Excellence of Standing in Prayer at Night

'Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ visited me and Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) one night and said, "Do you not observe prayer (at night)?"

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن علي رضي الله عنه، أن النبي ﷺ، طرقه وفاطمة ليلا، فقال: "ألا تصليان؟" ((متفق عليه)). (20)

Salim bin 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) reported, on the authority of his father, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "What an excellent man 'Abdullah is! If only he could perform optional prayers at night." Salim said that after this, (his father) 'Abdullah slept very little at night.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن سالم بن عبد الله بن عمر بن الخطاب، رضي الله عنهم، عن أبيه: أن رسول الله ﷺ ، قال: "نعم الرجل عبد الله لو كان يصلي من الليل" قال سالم: فكان عبد الله بعد ذلك لا ينام إلا قليلا. ((متفق عليه))

'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, "Do not be like so-and-so O 'Abdullah! He used to pray during the night, then stopped the practice."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص، رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "يا عبد الله لا تكن مثل فلان: كان يقوم الليل فترك قيام الليل" ((متفق عليه)) .

'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Mention was made before the Prophet ﷺ of a man who slept throughout the night till morning. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked, "He is a man in whose ears Satan urinated."

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].n

وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه ، قال: ذكر عند النبي، ﷺ رجل نام ليلة حتى أصبح! قال: "ذاك رجل بال الشيطان في أذنيه- أو قال: في أذنه-" ((متفق عليه)) .

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When any one of you sleeps, Satan ties three knots at the back of his neck. He recites this incantation at every knot: 'You have a long night, so sleep.' If he awakes and remembers Allah, one knot is loosened. If he performs Wudu', the (second) knot is loosened; and if he performs prayer, (all) knots are loosened. He begins his morning in a happy and refreshed mood; otherwise, he gets up in bad spirits and sluggish state."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، أن رسول الله ﷺ ، قال: "يعقد الشيطان على قافية، رأس أحدكم، إذا هو نام، ثلاث عقد، يضرب على كل عقدة: عليك ليل طويل فارقد، فإن استيقظ أحدكم، فذكر الله تعالى انحلت عقدة، فإن توضأ انحلت عقدة، فإن صلى انحلت عقدة، فأصبح نشيطًا طيب النفس، وإلا أصبح خبيث النفس كسلان" ((متفق عليه)) .

'Abdullah bin Salam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "O people, promote the greetings, feed (the poor and needy) and perform Salat when others are asleep so that you will enter Jannah safely."

[At-Tirmidhi].

وعن عبد الله بن سلام، رضي الله عنه ، أن النبي، ﷺ ،قال: "أيها الناس أفشوا السلام، وأطعموا الطعام، وصلوا بالليل والناس نيام، تدخلوا الجنة بسلام" ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The best month for observing Saum (fasting) after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best Salat after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night."

[Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة، رضي الله عنه، قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "أفضل الصيام بعد رمضان شهر الله المحرم، وأفضل الصلاة بعد الفريضة صلاة الليل". ((رواه مسلم)).

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Salat during the night should consist of pairs of but if you fear that morning is near, then pray one Rak'ah as Witr."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، أن النبي ﷺ ، قال: "صلاة الليل مثنى مثنى، فإذا خفت الصبح فأوتر بواحدة". ((متفق عليه)) .

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ performed the night prayer in pairs (i.e., Rak'ah) and made it odd number by observing one Rak'ah (as Witr).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعنه قال: كان النبي ﷺ ، يصلي من الليل مثنى مثنى، ويوتر بركعة. ((متفق عليه)) .

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to leave off observing Saum (fasting) during a month until we thought that he would not observe Saum at all during it; and (sometimes) he would observe Saum till we began to think that he would not omit any day of that month. If one wished to see him performing Salat during the night, he could do that; and if one wished to see him sleeping at night, he could do that.

[Al-Bukhari].

وعن أنس رضي الله عنه، قال: كان رسول الله ﷺ ، يفطر من الشهر حتى نظن أن لا يصوم منه، ويصوم حتى نظن أن لا يفطر منه شيئًا، وكان لا تشاء أن تراه من الليل مصليا إلا رأيته، ولا نائمًا إلا رأيته. ((رواه البخاري)).

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform eleven Rak'ah (of Tahajjud) prayers at night. He ﷺ would prostrate so long as one of you might recite fifty Ayat (of the Qur'an). Thereafter, he would perform two Rak'ah before Fajr prayers and would lie down on his right side till the Mu'adhdhin would come and inform him about the time of (Fajr) prayer.

[Al-Bukhari].

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها، أن رسول الله ﷺ، كان يصلي إحدى عشرة ركعة- تعني في الليل- يسجد السجدة من ذلك قدر ما يقرأ أحدكم خمسين آية قبل أن يرفع رأسه، ويركع ركعتين قبل صلاة الفجر، ثم يضطجع على شقه الأيمن حتى يأتيه المنادي للصلاة، ((رواه البخاري)).

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not observe more than eleven Rak'ah (of Tahajjud prayers), be in Ramadan or any other month. First of all he would perform four Rak'ah. Ask not about their excellence and their length. He ﷺ would then perform four more Rak'ah; and do not ask about their excellence and their length. Then he would perform three Rak'ah (Witr prayer). ('Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) added) I submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! Do you sleep before performing the Witr prayer?" He ﷺ said, "O 'Aishah! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعنها قالت: ما كان رسول الله ﷺ ، يزيد- في رمضان ولا في غيره- على إحدي عشرة ركعة: يصلي أربعًا فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن! ثم يصلي أربعًا فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن! ثم يصلي ثلاثًا. فقلت: يا رسول الله أتنام قبل أن توتر!؟ فقال: "يا عائشة إن عيني تنامان ولا ينام قلبي". ((متفق عليه)) .

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ would sleep during the early part of night and stand in Salat during the latter part.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعنها أن النبي ﷺ، كان ينام أول الليل، ويقوم آخره فيصلي. ((متفق عليه)) .

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
One night I joined the Prophet ﷺ in his (optional) Salat. He ﷺ prolonged the Qiyam (standing) so much that I made up my mind to commit an act of wrong. He was questioned: "What did you intend to do?" He replied: "I intended to sit down and stop following him (in Salat)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه، قال: صليت مع النبي ﷺ ، ليلة، فلم يزل قائمًا حتى هممت بأمر سوء. قيل: ما هممت؟ قال: هممت أن أجلس وأدعه. ((متفق عليه)) .

Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I performed Salat with the Prophet ﷺ one night, and he started reciting Surat Al- Baqarah. I thought that he would go in Ruku' (bowing posture in Salat) at the end of one hundred Ayat, but he continued (reciting), and I thought that he would perhaps recite (this Surah) in the whole Rak'ah (prayer), but he continued the recitation; I thought he would perhaps bow on completing (this Surah). He ﷺ then started reciting Surat An-Nisa' which he followed with Surat Al-Imran. He recited leisurely. When he recited an Ayah which mentioned the tasbeeh, he would say Subhan Allah and when he recited the Ayah which tells how the Rubb is to be asked, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would then ask from Him; and when he ﷺ recited an Ayah asking one to seek Protection Allah, he would seek Protection of Allah. Then he bowed and said, "Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim (My Rubb the Great is free from imperfection)"; his bowing lasted about the same length of time as his standing, (and then on returning to the standing posture after Ruku') he would say, "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana lakal-hamd (Allah listens to him who praises Him. Praise be to You, Our Rubb!)," and he would then stand about the same length of time as he had spent in bowing. He would then prostrate himself and say, "Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la (My Rubb the Supreme is free from imperfection)," and his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing (Qiyam).

[Muslim].

وعن حذيفة رضي الله عنه، قال: صليت مع النبي ﷺ ، ذات ليلة فافتتح البقرة، فقلت: يركع عند المائة، ثم مضى، فقلت: يصلي بها في ركعة، فمضي، فقلت: يركع بها، ثم افتتح النساء فقرأها، ثم افتتح آل عمران، فقرأها، يقرأ مترسلا. إذا مر بآية فيها تسبيح سبح، وإذا بسؤال سأل، وإذا مر بتعوذ تعوذ، ثم ركع، فجعل يقول: سبحان ربي العظيم، فكان ركوعه نحوًا من قيامه، ثم قال: سمع الله لمن حمده، ربنا لك الحمد، ثم قام طويلا قريبًا مما ركع، ثم سجد فقال: سبحان ربي الأعلى، فكان سجوده قريبًا من قيامه. ((رواه مسلم)).

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked: "Which Salat is the best?" He replied, " The best Salat is that in which Qiyam (the duration of standing) is longer."

[Muslim].

وعن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: سئل رسول الله ﷺ : أي الصلاة أفضل؟ قال: "طول القنوت" ((رواه مسلم)).

'Abdullah bin 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The Salat which is dearest to Allah is that of (Prophet) Dawud; and As-Saum (the fasting) which is dearest to Allah is that of (Prophet) Dawud. He used to sleep half the night, get up to perform Salat for one-third of it, then sleep through the remaining one-sixth of it; and he used to observe Saum on alternative days."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص، رضي الله عنهما، أن رسول الله ﷺ ، قال: "أحب الصلاة إلى الله صلاة داود، وأحب الصيام إلى الله صيام داود، كان ينام نصف الليل ويقوم ثلثه وينام سدسه ويصوم يومًا ويفطر يومًا". ((متفق عليه)) .

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "Every night there is a special time during which whatever a Muslim asks Allah of any good relating to this life or the Hereafter, it will be granted to him; and this moment comes every night."

[Muslim].

وعن جابر رضي اللله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ ، يقول: "إن في الليل لساعة، لا يوافقها رجل مسلم يسأل الله تعالى خيرًا من أمر الدنيا والآخرة، إلا أعطاه إياه، وذلك كل ليلة" ((رواه مسلم)).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "When one of you gets up at night to perform (Tahajjud) prayer, let him start Salat with two short Rak'ah."

[Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، أن النبي ﷺ، قال: "إذا قام أحدكم من الليل فليفتتح الصلاة بركعتين خفيفتين" ((رواه مسلم)).

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood for Salat at night, he would start his prayer with two brief Rak'ah.

[Muslim].

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت كان رسول الله ﷺ إذا قام من الليل افتتح صلاته بركعتين خفيفتين ((رواه مسلم)).

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
If the Messenger of Allah ﷺ missed his night (Tahajjud) Salat because of indisposition or the like, he would perform twelve Rak'ah during the day.

[Muslim].

وعنها رضي الله عنها، قالت: كان رسول الله ﷺ ، إذا فاتته الصلاة من الليل من وجع أو غيره، صلى من النهار ثنتي عشر ركعة. ((رواه مسلم)).

'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "If anyone falls asleep and therefore fails to observe his Hizb (share) or part of it, if he observes it between the Fajr and the Zuhr prayers, it will be recorded for him as though he had observed it during the night."

[Muslim].

وعن عمر بن الخطاب، رضي الله عنه، قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "من نام عن حزبه، أو عن شيء منه، فقرأه فيما بين صلاة الفجر وصلاة الظهر، كتب له كأنما قرأه من الليل" ((رواه مسلم)).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "May Allah show mercy to a man who gets up during the night and performs Salat, awakens his wife to pray and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face (to make her get up). May Allah show mercy to a woman who gets up during the night and performs Salat, awakens her husband for the same purpose; and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face."

[Abu Dawud].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، قال رسول الله ﷺ : "رحم الله رجلا قام من الليل، فصلى وأيقظ امرأته، فإن أبت نضح في وجهها الماء، ورحم الله امرأة قامت من الليل فصلت، وأيقظت زوجها فإن أبي نضحت في وجهه الماء" ((رواه أبو داود بإسناد صحيح)).

Abu Sa'id and Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When a man awakens his wife during the night and they both perform two Rak'ah Salat together, they are recorded among the men and women who celebrate remembrance of Allah."

[Abu Dawud].

وعنه وعن أبي سعيد رضي الله عنهما، قالا: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "إذا أيقظ الرجل أهله من الليل فصليا أو صلى ركعتين جميعًا كتب في الذاكرين والذاكرات" ((رواه أبو داود بإسناد صحيح)).

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "When one of you dozes off while performing Salat, he should lie down till his drowsiness has gone away from him. When one of you performs Salat while dozing, he may abuse himself instead of seeking pardon (as a result of drowsiness)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها، أن النبي ﷺ قال: " إذا نعس أحدكم في الصلاة، فليرقد حتى يذهب عنه النوم، فإن أحدكم إذا صلى وهو ناعس، لعله يذهب يستغفر فيسب نفسه" ((متفق عليه)).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When anyone of you stands up for Salat at night and finds it difficult to recite the Qur'an accurately and he is unaware of what he is reciting, he should go back to sleep."

[Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "إذا قام أحدكم، من الليل فاستعجم القرآن على لسانه، فلم يدرِ ما يقول، فليضطجع" ((رواه مسلم)).