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

Ya'la bin Mamlak said that he asked Umm Salamah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and she said: "He used to pray 'Isha, then he would recite tasbih, then after that he would pray whatever Allah (SWT) willed (he should pray) of night prayer. Then he would go and sleep for as long as he had prayed. Then he would get up from sleep and pray for as long as he had slept, and this last prayer of his would continue until dawn."

It was narrated from Ya'la bin Mamlak that he asked Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) about the recitation and prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: "What do you want to know about his prayer (I.e., you can never match it)? He used to pray, then sleep for as long as he had prayed, then he would pray as long as he had slept, then he would sleep as long as he had prayed, until dawn came." Then she described to him his recitation, and she described a clear recitation in which every letter was distinct.

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Aws that he heard Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-'As say: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The most beloved of fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud, peace be upon him. He used to fast one day and not the next. And the most beloved of prayer to Allah (SWT) is the prayer of Dawud. He used to sleep half the night, spend one-third of the night in prayer and sleep for one-sixth of it.'"

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey (Al-Isra') I came to Musa, peace be upon him, at the red dune, and he was standing, praying in his grave."

It was narrated from Anas that : The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "I came to Musa at the red dune and he was standing and praying."

It was narrated from Anas that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "I passed by the grave of Musa, peace be upon him, and he was praying in his grave."

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey, I passed by Musa, peace be upon him, and he was praying in his grave.'"

It was narrated from Anas that: On the night on which he was taken on the Night Journey, the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by Musa, peace be upon him, and he was praying in his grave.

Mu'tamir said: "I heard my father say: I heard Anas say: 'One of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) told me that on the Night Journey, the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by Musa, peace be upon him, and he was praying in his grave.'"

It was narrated from Anas, from on of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey, I passed by Musa and he was praying in his grave.'

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, from his father who had been present at Badr with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), that: He watched the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) one night when he prayed all night until Fajr time. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said the taslim at the end of his prayer, Khabbab said to him: 'May my father and mother be ransomed for you O Messenger of Allah, last night you offered a prayer the like of which I have never seen you offer." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Yes indeed. This is a prayer of hope and fear in which I asked my Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, for three things, of which He gave me two and did not grant me one. I asked my Lord not to destroy us with which he destroyed the nations before us, and He granted me that. And I asked my Lord not to let an enemy from without prevail over us, and He granted me that. And I asked my Lord not to divide us into warring factions and He did not grant me that."

It was narrated that Masruq said: "Aishah may Allah (SWT) be pleased with her, said:' When the last ten nights of Ramadan began, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stayed up at night (for prayer) and he woke his family up and tightened his waist-wrap.'"

It was narrated that Abu Ishaq said: "I came to Al-Aswad bin Yazid, who was a close friend of mine and said: 'O Abu 'Amr, tell me what the Mother of the Believers told you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He said: 'She said: "He used to sleep for the first part of the night and stay up for the latter part.'"

It was narrated that 'Aishah, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with her, said: "I do not know that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited the whole Qur'an in one night, or spent a whole night in worship until dawn, or that he ever fasted an entire month apart from Ramadan."

It was narrated from Aishah that: The Prophet (ﷺ) came in to her and there was a woman with her. He said: "Who is this?" She said: "So-and-so, and she does not sleep." And she told him about how she prayed a great deal. He said: "Stop praising her. You should do what you can, for by Allah (SWT), Allah never gets tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of religious actions to Him is that in which a person persists."

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the masjid and saw a rope tied between two pillars. He said: "What is this?" They said: "It is for Zainab when she prays; if she gets tired she holds on to it." The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Untie it. Let any one of you pray as long as he has energy, and if he gets tired let him sit down."

It was narrated that Ziyad bin Ilaqah said: "I heard Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah say: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) stood (in prayer at night) until his feet swelled up, and it was said to him: Allah has forgiven your past and future sins. He said: "Should I not be a thankful slave?'"

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray until he developed fissures in his feet."

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray for a long time at night. If he started to pray standing, he would bow standing and if he started to pray sitting, he would bow sitting."

It was narrated hat Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray standing and sitting. If he started to pray standing, he would bow standing and if he started to pray sitting, he would bow sitting."

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."

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."

Abu Salamah narrated that Aishah told him: "The Prophet (ﷺ) did not die until most of his prayers were offered sitting down."

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.'"