The superiority of Tahajjud prayer

Narrated Salim's father:

In the life-time of the Prophet whosoever saw a dream would narrate it to Allah's Apostle. I had a wish of seeing a dream to narrate it to Allah's Apostle ﷺ I was a grown up boy and used to sleep in the Mosque in the life-time of the Prophet. I saw in the dream that two angels caught hold of me and took me to the Fire which was built all round like a built well and had two poles in it and the people in it were known to me. I started saying, "I seek refuge with Allah from the Fire." Then I met another angel who told me not to be afraid. I narrated the dream to Hafsa who told it to Allah's Apostle. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed Tahajjud." After that 'Abdullah (i.e. Salim's father) used to sleep but a little at night.

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ،. وَحَدَّثَنِي مَحْمُودٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ فِي حَيَاةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ إِذَا رَأَى رُؤْيَا قَصَّهَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَتَمَنَّيْتُ أَنْ أَرَى رُؤْيَا فَأَقُصَّهَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكُنْتُ غُلاَمًا شَابًّا، وَكُنْتُ أَنَامُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَرَأَيْتُ فِي النَّوْمِ كَأَنَّ مَلَكَيْنِ أَخَذَانِي فَذَهَبَا بِي إِلَى النَّارِ فَإِذَا هِيَ مَطْوِيَّةٌ كَطَىِّ الْبِئْرِ، وَإِذَا لَهَا قَرْنَانِ، وَإِذَا فِيهَا أُنَاسٌ قَدْ عَرَفْتُهُمْ فَجَعَلْتُ أَقُولُ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ النَّارِ ـ قَالَ ـ فَلَقِيَنَا مَلَكٌ آخَرُ فَقَالَ لِي لَمْ تُرَعْ. فَقَصَصْتُهَا عَلَى حَفْصَةَ فَقَصَّتْهَا حَفْصَةُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ " نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، لَوْ كَانَ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ ". فَكَانَ بَعْدُ لاَ يَنَامُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً.