Book 20: The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day
كتاب قيام الليل وتطوع النهار
Hadith 1658
Sahih — Darussalam
Sitting while performing voluntary prayers, and mentioning the differences reported from Abu Ishaq regarding that
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."
The superiority of prayer standing up over prayer sitting down
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.'"
The superiority of prayer sitting down over prayer lying down
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 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.'"
The Superiority of reciting silently over reciting loudly
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.'"
Making the standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting between the two prostrations, equal in length when praying Qiyam al-Layl
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.'"
Making the standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting between the two prostrations, equal in length when praying Qiyam al-Layl
It was narrated from Hudhaifah that:
He prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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.'"
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ حَبِيبٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَوَاحِدَةٌ
Hadith 1668
Sahih — Darussalam
How to pray at night
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."
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ صَدَقَةَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ عَنِ الزُّبَيْدِيِّ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ
Hadith 1669
Sahih — Darussalam
How to pray at night
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.'"
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَبِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يُسْأَلُ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِرَكْعَةٍ
Hadith 1670
Sahih — Darussalam
How to pray at night
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."
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ
Hadith 1672
Sahih — Darussalam
How to pray at night
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."
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عَمِّهِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ
Hadith 1674
Sahih — Darussalam
How to pray at night
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)."
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِي نُعَيْمٍ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رضى الله عنه قَالَ الْوِتْرُ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ كَهَيْئَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ سَنَّهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
Hadith 1677
Sahih — Darussalam
Encouragement to pray witr before sleeping
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.'"