The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day

It was narrated from Nafi' that Abdullah bin Umar said: "Pray in your houses and do not make them like graves."

It was narrated from Zaid bin Thabit that : The Prophet (ﷺ) used some palm fiber mats to section off a small area in the masjid. And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed in it for several nights until the people gathered around him. Then, one night they did not hear his voice, and they thought that he was sleeping, so they cleared their throats to make him come out to them. He said: 'You kept doing that until I feared that it would be made obligatory for you, and if it were made obligatory, you would not be able to do it. O people, pray in your houses, for the best prayer a person offers is in his house, apart from the prescribed (obligatory) prayers.'"

It was narrated from Sa'd bin Ishaq bin Ka'b bin Ujrah, from his father, that: His grandfather said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Maghrib in the masjid of Banu 'Abdul-Ashhal, and when he finished praying some people stood up and offered Nafl prayers. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'You should offer this prayer in your houses.'"

It was narrated from Sa'd bin Hisham that: He met Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about Witr. He said: "Shall I not lead you to one who knows best among the people of the world about the witr of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?" He said: "Yes." (Ibn Abbas) said: "It is 'Aishah. So go to her and ask her (about witr) and then come back to me and tell me the answer that she gives you." So I went to Hakim bin Aflah and asked him to go accompany me to her. He said: "I shall not go to her, for I told her not to say anything about these two (conflicting) groups, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went on (to participate in the conflict)." I swore an oath, beseeching him (to take me to her). So he came with me and went unto her. She said to Hakim: "Who is this with you?" He said: "He is Sa'd bin Hisham." She said: "Which Hisham?" He said: "Ibn Amir." She supplicated for mercy for him and said: "What a good man Amir was." He said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah." She said: "Don't you read the Qur'an?" I said: "Yes." She said "The character of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was the Qur'an." He said: "I wanted to get up (and leave), then I thought of the Qiyam (night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: "Tell me about the Qiyam of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." She said: "Do you not recite this surah: "O you wrapped in garments?" I said: "Yes." She said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, made Qiyam Al-Lail obligatory at the beginning of this surah, so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his companions prayed Qiyam Al-Lail for one year. Allah (SWT) withheld the latter part of this surah for twelve months, then he revealed the lessening (of this duty) at the end of this surah, so Qiyam Al-Lail became voluntary after it had been obligatory." I felt inclined to stand up (and not ask anything further), then I thought of the witr of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the witr of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." She said: "We used to prepare his siwak and water for his ablution, and Allah (SWT) would wake him when He wished during the night. He would use the siwak, perform ablution, and then pray eight rak'ahs in which he would not sit until he reached the eighth one. Then he would sit and remember Allah (SWT) and supplicate, then he would say the taslim that we could hear. Then he would pray two rak'as sitting after uttering the taslim, then he would pray one rak'ah, and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son! When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) grew older and put on weight, he prayed witr with seven rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down after saying the taslim, and that made nine rak'ahs. O my son, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)offered a prayer, he liked to continue to offer it, and when sleep, sickness, or pain distracted him from praying Qiyam Al-Lail, he would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. I am not aware of the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) having recited the whole Qur'an during a single night, or praying through the whole night until morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan." I went to Ibn 'Abbas and told him what she had said, and he said: "She has spoken the truth. If I could go to her (and meet her face to face) I would so that she could tell me all of that verbally."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever prays Qiyam during Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever prays Qiyam during Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins."

It was narrated from 'Aishah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed in the masjid one night, and some people followed his prayer. Then he prayed the following night and more people came. Then they gathered on the third or fourth night and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not come out to them. When morning came he said: "I saw what you did, and nothing prevented me from coming out to you but the fact that I feared that this would be made obligatory for you," and that was in Ramadan.

It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: "We fasted with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Ramadan and he did not lead us in praying Qiyam until there were seven days left in the month, when he led us in praying Qiyam until one-third of the night had passed. Then he did not lead us in praying Qiyam when there were six days left. Then he led us praying Qiyam when there were five days left until one-half of the night had passed. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! What if we spend the rest of this night praying Nafl?" He said: "Whoever prays Qiyam with the Imam until he finishes, Allah (SWT) will record for him the Qiyam of a (whole) night." Then he did not lead us in prayer or pray Qiyam until there were three days of the month left. Then he led us in praying Qiyam when there were three days left. He gathered his family and wives (and led us in prayer) until we feared that we would miss Al-Falah. I (one of the narrators) said: "What is Al-Falah?" He said: "The suhur".

Nu'aim bin Ziyad Abu Talhah said: "I heard An-Nu'man bin Bashir on the minbar in Hims saying: "We prayed Qiyam with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during Ramadan on the night of the twenty-third until one-third of the night had passed, then we prayed Qiyam with him on the night of the twenty-fifth until one-half of the night had passed, then we prayed Qiyam with him on the night of the twenty-seventh until we thought that we would miss Al-Falah- that is what they used to call suhur."

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'When any one of you goes to sleep, the Shaitan ties three knots on his head, saying each time: "(Sleep) a long night." If he wakes up and remembers Allah (SWT), one knot is undone. If he performs wudu', another knot is undone. If he prays, all the knots are undone and he starts his day in a good mood and feeling energetic. Otherwise he starts his day in a bad mood and feeling lethargic.'"

It was narrated that Abdullah said: "Mention was made in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about a man who slept all night until morning. He said: 'That is a man in whose ear the Shaitan has urinated.'"

It was narrated that Abdullah said: "A man said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So-and-so slept and missed the prayer yesterday until morning came.' He said: 'The Shaitan has urinated in that one's ears.'"

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'May Allah (SWT) have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays, then he wakes his wife and she prays, and if she refuses he sprinkles water in her face. And may Allah (SWT) have mercy on a woman who gets up at night and prays, then she wakes her husband and prays, and if he refuses she sprinkles water in his face.'"

It was narrated from 'Ali bin Abi Talib that: The Prophet (ﷺ) came to him and Fatimah at night and said: "Won't you pray?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), our souls are in the hand of Allah and if He wants to make us get up, He will make us get up." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went away when I said that to him. Then as he was leaving I heard him striking his thigh and saying: But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.

It was narrated from Ali bin Husain, from his father, that: Hs grandfather Ali bin Abi Talib said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came in to Fatimah and I, one night and woke us up to pray, then he went back to his house and prayed for part of the night, and he did not hear any movement from us. He came back to us and woke us up, and said: 'Get up and pray.' I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and said: 'By Allah, we will only pray that which has decreed for us; our souls are in the hand of Allah (SWT) and if He wants to make us get up, He will make us get up.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned away, striking his hand on his thigh, saying: 'We will only pray that which Allah (SWT) has decreed for us! But man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.'"

It was narrated from Humaid bin 'Abdur-Rahman- that is Ibn 'Awf, that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The best fasting after the month of Ramadan is the month of Allah, Al-Muharram, and the best prayer is prayer at night.'"

It was narrated from Abu Bishr Ja'far bin Abi Wahshiyyah that: He heard Humaid bin 'Abdur-Rahman say: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The best prayer after the obligatory (fard) prayers is prayer at night and the best fasting after the month of Ramadan is Al-Muharram.'" Shu'bah bin Al-Hajjaj narrated it in Mursal form.

It was narrated from Zaid bin Zabyan who attributed it to Abu Dharr that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There are three whom Allah (SWT) loves: A man who comes to some people and asks (to be given something) for the sake of Allah and not for the sake of their relationship, but they do not give him, so a man stayed behind and gave it to him in secret, and no one knew of his giving except Allah (SWT) and the one to whom he gave it. People who travel all night until sleep becomes dearer to them than anything equated with it, so they lay down their heads (and slept), then a man among them got up and started praying to Me and beseeching Me, reciting My Verses. And a man who was on a campaign and met the enemy and they fled, but he went forward (pursuing them) until he was killed or victory was granted."

It was narrated that Masruq said: "I said to 'Aishah: 'Which deed was most beloved to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?' She said: 'That which was done persistently.' I said: 'At what part of the night did he pray Qiyam?' She said: 'When he heard the rooster.'"

It was narrated that 'Asim bin Humaid said: "I asked 'Aishah with what did he- meaning the Prophet (ﷺ)- start Qiyam Al-Lail? She said: 'You have asked me something which no one before you has asked. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say the takbir ten times, the tahmid ten times, the tasbih ten times, and the tahlil ten times, and pray for forgiveness ten times, and say: Allahummaghfirli, wahdini, warzuqni wa 'afini. A'udhu billahi min diqil-maqami yawmal-qiyamah (O Allah, forgive me, guide me, grant me provision and good health. I seek refuge with Allah from the difficulty of standing on the Day of Resurrection.)"

It was narrated that Rabi'ah bin Ka'b Al-Aslami said: "I used to stay overnight at the Prophet's (ﷺ) apartment and I used to hear him when he prayed Qiyam at night saying: 'Subhan Allahi Rabil-Alamin (Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds)' for a long time, then he said: 'Subhan Allah wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to Allah) for a long time."

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said: "When the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night to pray Tahajjud, he said: Allahumma, lakal-hamdu anta nurus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinna wa lakal-hamdu anta qayyamus-samawati wal ardi wa man fihinna wa lakal-hamdu, anta haqqun wa wa'duka haqqun wal jannatu haqqun wan-nuru haqqun wan-nabiyyuna haqqun wa Muhammadan haqqun, laka aslant wa 'alaika tawakkaltu wa bika amant. ( O Allah, to You be praise, You are the Light of the heavens and earth and whoever is in them. To You be praise, You are the Sustainer of the Heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. To You be praise, You are the Sovereign of the heavens and earth and whoever is in them. To You be praise; You are True, Your promise is true, Paradise is true, Hell is true, the Hour is true, the Prophets are true and Muhammad is true. To You have I submitted, in You I put my trust and in You I have believed.'" Then (one of the narrators) Qutaibah mentioned some words the meaning of which was: "Wa bika khasamtu wa ilaika hakamtu, ighfirli ma quadrate wa ma akhkhartu wa ma a'lantu antal-muqaddimu wa antal-mu'khkhir, la ilaha illa anta wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (And with Your help I argue [with my opponents, the non-believers], and I take You as a judge [to judge between us]. Forgive me my past and future sins and those that I commit openly. You are the One who puts [some people] back and bring [others] forward. There is no God but You and there is no power and no strength except with Allah).'"

It was narrated from Kuraib that 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas told him: He slept at the house of Maimunah the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), who was his maternal aunt. He said: "I laid down across the mattress an the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his wife lay along it. The Prophet (ﷺ) slept until midnight, or a little before or a little after. The Prophet (ﷺ) woke up and began to rub the sleep from his face with his hand. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surah Al Imran. Then he got up and went to a water skin that was hanging up and performed wudu from it, and he performed wudu well, then he stood up and prayed." Abdullah bin 'Abbas said: "I stood up and did what he had done, then I went and stood beside him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) put his right hand on my neck, and took old of my right hand and tweaked it. Then he prayed two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then he prayed witr.Then he lay down until the Mu'adhdhin came to him and he prayed two brief rak'ahs."

It was narrated from Hudhaifah that: When the Prophet (ﷺ) got up to pray at night, he would brush his teeth with the siwak.

It was narrated that Hudhaifah said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up to pray tahajjud at night, he would brush his teeth with the siwak.

It was narrated that Hudhaifah said: "We were commanded to use the siwak when we got up to pray at night."

It was narrated that Shaqiq said: "We were commanded, when we got up to pray at night, to clean our mouths with the siwak."

Abu Salamah bin 'Abdur-Rahman said: "I asked 'Aishah: 'With what did the Prophet (ﷺ) start his prayer?' She said: 'When he got up to pray at night he would start his prayer with the words: Allahumma Rabba Jibril wa Maika'il wa Israfil; Fatirus-samawati wal-ard, 'alim al-ghaybi wash-shahadah, anta tahkumu bayna 'ibadika fima kanu fihi yakhtalifun, Allahumma ihdini limakktulifa fihi min al-haqq innaka tahdi man tasha'ila siratin mustaqim (O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your slaves concerning wherein they differ. O Allah, guide me to the disputed matters of truth for You are the One Who guides to the Straight Path)."

It was narrated that Ibn Shihaab said: "Humaid bin Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf told me that a man from among the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'I said, when I was on a journey with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): By Allah (SWT), I am going to watch the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and see what he does. When he prayed 'Isha, he lay down for a long time. Then he woke up and looked toward the horizon and said: "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose" until he reached: "for You never break (Your) Promise." Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reached across his bed and took a siwak from it, then he poured water from a vessel and cleaned his teeth. Then he stood and prayed until I said: He has prayed for as long as he has slept. Then he lay down until I said: He has slept as long as he prayed. Then he woke up and did the same as he had done the first time and said the same as he had said. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did that three times before Fajr.'"

It was narrated that Anas said: "Every time we wanted to see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying at night we saw him, and every time we wanted to see him sleeping, we saw him."