In Surat al-Muzzammil (73), the verse: "Keep vigil at night but a little, a half thereof" (2-3) has been abrogated by the following verse: "He knoweth that ye count it not, and turneth unto you in mercy. Recite then of the Qur'an that which is easy for you" (v.20). The phrase "the vigil of the night" (nashi'at al-layl) means the early hours of the night. They (the companions) would pray (the tahajjud prayer) in the early hours of the night.

He (Ibn Abbas) says: It is advisable to offer the prayer at night (tahajjud), prescribed by Allah for you (in the early hours of the night). This is because when a person sleeps, he does not know when he will awake. The words "speech more certain" (aqwamu qilan) means that this time is more suitable for the understanding of the Qur'an. He says: The verse: "Lo, thou hast by day a chain of business" (v.7) means engagement for long periods (in the day's work).

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If a man awakens his wife at night, and then both pray or both offer two rak'ahs together, the (name of the )man will be recorded among those who mention the name of Allah, and the (name of the) woman will be recorded among those who mention the name of Allah. Ibn Kathir did not narrate this tradition as a statement of the Prophet (ﷺ), but he reported it as a statement of Abu Sa'id.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Ibn Mahdi from Sufyan and I think he mentioned the name of Sufyan. He also said: The tradition transmitted by Sufyan is a statement of the Companion (and not that of the Prophet).

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 (ﷺ) recitation at night was partly in a loud voice and partly in a low voice.

Abu Dawud said: The name of Abu Khalid al-Walibi is Hurmuz.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray eleven rak'ahs (at night, observing the witr with one rak'ahs). When he finished it (the prayer), he would lie down on his right side.

He (the Prophet( used to pray eight rak'ahs during which he did not sit except the eight rak'ahs. He would sit, make mention of Allah, supplicate Him and then utter the salutation so loudly that we could hear it. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after he had uttered the salutation. Then he would pray one rak'ah, and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) grew old and became fleshy, he offered seven rak'ahs of witr, and then he would pray two rak'ahs sitting after he had uttered the salutation. The narrator narrated the tradition to the same effect till the end.

This tradition from the Prophet (ﷺ) without mentioning the name of the Companion in the chain (in the mursal form).

Abu dawud said: I heard Muhammad b. Humaid say: I heard Ya'qub say: Anything I narrated to you from Ja'far on the authority of Sa'id b. Jubair from the Prophet (ﷺ) is directly coming from Ibn Abbas from the Prophet (ﷺ).

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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: He who misses him daily round of recital or part of it due to sleep and he recites it between the dawn and the noon prayers, will be reckoned as if he recited it at night.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Our Lord who is blessed and exalted descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last one-third of the night remains, and says: Who supplicated Me so that I may answer him ? Who asks of Me so that I may give to him ? Who asks My forgiveness so that I may forgive him ?

I asked 'Aishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and I said to her: At what time he prayed at night ? She said: When he heard the cock crow, he got up and prayed.

When he was with me he would sleep at dawn. By this she referred to the Prophet (ﷺ).

(This verse means) the prayer and vigil at night.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked: which is the best action? He replied: To stand in prayer for a long time.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) recitation was loud enough for one who was in the inner chamber to hear it when he was in the house.

Abu Dawud said: Ibn Numair reported it from Hisham recently.

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.

"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.

Al-Aswad ibn Yazid said that he entered upon Aisha and asked her about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the night. She said: He used to pray thirteen rak'ahs during the night. Then he began to pray eleven rak'ahs and left two rak'ahs. When he died, he would pray nine rak'ahs during the night. His last prayer during the night was witr.

I shall watch the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at night. I slept at the threshold of his door or of his tent. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed two light rak'ahs, and then prayed two long, long, long rak'ahs. He then prayed two rak'ahs that were not so long as the two rak'ahs before them ; he then prayed two rak'ahs that were less in duration, than the rak'ahs before them; again he prayed two rak'ahs that were less in length then the preceding rak'ahs; he then prayed two rak'ahs that were less in length than the previous rak'ahs. This made altogether thirteen rak'ahs.