Category: Abi Dawud

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: Zurarah ibn Awfa said that Aisha was asked about the midnight prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: He used to offer his night prayer in congregation and then return to his family (in his house) and pray four rak’ahs. Then he would go to his bed and sleep, but the water for his ablution was placed covered near his head and his tooth-stick was also kept there until Allah awakened him at night. He then used the tooth-stick, performed ablution perfectly then came to the place of prayer and would pray eight rak’ahs, in which he would recite Surah al-Fatihah, and a surah from the Qur’an as Allah willed. He would not sit during any of them but sit after the eighth rak’ah, and would not utter the salutation, but recite (the Qur’an) during the ninth rak’ah. Then he would sit and supplicate as long as Allah willed, and beg Him and devote his attention to Him; He would utter the salutation once in such a loud voice that the inmates of the house were almost awakened by his loud salutation. He would then recite Surah al-Fatihah while sitting, bow while sitting, and then recite the Qur’an during the second rak’ah, and would bow and prostrate while sitting. He would supplicate Allah as long as He willed, then utter the salutation and turn away. This amount of prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continued till he put a weight. During that period he retrenched two rak’ahs from nine and began to pray six and seven rak’ahs standing and two rak’ahs sitting. This continued till he died.

The above-mentioned tradition has also been narrated by Banu al-Hakim through a different chain of narrators. This version adds: He (the Prophet) would offer the night prayer and go to his bed. In this version there is no mention of praying four rak’ahs. The narrator then transmitted the rest of the tradition. This version further says: He would pray eight rak’ahs during which his recitation of the Qur’an, bowing and prostration were all equal. He would sit only after the eight rak’ah, and then stand up without uttering the salutation, and pray one rak’ah observing witr prayer and then give the salutation raising his voice so much so that we were about to awake. The narrator then transmitted the tradition to the same effect.

Zurarah b. Awfa said that ‘Aishah was asked about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: He used to lead the people in the ‘Isha prayer and return to his family and pray four rak’ahs and go to his bed. The narrator then transmitted the tradition in full. This version does not mention the words: “During them (the rak’ahs) he equated all the recitation of the Qur’an, bowing and recitation.” This also does not mention the words about the salutation: “Till he almost awakened us.”

This tradition has also been transmitted by ‘Aishah through a different chain of narrators. But the tradition narrated by Hammad b. Salamah is not equal to the tradition narrated by others.

Narrated ‘Aishah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak’ahs during the night, observing the witr prayer with nine (or as she said). He used to pray two rak’ahs while sitting and pray two rak’ahs of the dawn prayer between the adhan and the iqamah.

Narrated ‘Aishah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe the witr prayer with nine rak’ahs. Then he used to pray seven rak’ahs (of witr prayer). He would pray two rak’ahs sitting after the witr in which he would recite the Qur’an (sitting). When he wished to bow, he stood up and bowed and prostrated. Abu Dawud said: These two traditions have been transmitted by Khalid b. ‘Abd Allah al-Wasiti. In his version he said: ‘Alqamah b. Waqqas said: O mother, how did he pray the two rak’ahs ? He narrated the rest of the tradition to the same effect.

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: Sa’d ibn Hisham said: I came to Medina and called upon Aisha, and said to her: Tell me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to lead the people in the night prayer, and then go to his bed and sleep. When midnight came he got up, went to answer the call of nature and to perform ablution with water. Having performed ablution, he entered the mosque and prayed eight rak’ahs. To my mind he performed the recitation of the Qur’an, bowing and prostrating equally. He then observed witr with one rak’ah and prayed two rak’ahs sitting. Then he lay down on the ground. Sometimes Bilal came to him and called him for prayer. He then dozed, and sometimes I doubted whether he dozed or not, till he (Bilal) called him for prayer. This is the prayer he offered till he grew old or put on weight. She then mentioned how he put on weight as Allah wished.

‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas said that he slept with the Prophet (ﷺ). He saw that he (the Prophet) awoke, used tooth-stick, performed ablution, and recited: “In the creation of the heavens and earth” [3:190] to the end of the surah. Then he stood up and prayed two rak’ahs in which he prolonged the standing, bowing, and prostrations. He then uttered turned away and slept till he bagan to snore. This he did three times. This made six rak’ahs in all. He would use tooth-stick, then perform ablution, and recite those verses. He then observed the witr prayer. The version of ‘Uthman has: with three rak’ahs. The mu’adhdhin then came to him and he went out for prayer. The version of Ibn ‘Isa adds: He then observed witr prayer ; then Bilal came to him and called him for prayer when the dawn broke. He then prayed the two rak’ahs of the dawn prayer. He then went out for prayer. Then both the narrators were agreed: He beagan to supplicate saying: O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light in my eyesight, light on my right hand, light on my left hand, light in front of me, light behing me, light below me, O Allah, give me abundant light.

The above tradition has also been transmitted by Husain through a different chain of narrators in like manner. This version has the words: “And give me abundant light.” Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Abu Khalid al-Dalani from Habib and Salamah b. Kuhail from Abu Rishdin from Ibn ‘Abbas in a similar manner.

Narrated Fadl b. ‘Abbas: I spent a night with the Prophet (ﷺ) to see how he prayed. He got up, performed ablution and prayed two rak’ahs. His standing was like his bowing (i.e. equal in duration), and his bowing was like his prostration (equal in length). Then he slept. Afterwards he awoke, performed ablution, and used tooth-stick. He then recited five verses from Surah Al-‘Imran : “In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day”. He went on doing so till he prayed ten rak’ahs. He then stood up and prayed one rak’ah observing witr with it. In the meantime the mu’adhdhin called to prayer. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up after the mu’adhdhin had kept silent. He prayed two light rak’ahs and remained sitting till he offered the dawn prayer. Abu Dawud said: A part of the tradition transmitted by Ibn Bashshar remained hidden from me.