The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day
كتاب قيام الليل وتطوع النهار
This is part 2 of 5 of “The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day”, book 20 of Sunan an-Nasa'i — Hadith 1,648–1,697. The book is long enough that it is split across 5 pages so each one stays quick to load; the parts run in order and are linked at the foot of the page.
It was narrated from Aishah that :The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray when he was sitting. He would recite while sitting, then when there were thirty or forty verses left, he would stand up and recite while standing, then he bowed and prostrated, then he would do likewise in the second rak'ah
It was narrated that Aishah said:"I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray sitting down until he grew old. Then he would pray sitting down and when there were thirty or forty verses left, he would stand up and recite them, then bow
It was narrated that Aishah said:"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite sitting, and when he wanted to bow he would stand up for as long as it takes a person to recite forty verses
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنْتَ قُلْتُ أَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ . قَالَتْ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ أَبَاكَ . قُلْتُ أَخْبِرِينِي عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَتْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ وَكَانَ . قُلْتُ أَجَلْ . قَالَتْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُصَلِّي بِاللَّيْلِ صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ ثُمَّ يَأْوِي إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَيَنَامُ فَإِذَا كَانَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ قَامَ إِلَى حَاجَتِهِ وَإِلَى طَهُورِهِ فَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَيُصَلِّي ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ يُسَوِّي بَيْنَهُنَّ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ وَالرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ وَيُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ ثُمَّ يَضَعُ جَنْبَهُ فَرُبَّمَا جَاءَ بِلاَلٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُغْفِيَ وَرُبَّمَا يُغْفِي وَرُبَّمَا شَكَكْتُ أَغْفَى أَوْ لَمْ يُغْفِ حَتَّى يُؤْذِنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَكَانَتْ تِلْكَ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى أَسَنَّ وَلَحُمَ - فَذَكَرَتْ مِنْ لَحْمِهِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ - قَالَتْ وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ يَأْوِي إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَإِذَا كَانَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ قَامَ إِلَى طَهُورِهِ وَإِلَى حَاجَتِهِ فَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ يَدْخُلُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَيُصَلِّي سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ يُسَوِّي بَيْنَهُنَّ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ وَالرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ ثُمَّ يُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ ثُمَّ يَضَعُ جَنْبَهُ وَرُبَّمَا جَاءَ بِلاَلٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُغْفِيَ وَرُبَّمَا أَغْفَى وَرُبَّمَا شَكَكْتُ أَغْفَى أَمْ لاَ حَتَّى يُؤْذِنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ قَالَتْ فَمَا زَالَتْ تِلْكَ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
It was narrated that Sa'd bin Hisham bin 'Amir said:" I came to Al-Madinah and entered upon Aishah, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with her. She said: 'Who are you?' I said: 'I am Sa'd bin Hisham bin 'Amir.' She said: 'May Allah have mercy on your father.' I said: 'Tell me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did such and such.' I said: 'Yes indeed.' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray Isha' at night, then he would go to his bed and sleep. In the middle of the night, he would get up to relieve himself and go to his water for purification and perform wudu. Then he went into the Masjid and prayed eight rak'ahs. I think he made the recitation, bowing and prostration equal in length. Then he prayed one rak'ah of witr, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down. Then he lay down on his side. Sometimes Bilal would come and tell him that it was time to pray before he napped, and sometimes he napped. And sometimes I was not sure if he had napped or not before he told him that it was time to pray. This is how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray until he grew older and gained weight"- and she mentioned whatever Allah (SWT) willed about his gaining weight. She said: "And the Prophet (ﷺ) used to lead the people in praying witr, then he would go to his bed. In the middle of the night, he would get up and go to water for purification, and to relieve himself, then he would perform wudu. Then he would go into the masjid and pray six rak'ahs, and I think he made the recitation, bowing, and prostration equal in length. Then he prayed one rak'ah of witr, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down. Then he lay down on his side. Sometimes Bilal would come and tell him that it was time to pray before he napped, and sometimes he napped. And sometimes I was not sure if he had napped or not before he told him that it was time to pray." She said: "And this is how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continued to pray
It was narrated that Aishah said:"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not refrain from (kissing) my forehead when he was fasting, and he did not die until most of his prayers were offered sitting down." Then she said something to the effect that (referred to the prayers) other than the obligatory prayers. "And the dearest of actions to him was that in which a person persists, even if it is little
It was narrated from Al-Aswad, that Umm Salamah said:"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pass away until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except for the obligatory prayers
It was narrated from Abu Salamah, that Umm Salamah said:"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pass away until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except for the obligatory prayers, and the dearest of actions to him were those which were done persistently, even if they were few
It was narrated from Abu Salamah, that Umm Salamah said:"By the One in Whose Hand is my soul. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pass away until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except for the obligatory prayers, and the dearest of actions to him were those which were done persistently, even if they were few
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الأَشْعَثِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ زُرَيْعٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا الْجُرَيْرِيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ هَلْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ بَعْدَ مَا حَطَمَهُ النَّاسُ .
It was narrated that Abdullah bin Shaqiq said:"I said to Aishah: 'Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray sitting down?' She said: 'Yes, after the people had worn him out
It was narrated that Hafsah said:"I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offer his voluntary prayers sitting down until one year before his death. Then he used to pray sitting down, reciting the surah so slowly that it seemed to be longer than a surah that is longer
It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin 'Amr said:"I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying sitting down and I said: 'I was told that you said that the prayer of one who is sitting down is worth half of the prayer of the one who is standing up.' He said: 'Yes indeed, but I am not like any one of you
It was narrated that 'Imran bin Husain said:"I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about one who prays sitting down. He said: 'Whoever prays standing up is better, and one who prays sitting down will have half the reward of one who prays standing up. And whoever prays lying down will have half the reward of one who prays sitting down
It was narrated that Abdullah bin Abi Qais said:"I asked Aishah: "How did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recite at night- did he recite loudly or silently?" She said: 'He used to do both; sometimes he recited loudly and sometimes he recited silently
It was narrated from Kathir bin Murrah that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir told them that:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The one who recites the Qur'an loudly is like one who gives charity openly, and the one who recites the Qur'an silently is like the one who gives charity in secret
It was narrated that Hudhaifah said:"I prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) one night. He started to recite Al-Baqarah and I thought, 'he will bow when he reaches one hundred,' but he carried on. I thought, 'he is going to recite the whole surah in one rak'ah,' but he carried on. He started to recite An-Nisa' and recited (the whole surah), then he started to recite Al Imran and recited (the whole surah), reciting slowly. When he reached a verse that spoke of glorifying Allah (SWT), he glorified Him. When he reached a verse that spoke of supplication, he made supplication. When he reached a verse that spoke of seeking refuge with Allah, he sought refuge with Him. Then he bowed and said: 'Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim.(Glory be to my Lord Almighty)', and he bowed for almost as long as he had stood. Then he raised his head and said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him)', and he stood for almost as long as he had bowed. Then he prostrated and started to say: Subhana Rabbiyal-'Ala (Glory be to my Lord Most High),' and he prostrated for almost as long as he had bowed
It was narrated from Hudhaifah that:He prayed with the Messenger of Allah during Ramadan. He bowed and said: "Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim while bowing, for as long as he had stood. Then he sat down and said: "Rabbighfirli, Rabbighfirli (Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me)," for as long as he had stood. Then he prostrated and said: "Subhana Rabbiyal-'Ala for as long as he had stood And he prayed no more than four rak'ahs when Bilal came for Al-Ghadah
It was narrated from Ya'la bin Ata that he heard Ali Al-Azdi (say) that he heard Ibn Umar narrate that:The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The prayers of the night and day are two by two
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ " مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَوَاحِدَةٌ " .
It was narrated that Tawus said:"Ibn Umar said: "A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about prayer at night. He said: "Two by two, and if you fear that dawn will come, then one
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ صَدَقَةَ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، عَنِ الزُّبَيْدِيِّ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ " .
It was narrated from Salim, from his father, that :The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Prayers at night are two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one rak'ah
It was narrated that Ibn Umar said:"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the minbar, when he was asked about prayers at night, say: "Two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one rak'ah
Ibn Umar told them that :A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)about prayers at night, and he said: "Two by two, then if one of you fears that dawn will come, let him pray witr with one
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ " .
It was narrated from Ibn Umar that:The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one
It was narrated that Ibn Umar said:"A man from among the Muslims asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'How are prayers at night to be done?' He said: 'prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ " .
It was narrated that Abdullah bin Umar said that:A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about prayers at night. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one
It was narrated that Abdullah bin Umar said:"A man stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), how are the prayers at night to be done?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one
It was narrated that Ali, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with him, said:"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "O people of the Qur'an, pray witr, for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, is Witr (One) and loves Al-Witr (the odd numbered)
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَبِي نُعَيْمٍ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ الْوِتْرُ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ كَهَيْئَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ سَنَّهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
It was narrated that Ali, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with him, said:"Witr is not essential like the obligatory prayers, but it is the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:"My dearest friend advised me (to do) three things: 'To sleep after praying Witr, to fast three days each month, and to pray two rak'ahs of Fajr
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:"My closest friend advised me to do three things: 'To pray witr at the beginning of the night, to pray two rak'ahs of Fajr and to fast three days of each month
It was narrated that Qais bin Talq said:"My father, Talq bin 'Ali visited me one day in Ramadan and stayed with us until the evening. He led us in praying Qiyam that night and prayed witr with us. Then he went down to a masjid and led his companions in prayer until only witr was left. Then he told a man to go forward and said to him: 'Lead them in praying witr, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: There should not be two witrs in one night
It was narrated that Al-Aswad bin Yazid said:"I asked 'Aishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: 'He used to sleep during the first part of the night, then get up during the time before dawn and pray witr. Then he would go to his bed and if he needed to be intimate he would go to his wife. Then when he heard the Adhan he would get up, and if he was junub he would pour water over himself, otherwise he would perform wudu, then he would go out to the prayer
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ وَثَّابٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ أَوْتَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ أَوَّلِهِ وَآخِرِهِ وَأَوْسَطِهِ وَانْتَهَى وَتْرُهُ إِلَى السَّحَرِ .
It was narrated that Aishah said:"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed witr at the beginning (of the night) and at the end, and in the middle. And toward the end of his life, he settled on performing witr at the end of the night
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، قَالَ مَنْ صَلَّى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيَجْعَلْ آخِرَ صَلاَتِهِ وَتْرًا فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَأْمُرُ بِذَلِكَ .
It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said:"Whoever prays during the night, let him make the last of his prayers at night witr, because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to enjoin that
Abu Nadrah Al-'Awaqi narrated that he heard Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri say:"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about witr and he said: 'Pray witr before dawn (Subh)
It was narrated from Ibrahim bin Muhammad Al-Muntashir, from his father, that:He was in the masjid of 'Amr bin Shurahbil and the iqamah for prayer was said, and they were waiting. He came and said: "I was praying witr." Abdullah was asked: "Is there any witr after the adhan?" He said: "Yes, and after the Iqamah." And he narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) once slept and missed the prayer until the sun had risen, then he prayed
It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that:A man from among the people of the desert asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about prayer at night. He said:"(It is) two by two, and Witr is one rak'ah at the end of the night
It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Umar that:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Prayer at night is two by two, then when you want to finish, pray one rak'h which will make the total number that you prayed odd
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ، قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، 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 " .
It was narrated from Abdullah bin 'Umar that:A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about prayer at night and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Prayer at night is two by two, then if one of you fears that dawn will break, pray one rak'ah to make the total number that he prayed odd
It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that:He heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "Prayer at night is two rak'ahs by two rak'ahs, then when you fear tat dawn will break, pray witr with one rak'ah
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يُوتِرُ مِنْهَا بِوَاحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ يَضْطَجِعُ عَلَى شِقِّهِ الأَيْمَنِ .
It was narrated from 'Aishah that:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray eleven rak'ahs at night, ending them with one rak'ah of witr, then he would lie down on his right side
It was narrated from Abu Salamah bin Abdur-Rahman that :He asked Aishah, the Mother of the Believers, about how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray in Ramadan. She said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pray more than eleven rak'ahs during Ramadan or at any other time. He would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful or how long they were. Then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful or how long they were. Then he would pray three." Aishah said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before you pray witr?' He said: 'O Aishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not
Sahih· Abu Ghuddah
Sahih· Al-Albani
Sahih - Agreed Upon· 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.