The Book of Prayer - Travellers
كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
Chapter 17: Night prayers and the number of rak`ah offered by the Prophet (saws) at night, and that Witr is one rak`ah, and a one-rak`ah prayer is correct
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not observe either in Ramadan or in other months more than eleven rak'ahs (of the night prayer). He (in the first instance) observed four rak'ahs. Ask not about their excellence and their length (i. e. these were matchless in perfection and length). He again observed four rak'ahs, and ask not about their excellence and their length. He would then observe three rak'ahs (of the Witr prayer). 'A'isha again said: I said: Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before observing the Witr prayer? He said: O 'A'isha, my eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.
Abu Salama reported that he asked 'A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) (during the night). The rest of the hadith is the same but with this exception that he (the Holy Prophet) observed nine rak'ahs including Witr.
It is reported on the authority of 'A'isha that the prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the night consisted of ten rak'ahs. He observed a Witr and two rak'ahs (of Sunan) of the dawn prayer, and thus the total comes to thirteen rak'ahs.
He used to sleep in the early part of the night, and woke up in the latter part. If he then wished intercourse with his wife, he satisfied his desire, and then went to sleep; and when the first call to prayer was made he jumped up (by Allah, she, i. e. 'A'isha, did not say" he stood up" ), and poured water over him (by Allah she, i. e. 'A'isha, did not say that he took a bath but I know what she meant) and if he did not have an intercourse, he performed ablution, just as a man performs ablution for prayer and then observed two rak'ahs.
He (the Holy Prophet) loved (that action) which one keeps on doing regularly. I said (to 'A'isha): When did he pray (at night)? She replied: When he heard the cock crow, he got up and observed prayer.
Never did the earlier part of the dawn find the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) but sleeping in my house or near me.
Chapter 18: Night prayer, and the one who sleeps and misses it or is sick
Zurara b. Aufa said that Sa'd b. Hisham divorced his wife, and then proceeded to Medina to sell his property, and the rest of the hadith is the same.
I went to 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr prayer, and the rest of the hadith is the same as recorded in this event. She (Hadrat 'A'isha) said: Who is that Hisham? I said: Son of 'Amir. She said: What a fine man 'Amir was! He died as a martyr in the Battle of Uhud.
Should anyone fall asleep and fail to recite his portion of the Qur'an, or a part of it, if he 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.
Chapter 19: Salat al-Awwabin (the prayer of the penitent) is when the young camels feel the heat of the hot sand
The prayer of the penitent should be observed when the young weaned camels feel heat of the sun.
Chapter 20: The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
He who prayed at night should make Witr the end of his prayer, for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered this.
He who observed the night prayer should make Witr the end of his prayer before dawn. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to order them thus.
Witr is a rak'ah at the end of the night prayer.
I asked Ibn 'Abbas about the Witr prayer. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: It is a rak'ah at the end of the night prayer.
Chapter 21: One who fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, then he should pray Witr at the beginning of the night
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.
He who amongst you is afraid that he may not be able to get up at the end of the night should observe Witr (in the first part) and then sleep, and he who is confident of getting up and praying at night (i. e. Tahajjud prayer) should observe it at the end of it, for the recitation at the end of the night is witnessed*, and that is better.*: meaning, "by angels" (Sharh an-Nawawi)
Chapter 24: Encouragement to supplicate and recite statements of remembrance at the end of the night, and the response to that
When half of the night or two-third of it is over. Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there any beggar, so that he be given? Is there any supplicator so that he be answered? Is there any beggar of forgiveness so that he be forgiven? (And Allah continues it saying) till it is daybreak.
Allah descends to the lowest heaven at half of the night or at one-third of the latter part and says: Who is there to supplicate Me so that I answer him? Who is there to ask Me so that I grant him? And then says: Who will lend to One Who is neither indigent nor tyrant? (This hadith has been narrated by Sa'd b. Sa'id with the same chain of transmitters with this addition:" Then the Blessed and the Exalted (Lord) stretches His Hands and says: Who will lend to One Who is neither indigent nor tyrant? )
This hadith is narrated by Ishaq with the same chain uf transmitters except this that the hadith transmitted by Mansur (the above one) is more comprehensive and lengthy.
Chapter 25: Encouragement to pray qiyam during Ramadan, which is Tarawih
Shu'ba reported this hadith with the same chain of transmitters, but he made no mention that Shu'ba was in doubt and what follows subsequently.