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

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 'Aishah said: "I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying while sitting cross-legged."

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."

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.'"

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."

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.'"

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).'"

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.'"

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."

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 Au Sa'eed that : The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Pray witr before dawn(fajr)."

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: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr on his mount.

It was narrated from Nafi' that : Ibn Umar used to pray witr on his camel and he mentioned that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to do that.