Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

It was narrated that ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Abdin Al-Qari said:“I heard ‘Umar bin Khattab say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever sleeps and misses his daily portion of Qur’an, or any part of it, let him read it between the Fajr prayer and the Zuhr prayer, and it will be recorded as if he had read it during the night.”

It was narrated that Abu Darda’ conveyed that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:“Whoever goes to bed intending to wake up and pray during the night, but is overwhelmed by sleep until morning comes, what he intended will be recorded for him, and his sleep is a charity given to him by his Lord.”

It was narrated from ‘Uthman bin ‘Abdullah bin Aws that his grandfather Aws bin Hudhaifah said:“We came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the delegation of Thaqif. The allies of Quraish stayed at the house of Mughirah bin Shu’bah, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) camped Bani Malik in a tent belonging to him. He used to come to us every night after the ‘Isha’ and speak to us standing on his two feet, until he started to shift his weight from one foot to the other. Most of what he told us was what he had suffered from his people, the Quraish. He said: ‘(The two sides) were not equal. We were weak and oppressed and humiliated, and when we went out to Al-Madinah, the outcome of the battles between us varied; sometimes we would defeat them and sometimes they would defeat us.’ One night he was later than he usually was, and I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you have come to us late tonight.’ He said: ‘It occurred to me that I had not read my daily portion of Qur’an and I did not want to come out until I had completed it.’” Aws said: “I asked the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): ‘How did you used to divide up the Qur’an?’ They said: ‘A third, a fifth, a seventh, a ninth, an eleventh, a thirteenth, and Hizbul-Mufassal.’”

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said:“I memorized the Qur’an and recited it all in one night. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘I am afraid that you may live a long life and that you may get bored. Recite it over the period of a month.’ I said: ‘Let me benefit from my strength in my youth.’ He said: ‘Recite it in ten days.’ I said: ‘Let me benefit from my strength and my youth.’ He said: ‘Recite it in seven days.’ I said: ‘Let me benefit from my strength and my youth,’ but he refused (to alter it any further).”

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“No one properly understands who reads the Qur’an in less than three days.”

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:“I did not know of the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) reciting the entire Qur’an until morning.”

It was narrated that Umm Hani’ bint Abi Talib said:“I used to hear the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting at night when I was on the roof of my house.”

It was narrated that Jasrah bint Dijajah said:“I heard Abu Dharr say: ‘The Prophet (ﷺ) stood reciting a Verse and repeating it until morning came. That Verse was: “If you punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All- Mighty, the All-Wise.’”” [5:]

It was narrated from Hudhaifah that the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed, and when he recited a Verse which mentioned mercy, he would ask for mercy; when he recited a Verse that mentioned punishment he would pray for deliverance from it; and when he recited a Verse that mentioned the Tanzih of Allah, he would glorify Him

It was narrated that Abu Laila said:“I prayed beside the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was praying voluntary prayers at night. He recited a Verse which mentioned punishment and said: ‘I seek refuge with Allah from the Fire, woe to the people of the Fire.’”

It was narrated that Qatadah said; “I asked Anas bin Malik about the recitation of the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said:‘He used to elongate his voice.’”

It was narrated that Ghudaif bin Harith said:“I came to ‘Aishah and asked: ‘Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recite Qur’an loudly or softly?’ She said: ‘Sometimes he would recite loud and sometimes softly.’ I said, ‘Allahu Akbar! Praise is to Allah Who has made this matter one of broad scope.’”

It was narrated that Ibn `Abbas said:“When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Tahajjud at night, he would say: “Allahumma lakal-hamd, Anta nurus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Wa lakal-hamd, Anta qayyamus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Wa lakal-hamd, Anta malikus- samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Wa lakal-hamd, Antal-haqq, wa wa`duka haqq, wa liqa’uka haqq, wa qawluka haqq, wal-jannatu haqq, wan-naru haqq, was-sa`atu haqq, wan-nabiyyuna haqq, wa Muhammadun haqq. Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bika amantu, wa `alaika tawakkaltu wa ilaika anabtu, wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu, faghfirli ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu, wa ma asrartu wa ma a`lantu. Antal-muqaddimu wa Antal-muakhkhiru. La ilaha illa anta wa la ilaha ghairuka, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa bika (O Allah, to you is praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the earth, and everyone therein. To You is praise, You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth, and everyone therein. To You is praise, You are the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth, and everyone therein. To You is praise, You are the Truth; Your promise is true, the meeting with You is true, Your saying is true, Paradise is true, the Fire is true, the Hour is true, the Prophets are true, and Muhammad (ﷺ) is true. O Allah, to You have I submitted, in You I believe, in You have I put my trust, to You I turn in repentance, by Your help I argue, to You I refer my case, so forgive me for my past and future sins, what I have done in secret and what I have done openly. You are the One Who brings forward and puts back. None has the right to be worshipped but You, and there is none who has the right to be worshipped other than You. And there is no power and no strength except with You.” Another chain that Ibn `Abbas narrated: “When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood during the night for Tahajjud,” and he mentioned something similar

It was narrated that ‘Asim bin Humaid said:“I asked ‘Aishah: ‘With what did the Prophet (ﷺ) start voluntary prayers?’ She said: ‘You have asked me about something which no one has asked before. He used to say Allahu Akbar ten times, and Al-Hamdu Lillah ten times and Subhan Allah ten times, and he would say Allahumma aghfirli wahdini, warzuqni, wa ‘afini (O Allah, forgive me, guide me, grant me provision and give me good health),” and he would seek refuge from the difficulty of the standing on the Day of Resurrection.”

It was narrated that Abu Salamah bin `Abdur-Rahman said:“I asked `Aishah: ‘With what did the Prophet (ﷺ) start his voluntary prayers?’ She said: ‘He would say: “Allahumma Rabba Jibra’il wa Mika’il wa Israfil, Fatiras-samawati wal-ard, `alimal-ghaybi wash- shahadah, Anta tahkumu baina `ibadika fima kanu fihi yakhtalifun, ihdini lima-khtulifa fihi minal-haqqi bi idhnika, innaka latahdi ila siratin mustaqim (O Allah, Lord of Jibra’il, Mika’il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your slaves concerning that wherein they differ. Guide me to the disputed matters of truth by Your Leave, for You are the One Who guides to the straight Path).” (One of the narrators) `Abdur-Rahman bin `Umar said: “Bear in mind the word Jibra’il with a Hamzah - this is how it was narrated from the Prophet (ﷺ).”

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said, and this is the Hadith of Abu Bakr. “During the period after he finished the ‘Isha’ prayer until the Fajr, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray eleven Rak’ah, saying the Salam after each two Rak’ah and praying Witr with one Rak’ah. He would prostrate for as long as it takes anyone of you to recite fifty Verses before he would raise his head. When the Mu’adh-dhin fell silent after the first Adhan for the Subh prayer, he would get up and pray two brief Rak’ah.”

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:“The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen Rak’ah at night.”

It was narrated from ‘Aishah that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray nine Rak’ah at night

It was narrated that ‘Amir Ash-Sha’bi said:“I asked ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas and ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar about the Prophet’s prayer at night. They said: ‘(He prayed) thirteen Rak’ah, including eight, and three for Witr, and two Rak’ah after the Fajr.’”

It was narrated that Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani said:“I said, I must observe how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prays tonight. So I lay down at his door. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up and prayed two brief Rak’ah, then two long ones, which were very, very long, then two Rak’ah which were shorter than the ones preceding them, then two Rak’ah which were shorter than the ones preceding them, then two Rak’ah which were shorter than the ones preceding them, then two Rak’ah, then Witr. That was thirteen Rak’ah.”