`Abdullah bin `Abbas said that he had passed a night in the house of Maimuna the mother of the faithful believers , who was his aunt. He said, "I slept across the bed, and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) along with his wife slept lengthwise. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) slept till midnight or slightly before or after it. Then Allah's Apostle woke up, sat, and removed the traces of sleep by rubbing his hands over his face. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surat-Al `Imran (2). Then he went towards a hanging leather watercontainer and performed a perfect ablution and then stood up for prayer." `Abdullah bin `Abbas added, "I got up and did the same as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had done and then went and stood by his side. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then put his right hand over my head and caught my right ear and twisted it. He offered two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at, then two rak`at and then offered one rak`a witr. Then he lay down till the Mu'adh-dhin came and then he prayed two light rak`at and went out and offered the early morning (Fajr) prayer."
Actions while Praying
Sahih al-Bukhari 1198
The Excellence of Night Prayer
This narration from Abdullah ibn Abbas demonstrates the Prophet's consistent practice of night prayer (Tahajjud), which holds immense merit in Islam. The Prophet's awakening at midnight shows the preferred time for this voluntary worship, when distractions are minimal and divine attention is most accessible.
Proper Preparation for Prayer
The Prophet's method of removing sleep by rubbing his face and reciting the last verses of Surah Al-Imran before ablution teaches us the spiritual and physical preparation required for prayer. This purification extends beyond mere physical cleanliness to include mental readiness and Quranic remembrance.
The Pattern of Night Prayer
The sequence of two rak'at prayers repeated six times followed by one witr rak'ah establishes the sunnah method for Tahajjud. This pattern allows for breaks between sets while maintaining the recommended odd number of rak'at for the night prayer's conclusion.
Gentle Correction in Prayer
The Prophet's action of twisting Ibn Abbas's ear while he stood beside him demonstrates the permissibility of gentle physical correction during prayer when necessary. This shows the balance between maintaining prayer decorum and showing compassion to learners.
The Two Light Rak'at Before Fajr
The Prophet's practice of praying two brief rak'at after the call to Fajr prayer establishes the sunnah of two rak'at before the obligatory dawn prayer. These are distinct from the Tahajjud prayer and should be performed lightly and quickly.