Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ahmad ibn Amr ibn al-Sarh al-Misri narrated to us; Abdullah ibn Wahb narrated to us; Yunus ibn Yazid informed us, from Ibn Shihab, that al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid and Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah informed him, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd al-Qari, who said: I heard Umar ibn al-Khattab say that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Whoever sleeps through his portion [of Qur’an], or some of it, and then recites it between the dawn prayer and the noon prayer, it will be recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Harun ibn Abdullah al-Hammal narrated to us; al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Ju‘fi narrated to us, from Za’idah, from Sulayman al-A‘mash, from Habib ibn Abi Thabit, from Abdah ibn Abi Lubabah, from Suwayd ibn Ghafalah, from Abu al-Darda’, who traced it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: ‘Whoever goes to his bed intending to rise and pray during the night, but sleep overcomes him until morning, will have recorded for him what he intended, and his sleep will be charity from his Lord to him.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Abu Khalid al-Ahmar narrated to us, from Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Ya‘la al-Ta’ifi, from Uthman ibn Abdullah ibn Aws, from his grandfather Aws ibn Hudhayfah, who said: We came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with the delegation of Thaqif. They lodged the allies with al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah, while the Messenger of Allah lodged Banu Malik in a tent of his. Every night after the night prayer he would come to us and speak while standing, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Most of what he told us was what he had suffered from his people, Quraysh. He would say: ‘The two sides were not equal: we were weak and oppressed. When we went out to Medina, the fortunes of war between us and them alternated: we would prevail over them, and they would prevail over us.’ One night he was later than the time he usually came, so I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you are late with us tonight.’ He said, ‘My portion of the Qur’an came due, and I disliked leaving until I had completed it.’ Aws said: I asked the Companions of the Messenger of Allah how they divided the Qur’an. They said: ‘By three, five, seven, nine, eleven, and thirteen [days], and then by the portion of al-Mufassal.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Khallad al-Bahili narrated to us; Yahya ibn Sa‘id narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Ibn Abi Mulaykah, from Yahya ibn Hakim ibn Safwan, from Abdullah ibn Amr, who said: I gathered the Qur’an and recited all of it in one night. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘I fear that time may become prolonged for you and that you may grow weary, so recite it in a month.’ I said, ‘Let me benefit from my strength and youth.’ He said, ‘Then recite it in ten [days].’ I said, ‘Let me benefit from my strength and youth.’ He said, ‘Then recite it in seven [days].’ I said, ‘Let me benefit from my strength and youth.’ But he refused [to shorten the period further].

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Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ja‘far narrated to us; Shu‘bah narrated to us. (A second route:) Abu Bakr ibn Khallad narrated to us; Khalid ibn al-Harith narrated to us; Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Qatadah, from Yazid ibn Abdullah ibn al-Shikhkhir, from Abdullah ibn Amr, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Whoever recites the Qur’an in fewer than three [days] does not understand it.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Bishr narrated to us; Sa‘id ibn Abi ‘Arubah narrated to us; Qatadah narrated to us, from Zurara ibn Awfa, from Sa‘d ibn Hisham, from ‘A’ishah, who said: I know of no occasion when the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the entire Qur’an until morning.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah and Ali ibn Muhammad narrated to us. They said: Waki‘ narrated to us; Mis‘ar narrated to us, from Abu al-‘Ala’, from Yahya ibn Ja‘dah, from Umm Hani’ bint Abi Talib, who said: I used to hear the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) recitation at night while I was on my rooftop.

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Bakr ibn Khalaf Abu Bishr narrated to us; Yahya ibn Sa‘id narrated to us, from Qudamah ibn Abdullah, from Jasrah bint Dajajah, who said: I heard Abu Dharr say: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood reciting one verse, repeating it until morning. The verse was: ‘If You punish them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, then surely You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Ali ibn Muhammad narrated to us; Abu Mu‘awiyah narrated to us, from al-A‘mash, from Sa‘d ibn Ubaydah, from al-Mustawrid ibn al-Ahnaf, from Silah ibn Zufar, from Hudhayfah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed. When he came to a verse of mercy, he supplicated; when he came to a verse of punishment, he sought refuge; and when he came to a verse declaring Allah’s transcendence, he glorified Him.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Ali ibn Hashim narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Layla, from Thabit, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla, from Abu Layla, who said: I prayed beside the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was performing voluntary night prayer. He came to a verse of punishment and said: ‘I seek refuge in Allah from the Fire, and woe to the people of the Fire.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us; Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrated to us; Jarir ibn Hazim narrated to us, from Qatadah, who said: I asked Anas ibn Malik about the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) recitation. He replied: ‘He would prolong his voice.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Isma‘il ibn ‘Ulayyah narrated to us, from Burd ibn Sinan, from ‘Ubadah ibn Nusayy, from Ghadif ibn al-Harith, who said: I came to ‘A’ishah and asked, ‘Would the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recite the Qur’an aloud or quietly?’ She said, ‘Sometimes he recited aloud and sometimes quietly.’ I said, ‘Allah is greatest! Praise belongs to Allah, who has made latitude in this matter.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Hisham ibn Ammar narrated to us; Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated to us, from Sulayman al-Ahwal, from Tawus, from Ibn Abbas, who said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed night vigil prayer, he would say: ‘O Allah, to You belongs praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all who are in them. To You belongs praise. You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all who are in them. To You belongs praise. You are the Owner of the heavens and the earth and all who are in them. To You belongs praise. You are the Truth; Your promise is true, meeting You is true, Your word is true, Paradise is true, the Fire is true, the Hour is true, the prophets are true, and Muhammad is true. O Allah, to You I have submitted, in You I have believed, upon You I have relied, to You I have turned, by You I have contended, and to You I have submitted my judgment. So forgive me for what I have sent ahead and what I have left behind, what I have kept secret and what I have made public. You are the One who brings forward and the One who puts back. There is no god but You, and no god besides You; there is no power nor strength except through You.’

Abu Bakr ibn Khallad al-Bahili narrated to us; Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated to us; Sulayman ibn Abi Muslim al-Ahwal, Ibn Abi Najih’s maternal uncle, narrated to us, having heard Tawus, from Ibn Abbas, who said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) rose at night for vigil prayer, [he said] something similar.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Zayd ibn al-Hubab narrated to us, from Mu‘awiyah ibn Salih, who said: Azhar ibn Sa‘id narrated to me, from Asim ibn Humayd, who said: I asked ‘A’ishah, ‘With what would the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) begin his night prayer?’ She said: ‘You have asked me about something no one before you has asked me. He would say “Allah is greatest” ten times, “Praise be to Allah” ten times, and “Glory be to Allah” ten times, and seek forgiveness ten times. Then he would say: “O Allah, forgive me, guide me, provide for me, and grant me well-being.” And he would seek refuge from the distress of the standing on the Day of Resurrection.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abd al-Rahman ibn Umar narrated to us; Umar ibn Yunus al-Yamami narrated to us; ‘Ikrimah ibn ‘Ammar narrated to us; Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrated to us, from Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahman, who said: I asked ‘A’ishah, ‘With what would the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) begin his prayer when he rose at night?’ She said: He would say: ‘O Allah, Lord of Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, You judge between Your servants concerning that over which they differ. Guide me, by Your permission, to the truth about which they differ. Surely You guide to a straight path.’ Abd al-Rahman ibn Umar said: ‘Memorize it: Jibril, with a hamzah, for this is how it was transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Shababah narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Dhi’b, from al-Zuhri, from ‘Urwah, from ‘A’ishah. (A second route:) Abd al-Rahman ibn Ibrahim al-Dimashqi narrated to us; al-Walid narrated to us; al-Awza‘i narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, from ‘Urwah, from ‘A’ishah. This is Abu Bakr’s hadith. ‘A’ishah said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray eleven rak‘ahs from after finishing the night prayer until dawn. He would say the salutation after every two rak‘ahs and perform Witr with one. In these prayers he would prostrate for as long as one of you takes to recite fifty verses before raising his head. When the caller to prayer fell silent after the first call for the dawn prayer, he would rise and pray two brief rak‘ahs.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Abdah ibn Sulayman narrated to us, from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, from his father, from ‘A’ishah, who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray thirteen rak‘ahs at night.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Hannad ibn al-Sari narrated to us; Abu al-Ahwas narrated to us, from al-A‘mash, from Ibrahim, from al-Aswad, from ‘A’ishah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray nine rak‘ahs at night.

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Muhammad ibn Ubayd ibn Maymun Abu Ubayd al-Madani narrated to us; my father narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Ja‘far, from Musa ibn ‘Uqbah, from Abu Ishaq, from Amir al-Sha‘bi, who said: I asked Abdullah ibn Abbas and Abdullah ibn Umar about the Messenger of Allah’s (peace and blessings be upon him) night prayer. They both said: ‘Thirteen rak‘ahs, including eight; he performed Witr with three, and prayed two rak‘ahs after dawn.’

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abd al-Salam ibn Asim narrated to us; Abdullah ibn Nafi‘ ibn Thabit al-Zubayri narrated to us; Malik ibn Anas narrated to us, from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr, from his father, that Abdullah ibn Qays ibn Makhramah informed him, from Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani, who said: I said, ‘I will certainly watch the Messenger of Allah’s (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer tonight.’ I rested my head on his threshold—or his tent. The Messenger of Allah stood and prayed two brief rak‘ahs, then two long rak‘ahs—very, very long. Then he prayed two rak‘ahs shorter than the preceding pair, then two shorter than the pair before them, then two shorter than the pair before them, then two rak‘ahs, and then performed Witr. That made thirteen rak‘ahs.