
Text from the open hadith-api dataset. Hadith numbering follows that edition and can differ slightly from a printed copy — check the Arabic against a trusted mushaf of hadith before relying on a reference.