Category: Q n A

I met Kuraib and he reported Ibn `Abbas as saying: I was with my mother’s sister Maimuna and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came there, and then he narrated the rest of the hadith as was narrated by Ghundar and said these words: “Make me light,” beyond any doubt.

I spent a night in the house of my mother’s sister, Maimuna, and then narrated (the rest of the) hadith, but he made no mention of the washing of his face and two hands but he only said: He then came to the water-skin and loosened its straps and performed ablution between the two extremes, and then came to his bed and slept. He then got up for the second time and came to the water-skin and loosened its straps and then performed ablution which was in fact an ablution (it was performed well), and implored (the Lord) thus: “Give me abundant light,” and he made no mention of: “Make me light.”

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood near the water-skin and poured water out of it and performed ablution in which he neither used excess of water nor too little of it, and the rest of the hadith is the same, and in this mention is also made (of the fact) that on that night the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made supplication before Allah in nineteen words. Kuraib reported: I remember twelve words out of these, but have forgotten the rest. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Place light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light in my sight, light above me, light below me, light on my right, light on my left, light in front of me, light behind me, place light in my soul, and make light abundant for me.”

I slept one night in the house of Maimuna when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was there, with a view to seeing the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at night. The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) entered into conversation with his wife for a short while, and then went to sleep, and the rest of the hadith is the same and in it mention is made of: “He then got up, performed ablution and brushed his teeth.”

I spent the night in the house of my mother’s sister, Maimuna, and observed how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed (at night). He got up and relieved himself. He then washed his face and hands and then went to sleep. He again got up and went near the water-skin and loosened its straps and then poured some water in a bowl and inclined it with his hands (towards himself). He then performed a good ablution between the two extremes and then stood up to pray. I also came and stood by his left side. He took hold of me and made me stand on his right side. It was in thirteen rak`ahs that the (night) prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was completed. He then slept till he began to snore, and we knew that he had gone to sleep by his snoring. He then went out (for the dawn prayer), and said while praying or prostrating himself: “O Allah! place light in my heart, light in my hearing, light in my sight, light on my right, light on my left, light in front of me, light behind me, light above me, light below me, make light for me,” or he said: “Make me light.”

I also stood up and did the same, as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had done, and then went to him and stood by his side. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) placed his right hand upon my head and took hold of my right ear and twisted it, and then observed a pair of rak`ahs, again a pair of rak`ahs, again a pair of rak`ahs, again a pair of rak`ahs, again a pair of rak`ahs, again a pair of rak`ahs, and then observed Witr and then lay down till the Mu’adhdhin came to him. He (the Holy Prophet) then stood up and observed two short rak`ahs, and then went out (to the mosque) and observed the dawn prayer.

“He then went to the water-skin and brushed his teeth and performed ablution well. He did not pour water but a little. He then awakened me and I stood up,” and the rest of the hadith is the same.

I slept (one night) in the house of Maimuna, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was with her that night. He (after sleeping for half of the night got up and) then performed ablution and then stood up and observed prayer. I too stood on his left side. He took hold of me and made me stand on his right side. He (the Holy Prophet) observed thirteen rak`ahs on that night. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then slept and snored and it was a habit with him to snore while sleeping. The Mu’adhdhin then came to him (to inform him about the prayer). He then went out and observed prayer without performing ablution. (`Amr said: Bukair b. Ashajj had narrated it to me )

I spent one night in the house of my mother’s sister Maimuna, daughter of Al-Harith, and said to her: Awake me when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stands to pray (at night). (She woke me up when) the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up for prayer. I stood on his left side. He took hold of my hand and made me stand on his right side, and whenever I dozed off he took hold of my earlobe (and made me alert). He (the narrator) said: He (the Holy Prophet) observed eleven rak`ahs. He then sat with his legs drawn and wrapped in his garment and slept so that I could hear his breathing while asleep. And when the dawn appeared, he observed two short rak`ahs of (Sunnah) prayer.

It was short and performed with a little water.) I also got up and did the same as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had done. I then came (to him) and stood on his left. He then made me go around to his right side. He then observed prayer and went to sleep till he began to snore. Bilal came to him and informed him about the prayer. He (the Holy Prophet) then went out and observed the dawn prayer without performing ablution. Sufyan said: It was a special (prerogative of the) Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) for it has been conveyed to us that the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sleep, but his heart does not sleep.