Tahajjud & Night Prayer

Narrated Anas bin Malik

Once the Prophet (ﷺ) entered the Mosque and saw a rope hanging in between its two pillars. He said, "What is this rope?" The people said, "This rope is for Zainab who, when she feels tired, holds it (to keep standing for the prayer.)" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Don't use it. Remove the rope. You should pray as long as you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down."

After offering the two rak`at (Sunna) the Prophet (ﷺ) used to talk to me, if I happen to be awake; otherwise he would lie down.

My friend (the Prophet) advised me to do three things and I shall not leave them till I die, these are: To fast three days every month, to offer the Duha prayer, and to offer witr before sleeping.

I remember ten Rakat of Nawafil from the Prophet, two Rakat before the Zuhr prayer and two after it; two Rakat after Maghrib prayer in his house, and two Rakat after 'Isha' prayer in his house, and two Rakat before the Fajr prayer and at that time nobody would enter the house of the Prophet.

Hafsa told me that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer two Rakat after the call maker had made the Adhan and the day had dawned.

The Prophet (ﷺ) never missed four rak`at before the Zuhr prayer and two rak`at before the Fajr prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took a bath with one Sa` of water because of sexual intercourse and performed ablution with one Mudd.

Umm Habiba asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the blood (which flows beyond the period of menstruation). 'A'isha said: I saw her wash-tub full of blood. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Remain away (from prayer) equal (to the length of time) that your menses prevented you. After this (after the period of usual courses) bathe yourself and offer prayer.

I have been given superiority over the other prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies): spoils have been made lawful to me: the earth has been made for me clean and a place of worship; I have been sent to all mankind and the line of prophets is closed with me.

If anyone is afraid that he may not get up in the latter part of the night, he should observe Witr in the first part of it; and if anyone is eager to get up in the last part of it, he should observe Witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is preferable.

"Eid and Jumu'ah fell on the same day during the time of Ibn Az-Zubair, so he delayed going out until the sun had risen quite high. Then he went out and delivered a Khutbah, and he made the Khutbah lengthy. Then he came down and prayed, and he did not lead the people in praying jumu'ah that day. Mention of that was made to Ibn 'Abbas and he said: 'He has followed the sunnah.'"

His grandfather said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Maghrib in the masjid of Banu 'Abdul-Ashhal, and when he finished praying some people stood up and offered Nafl prayers. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'You should offer this prayer in your houses.'"

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed in the masjid one night, and some people followed his prayer. Then he prayed the following night and more people came. Then they gathered on the third or fourth night and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not come out to them. When morning came he said: "I saw what you did, and nothing prevented me from coming out to you but the fact that I feared that this would be made obligatory for you," and that was in Ramadan.

"Ibn Umar said to me that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr on a camel."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: When one you sleeps, the devil ties three knots at the back of his neck, sealing every knot with, "You have a long night, so sleep." So if one awakes and mentions Allah, a knot will be loosened; if he performs ablution another knot will be loosened; and if he prays, the third knot will be loosened; and in the morning he will be active and in good spirits; otherwise he will be in bad spirits and sluggish.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: May Allah have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays, and awakens his wife; if she refuses, he should sprinkle water on her face. May Allah have mercy on a woman who gets up at night and prays, and awakens her husband; if he refuses, she would sprinkle water on his face.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Any person who offers prayer at night regularly but (on a certain night) he is dominated by sleep will be given the reward of praying. His sleep will be almsgiving.

I used to live with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at night. I would bring water for his ablution and his need. He asked: Ask me. I said: Your company in Paradise. He said: Is there anything other than that ? I said: It is only that. He said: Help me for yourself by making prostrations Abundantly.

The Prophet (S) said: "Salat in the night is two by two. So when you fear the dawn (is near) then make it odd by one, and make that the last of your Salat odd."

Allah's Messenger (S) said: "The most virtuous fasting after the month of Ramadan is that of Allah's month of Al-Muharram. And the most virtuous Salat after the obligatory is the night prayer."

"I heard that the Messenger of Allah saying: "Whoever is interrogated during the reckoning, then he will ruined.' I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, said: "As for him who will be given his record in his right hand"¦" up to His saying: "¦an easy reckoning.' He said: "That is (only) the presentation.'"

‘Ammar (رضي الله عنه) asked for permission to enter upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: "The good one, the purified One, let him in.”

I remember us on the night of Badr, there was no one among us who was not sleeping, except the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who prayed facing a tree and offered supplication until morning came, and there was no horseman among us on the day of Badr except Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad.

O people, I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Nothing interrupts prayer except breaking wudoo’. "I will not be embarrassed about that which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was not embarrassed about. He said: "Breaking wudoo’ means breaking wind silently or loudly."

We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at a funeral, and he said: "Who will go to Madinah and not leave any grave without levelling it, or any image without smearing it, or any idol without breaking it?" A man stood up and said: I will. Then he felt afraid of the people of Madinah, so he sat down. "Ali (رضي الله عنه) said: So I went, then I came back and said: O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I did not leave any grave in Madinah but I levelled it, or any image but I smeared it, or any idol but I broke it. He said: "Whoever goes back to doing any of that has disbelieved in what Allah revealed to Muhammad. O Ali, do not be a cause of division - or he said: a show-off - or a merchant, except a good merchant, for they are the ones who procrastinate in doing good deeds.”

“The angels do not enter a house in which there is an image or a person who is junub or a dog."

I once entered the mosque in Damascus. I happened to catch sight of a young man who had bright teeth (i.e., he was always seen smiling). A number of people had gathered around him. When they differed over anything they would refer it to him and act upon his advice. I asked who he was and I was told that he was Mu'adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) The next day I hastened to the mosque, but found that he had arrived before me and was busy in performing Salat. I waited until he finished, and then went to him from the front, greeted him with Salam and said to him, "By Allah I love you." He asked, "For the sake of Allah?" I replied, "Yes, for the sake of Allah". He again asked me, "Is it for Allah's sake?" I replied, "Yes, it is for Allah's sake." Then he took hold of my cloak, drew me to himself and said, "Rejoice,! I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, 'Allah, the Exalted, says: My love is due to those who love one another for My sake, meet one another for My sake, visit one another for My sake and spend in charity for My sake".

[Malik].

Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ) appointed a man in charge of an army unit who led them in Salat (prayer); he always concluded his recitation with Surat Al-Ikhlas: "Say (O Muhammad (ﷺ)): 'He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (Allah - the Self-Sufficient). He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none equal or comparable to Him."' (112:1-4) Upon their return to Al-Madinah, they mentioned this to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), who said, "Ask him why he does so?" He was asked and he said, "This Surah contains the Attributes of Allah, the Gracious, and I love to recite it. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then told them, "Tell him that Allah loves him".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who performs the Fajr (dawn) prayer comes under the Protection of Allah, so beware lest Allah questions you about what you owe Him. For if He questions anyone of you and he falls short of fulfilling the duty which he owes Him, He will requite and then throw upon his face into the Hell- fire".

[Muslim].

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who professes La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah), and denies of everything which the people worship besides Allah, his property and blood become inviolable, and it is for Allah to call him to account".

[Muslim].