Sunan Ibn Majah
Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them
كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
Chapter 181
مَا جَاءَ فِي كَمْ يُصَلِّي بِاللَّيْلِ
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; Ma‘n ibn ‘Isa narrated to us; Malik ibn Anas narrated to us, from Makhramah ibn Sulayman, from Kurayb, the freedman of Ibn Abbas, from Ibn Abbas, who informed him: He had slept at Maymunah’s, the Prophet’s wife—she was his maternal aunt. He said: I lay across the pillow, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his wife lay along it. The Prophet slept until the middle of the night, or a little before or after it. He awoke, began wiping sleep from his face with his hand, then recited the last ten verses of Surah Al Imran. Then he went to a hanging water-skin and performed ablution from it, doing it well. Then he stood and prayed. Abdullah ibn Abbas said: I stood and did as he had done, then went and stood beside him. The Messenger of Allah placed his right hand on my head and took my right ear, twisting it. He prayed two rak‘ahs, then two, then two, then two, then two, then two, and then performed Witr. Then he lay down until the caller came to him. He prayed two brief rak‘ahs, then went out for the prayer.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source presents Kurayb as Ibn Abbas’s freedman and Ibn Abbas as the one informing him about the event. ‘Twisting’ renders يفتلها literally; the English witness has ‘tweaked.’
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ خَلاَّدٍ الْبَاهِلِيُّ،
The English witness starts with Kurayb and omits the preceding transmitters.
Should the witness’s shortened chain be retained separately from this complete source translation?
Chapter 182
مَا جَاءَ فِي أَىِّ سَاعَاتِ اللَّيْلِ أَفْضَلُ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, Muhammad ibn Bashshar, and Muhammad ibn al-Walid narrated to us. They said: Muhammad ibn Ja‘far narrated to us; Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Ya‘la ibn ‘Ata’, from Yazid ibn Talq, from Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Baylamani, from Amr ibn ‘Abasah, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, who became Muslim with you?’ He said, ‘A free man and a slave.’ I asked, ‘Is there an hour closer to Allah than another?’ He said, ‘Yes: the middle of the night.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic specifies the middle of the night (جوف الليل الأوسط); the English witness says the last half of the night.
جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الأَوْسَطُ
The English witness renders the specified middle of the night as the last half of the night.
Should this discrepancy be flagged for witness review?
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; Ubaydullah narrated to us, from Isra’il, from Abu Ishaq, from al-Aswad, from ‘A’ishah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sleep during the first part of the night and keep vigil during its latter part.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The English witness gives the same wording while abbreviating the chain to ‘A’ishah.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Marwan Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Uthmani and Ya‘qub ibn Humayd ibn Kasib narrated to us. They said: Ibrahim ibn Sa‘d narrated to us, from Ibn Shihab, from Abu Salamah and Abu Abdullah al-Aghar, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted is He, descends each night when the last third of the night remains and says: “Who is supplicating to Me, so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me, so that I may give to him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?”’ until dawn breaks. For this reason, they preferred praying at the end of the night over its beginning.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report’s divine attribute is translated according to the source wording without adding an interpretive gloss.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَرْوَانَ،
The English witness begins with Abu Hurayrah and omits the source chains and final explanatory sentence’s source attribution.
Should the witness’s abbreviated chain be retained separately from this complete source translation?
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 Mus‘ab narrated to us, from al-Awza‘i, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Hilal ibn Abi Maymunah, from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar, from Rifa‘ah al-Juhani, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Allah grants respite until, when half the night has passed—or two thirds of it—He says: “Let none of My servants ask anyone besides Me. Whoever calls upon Me, I will answer him; whoever asks Me, I will give to him; whoever seeks My forgiveness, I will forgive him,”’ until dawn breaks.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source wording gives the time as when half the night, or two thirds of it, has passed; this sequence is retained as written.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ،
The English witness begins with Rifa‘ah al-Juhani and omits the preceding chain.
Should the witness’s abbreviated chain be retained separately from this complete source translation?
Chapter 183
مَا جَاءَ فِيمَا يُرْجَى أَنْ يَكْفِيَ مِنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Numayr narrated to us; Hafs ibn Ghiyath and Asbat ibn Muhammad narrated to us. They said: al-A‘mash narrated to us, from Ibrahim, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid, from ‘Alqamah, from Abu Mas‘ud, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Whoever recites the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah during a night, they will suffice him.’
In his version of the hadith, Hafs said: Abd al-Rahman said, ‘I met Abu Mas‘ud while he was circumambulating, and he narrated this to me.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic distinguishes Hafs’s added transmission note from the prophetic report. The English witness begins at Abu Mas‘ud and omits the preceding source chain.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Jarir narrated to us, from Mansur, from Ibrahim, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Yazid, from Abu Mas‘ud, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Whoever recites the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah during a night, they will suffice him.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The English witness gives the same report while omitting the chain before Abu Mas‘ud.
Chapter 184
مَا جَاءَ فِي الْمُصَلِّي إِذَا نَعَسَ
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; Abdullah ibn Numayr narrated to us. (A second route:) Abu Marwan Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Uthmani narrated to us; Abd al-Aziz ibn Abi Hazim narrated to us. Both routes go from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, from his father, from ‘A’ishah, who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘When one of you becomes drowsy, let him lie down until sleepiness has passed from him. For if he prays while drowsy, he does not know; perhaps while seeking forgiveness he will end up cursing himself.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic marks two transmission routes that join at Hisham ibn ‘Urwah.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
‘Imran ibn Musa al-Laythi narrated to us; Abd al-Warith ibn Sa‘id narrated to us, from Abd al-Aziz ibn Suhayb, from Anas ibn Malik, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the mosque and saw a rope stretched between two pillars. He said, ‘What is this rope?’ They said, ‘It is for Zaynab; she prays here, and when she grows tired, she holds on to it.’ He said, ‘Untie it, untie it. Let each of you pray while energetic; when he grows tired, let him sit down.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The English witness identifies the rope as ‘belonging to’ Zaynab; the Arabic says it was for her (لزينب).
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ya‘qub ibn Humayd ibn Kasib narrated to us; Hatim ibn Isma‘il narrated to us, from Abu Bakr ibn Yahya ibn al-Nadr, from his father, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘When one of you rises at night and the Qur’an becomes difficult on his tongue, so that he does not know what he is saying, let him lie down.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The idiom استَعْجَمَ الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى لِسَانِهِ describes the recitation becoming unclear or difficult on the tongue; rendered without adding a cause.
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ،
The English witness begins with Abu Hurayrah and omits the transmission chain.
Should the witness’s abbreviated chain be retained separately from the complete source translation?
Chapter 185
مَا جَاءَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ بَيْنَ الْمَغْرِبِ وَالْعِشَاءِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ahmad ibn Mani‘ narrated to us; Ya‘qub ibn al-Walid al-Madani narrated to us, from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, from his father, from ‘A’ishah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Whoever prays twenty rak‘ahs between sunset prayer and night prayer, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The English witness gives the same report while shortening the chain to ‘A’ishah.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ali ibn Muhammad and Abu Umar Hafs ibn Umar narrated to us. They said: Zayd ibn al-Hubab narrated to us; Umar ibn Abi Khath‘am al-Yamami narrated to me, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Whoever prays six rak‘ahs after the sunset prayer and speaks no evil between them, their reward will equal twelve years of worship.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic specifies refraining from speaking evil between the six rak‘ahs; it does not say that no speech at all occurs.
Chapter 186
مَا جَاءَ فِي التَّطَوُّعِ فِي الْبَيْتِ
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 al-Ahwas narrated to us, from Tariq, from Asim ibn Amr, who said: A group of people from Iraq went to Umar. When they arrived, he asked, ‘Where are you from?’ They said, ‘From Iraq.’ He asked, ‘Did you come with permission?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ They then asked him about a man praying in his house. Umar said, ‘I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said: “As for a man’s prayer in his house, it is light, so illuminate your houses with it.”’
Muhammad ibn Abi al-Husayn narrated to us; Abdullah ibn Ja‘far narrated to us; he said: Ubaydullah ibn Amr narrated to us, from Zayd ibn Abi Unaysah, from Abu Ishaq, from Asim ibn Amr, from Umayr, the freedman of Umar ibn al-Khattab, from Umar ibn al-Khattab, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), a report similar to it.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The text preserves two routes: the first includes Umar’s conversation with the Iraqis and quotation of the Prophet; the second reports similar wording through Umayr, Umar’s freedman.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Bashshar and Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us. They said: Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrated to us; Sufyan narrated to us, from al-A‘mash, from Abu Sufyan, from Jabir ibn Abdullah, from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: ‘When one of you finishes his prayer, let him allot some of it to his house, for Allah will bring good into his house through his prayer.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic refers to giving one’s house a share of the prayer; it does not specify a particular prayer or number of rak‘ahs.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ،
The English witness begins at Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri and omits the transmission chain.
Should the witness’s abbreviated chain be retained separately from the complete source translation?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Zayd ibn Akhzam and Abd al-Rahman ibn Umar narrated to us. They said: Yahya ibn Sa‘id narrated to us, from Ubaydullah ibn Umar, from Nafi‘, from Ibn Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Do not make your houses into graves.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The English witness gives the same wording while abbreviating the chain to Ibn Umar.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bishr Bakr ibn Khalaf narrated to us; Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi narrated to us, from Mu‘awiyah ibn Salih, from al-‘Ala’ ibn al-Harith, from Haram ibn Mu‘awiyah, from his paternal uncle Abdullah ibn Sa‘d, who said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), ‘Which is better: praying in my house or praying in the mosque?’ He said, ‘Do you not see how close my house is to the mosque? Yet praying in my house is dearer to me than praying in the mosque, except for an obligatory prayer.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The English witness starts with Abdullah ibn Sa‘d and omits the transmission chain.
Chapter 187
مَا جَاءَ فِي صَلاَةِ الضُّحَى
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; Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated to us, from Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad, from Abdullah ibn al-Harith, who said: During the time of Uthman ibn Affan, when the people were present in great numbers—or had gathered—I asked about the Duha prayer. I found no one who could tell me that he (meaning the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) had prayed it except Umm Hani’. She told me that he had prayed eight rak‘ahs.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic preserves two variant readings for the phrase describing the people at that time (متوافرون / متوافون); translated broadly as their being present or gathered. The English witness omits the transmitters before Abdullah ibn al-Harith.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Numayr and Abu Kurayb narrated to us. They said: Yunus ibn Bukayr narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ishaq narrated to us, from Musa ibn Anas, from Thumamah ibn Anas, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘Whoever prays twelve rak‘ahs of Duha, Allah will build for him a palace of gold in Paradise.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic says twelve rak‘ahs of Duha; the English witness gives the same report while omitting the preceding chain.
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; Shu‘bah narrated to us, from Yazid al-Rishk, from Mu‘adhah al-Adawiyyah, who said: I asked ‘A’ishah, ‘Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pray Duha?’ She said, ‘Yes: four rak‘ahs, and he would add whatever Allah willed.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The English witness gives the same wording while omitting the transmitters before Mu‘adhah.
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; Waki‘ narrated to us, from al-Nahhas ibn Qahm, from Shaddad Abu ‘Ammar, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Whoever regularly maintains a pair of Duha rak‘ahs will have his sins forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The expression شُفْعَة الضحى refers to a paired Duha prayer; rendered as a pair of rak‘ahs in light of the English witness. The witness abbreviates the chain at Abu Hurayrah.