Night prayer, and the one who sleeps and misses it or is sick

Sa'd b. Hisham b. 'Amir decided to participate in the expedition for the sake of Allah, so he came to Medina and he decided to dispose of his property there and buy arms and horses instead and fight against the Romans to the end of his life. When he came to Medina, he met the people of Medina. They dissuaded him to do such a thing, and informed him that a group of six men had decided to do so during the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah ﷺ and the Apostle of Allah ﷺ forbade them to do it, and said: Is there not for you a model pattern in me? And when they narrated this to him (Sa'd b. Hisham), he returned to his wife, though he had divorced her and made (people) witness to his reconciliation. He then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Ibn 'Abbas said: Should I not lead you to one who knows best amongst the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Who is it? He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: It is 'A'isha. So go to her and ask her (about Witr) and then come to me and inform me about her answer that she would give you. So I came to Hakim b. Aflah and requested him to take me to her. He said: I would not go to her, for I forbade her to speak anything (about the conflict) between the two groupS, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went (to participate in that corflict). I (requested) him (Hakim) with an oath to lead me to her. So we went to 'A'isha and we begged permission to meet her. She granted us permission and we went in. She said: Are you Hakim? (She recognised him.) He replied: Yes. She said: Who is there with you? He said: He is Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Which Hisham? He said: He is Hisham b. 'Amir. She blessed him ('Amir) with mercy from Allah and spoke good of him (Qatada said that he died as a martyr in Uhud). I said: Mother of the Faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Don't you read the Qur'an? I said: Yes. Upon this she said: The character of the Apostle of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an. He said: I felt inclined to get up and not ask anything (further) till death. But then I changed my mind and said: Inform me about the observance (of the night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Did you not recite:" O thou wrapped up"? He said: Yes. She said: Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, made the observance of the night prayer at the beginning of this Surah obligatory. So the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him and his Companions around him observed this (night prayer) for one year. Allah held back the concluding portion of this Surah for twelve months in the Heaven till (at the end of this period) Allah revealed the concluding verses of this Surah which lightened (the burden of this prayer), and the night prayer became a supererogatory prayer after being an obligatory one. I said: Mother of the Faithful, inform me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: I used to prepare tooth stick for him and water for his ablution, and Allah would rouse him to the extent He wished during the night. He would use the tooth stick, and perform ablution, and would offer nine rak'ahs, and would not sit but in the eighth one and would remember Allah, and praise Him and supplicate Him, then he would get up without uttering the salutation and pray the ninth rak'ah. He would then sit, remember, praise Him and supplicate Him and then utter a salutation loud enough for us to hear. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after uttering the salutation, and that made eleven rak'ahs. O my son, but when the Apostle of Allah ﷺ grew old and put on flesh, he observed Witr of seven, doing in the two rak'ahs as he had done formerly, and that made nine. O my son, and when the Apostle of Allah ﷺ observed prayer, he liked to keep on observing it, and when sleep or pain overpowered him and made it impossible (for him) to observe prayer in the night, he prayed twelve rak'ahs daring the day. I am not aware of Allah's Prophet ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during one single night, or praying through the night till morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan. He (the narrator) said: I then went to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated to him the hadith (transmitted from her), and he said: She says the truth If I went to her and got into her presence, I would have listened to it orally from her. He said: If I were to know that you do not go to her. I would not have transmitted this hadith to you narrated by her.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ، أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ هِشَامِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، أَرَادَ أَنْ يَغْزُوَ، فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَبِيعَ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي السِّلاَحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ وَيُجَاهِدَ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ لَقِيَ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَنَهَوْهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا ذَلِكَ فِي حَيَاةِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَنَهَاهُمْ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ " أَلَيْسَ لَكُمْ فِيَّ أُسْوَةٌ " . فَلَمَّا حَدَّثُوهُ بِذَلِكَ رَاجَعَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَقَدْ كَانَ طَلَّقَهَا وَأَشْهَدَ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا فَأَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ . فَأْتِهَا فَاسْأَلْهَا ثُمَّ ائْتِنِي فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا لأَنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهِمَا إِلاَّ مُضِيًّا . - قَالَ - فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا عَلَيْهَا فَأَذِنَتْ لَنَا فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا . فَقَالَتْ أَحَكِيمٌ فَعَرَفَتْهُ . فَقَالَ نَعَمْ . فَقَالَتْ مَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ . قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ خَيْرًا - قَالَ قَتَادَةُ وَكَانَ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ . فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ . قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قُلْتُ بَلَى . قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ . - قَالَ - فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ وَلاَ أَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَمُوتَ ثُمَّ بَدَا لِي فَقُلْتُ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ . فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ} قُلْتُ بَلَى . قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلاً وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي السَّمَاءِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ التَّخْفِيفَ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ فَرِيضَةٍ . - قَالَ - قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ . فَقَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ وَيُصَلِّي تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهَا إِلاَّ فِي الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلاَ يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ ثُمَّ يَقْعُدُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا يُسَلِّمُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَىَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَنَعَ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ مِثْلَ صَنِيعِهِ الأَوَّلِ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ يَا بُنَىَّ وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا غَلَبَهُ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلاَ صَلَّى لَيْلَةً إِلَى الصُّبْحِ وَلاَ صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلاً غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ . - قَالَ - فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسِ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ لَوْ كُنْتُ أَقْرَبُهَا أَوْ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي بِهِ . - قَالَ - قُلْتُ لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لاَ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا مَا حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَهَا .

Zurara b. Aufa said that Sa'd b. Hisham divorced his wife, and then proceeded to Medina to sell his property, and the rest of the hadith is the same.

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِيَبِيعَ عَقَارَهُ . فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ .

Sa'd b. Hisham reported: I went to 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr prayer, and the rest of the hadith is the same as recorded in this event. She (Hadrat 'A'isha) said: Who is that Hisham? I said: Son of 'Amir. She said: What a fine man 'Amir was! He died as a martyr in the Battle of Uhud.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ انْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِقِصَّتِهِ وَقَالَ فِيهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قُلْتُ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ . قَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرٌ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ .

Zurara b. Aufa reported that Sa'd b. Hisham was his neighbour and he informed him that he had divorced his wife and he narrated the hadith like the one transmitted by Sa'd. She ('A'isha) said: Who is Hisham? He said: The son of 'Amir. She said: What a fine man he was;
he participated in the Battle of Uhud along with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Hakim b. Aflah said: If I ever knew that you do not go to 'A'isha, I would not have informed you about her hadith (So that you would have gone to her and heard it from her orally).

وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ هِشَامٍ، كَانَ جَارًا لَهُ فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ . وَاقْتَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ سَعِيدٍ وَفِيهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ . قَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ أُصِيبَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ . وَفِيهِ فَقَالَ حَكِيمُ بْنُ أَفْلَحَ أَمَا إِنِّي لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لاَ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا مَا أَنْبَأْتُكَ بِحَدِيثِهَا .

'A'isha reported that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ missed the night prayer due to pain or any other reason, he observed twelve rak'ahs during the daytime.

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ، قَالَ سَعِيدٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ إِذَا فَاتَتْهُ الصَّلاَةُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مِنْ وَجَعٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً .

'A'isha reported that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ decided upon doing any act, he continued to do it, and when he slept at night or fell sick he observed twelve rak'ahs during the daytime. I am not aware of Messenger of Allah ﷺ observing prayer during the whole of the night till morning, or observing fast for a whole month continuously except that of Ramadan.

وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ خَشْرَمٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ يُونُسَ - عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا عَمِلَ عَمَلاً أَثْبَتَهُ وَكَانَ إِذَا نَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ مَرِضَ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً . قَالَتْ وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى الصَّبَاحِ وَمَا صَامَ شَهْرًا مُتَتَابِعًا إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ .