The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day

"I said to Aishah: 'Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray sitting down?' She said: 'Yes, after the people had worn him out.'"

"I never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offer his voluntary prayers sitting down until one year before his death. Then he used to pray sitting down, reciting the surah so slowly that it seemed to be longer than a surah that is longer."

"I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying sitting down and I said: 'I was told that you said that the prayer of one who is sitting down is worth half of the prayer of the one who is standing up.' He said: 'Yes indeed, but I am not like any one of you.'"

"I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about one who prays sitting down. He said: 'Whoever prays standing up is better, and one who prays sitting down will have half the reward of one who prays standing up. And whoever prays lying down will have half the reward of one who prays sitting down.'"

"I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying while sitting cross-legged."

"I asked Aishah: "How did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recite at night- did he recite loudly or silently?" She said: 'He used to do both; sometimes he recited loudly and sometimes he recited silently.'"

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The one who recites the Qur'an loudly is like one who gives charity openly, and the one who recites the Qur'an silently is like the one who gives charity in secret.'"

"I prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) one night. He started to recite Al-Baqarah and I thought, 'he will bow when he reaches one hundred,' but he carried on. I thought, 'he is going to recite the whole surah in one rak'ah,' but he carried on. He started to recite An-Nisa' and recited (the whole surah), then he started to recite Al Imran and recited (the whole surah), reciting slowly. When he reached a verse that spoke of glorifying Allah (SWT), he glorified Him. When he reached a verse that spoke of supplication, he made supplication. When he reached a verse that spoke of seeking refuge with Allah, he sought refuge with Him. Then he bowed and said: 'Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim.(Glory be to my Lord Almighty)', and he bowed for almost as long as he had stood. Then he raised his head and said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him)', and he stood for almost as long as he had bowed. Then he prostrated and started to say: Subhana Rabbiyal-'Ala (Glory be to my Lord Most High),' and he prostrated for almost as long as he had bowed.'"

He prayed with the Messenger of Allah during Ramadan. He bowed and said: "Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim while bowing, for as long as he had stood. Then he sat down and said: "Rabbighfirli, Rabbighfirli (Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me)," for as long as he had stood. Then he prostrated and said: "Subhana Rabbiyal-'Ala for as long as he had stood And he prayed no more than four rak'ahs when Bilal came for Al-Ghadah.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The prayers of the night and day are two by two."

"Ibn Umar said: "A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about prayer at night. He said: "Two by two, and if you fear that dawn will come, then one.'"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Prayers at night are two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one rak'ah."

"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the minbar, when he was asked about prayers at night, say: "Two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one rak'ah.'"

A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)about prayers at night, and he said: "Two by two, then if one of you fears that dawn will come, let him pray witr with one."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one."

"A man from among the Muslims asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'How are prayers at night to be done?' He said: 'prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one.'"

A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about prayers at night. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one."

"A man stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), how are the prayers at night to be done?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one.'"

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "O people of the Qur'an, pray witr, for Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, is Witr (One) and loves Al-Witr (the odd numbered).'"

"Witr is not essential like the obligatory prayers, but it is the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."