[The Book of Prayer] - [Chapters on the Two Eids] - Libri i Namazit - Kapitujt e Dy Bajrameve - [كِتَابُ الصَّلَاةِ] - [أَبْوَابُ الْعِيدَيْنِ]

3200 - On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Adorn your Eids with the Takbir."

3201 - And on the authority of Shurayh bin Abraha, who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) performing the Takbir during the days of Tashreeq, from the Dhuhr prayer on the Day of Sacrifice until he departed from Mina, performing the Takbir after every obligatory prayer." Al-Shadhakuni said: "Upon this is the Takbir of the people of Medina."

3202 - And from Ibn Mas'ud, that he used to perform the Takbir from the morning prayer on the Day of Arafah until the Asr prayer [of the Day of Sacrifice].

3203 - On the authority of 'Ubadah bin al-Samit, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever enlivens the night of Fitr and the night of Adha, his heart shall not die on the day when hearts die."

3204 - On the authority of Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd Allah, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (pbuh) performed a ritual bath for the two Eids.

3205 - And from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan, sets out in the morning with a ritual bath to the place of prayer, and concludes it with charity, shall return forgiven."

3206 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: We used to eat, drink, and perform ghusl, then we would go out to the prayer ground. Reported by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3207 - Hushaym said: I said to Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad: "Is there any ritual bath (ghusl) other than on the day of Friday?" He said: "Yes; the day of 'Arafah is an Eid, and the day of Fitr, the day of Adha, the day of 'Arafah, and the day of Friday."

3208 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to wear a red mantle on the day of Eid."

3209 - From 'Ata', that he heard Ibn 'Abbas saying: "If you are able that none of you should go out on the day of Fitr until he has eaten, then let him do so." He said: "So I have not ceased to eat before I go out since I heard that from Ibn 'Abbas; I eat a morsel from the edge of the thin bread (al-sariqah) and drink milk or water." I said: "Upon what was this interpreted?" He said: "He heard it, I think, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: 'They would not go out until the forenoon had advanced, and they would say: We eat so that we are not hurried from our prayer.'"

3210 - On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to eat on the day of [Eid] al-Fitr before he went out." It was narrated by Abu Ya'la, Ahmad, al-Bazzar, and al-Tabarani in al-Awsat, and his wording is: "That the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to eat on the day of [Eid] al-Fitr before setting out in the morning, and he would command the people to do that."

3211 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "It is of the Sunnah that you eat before you go out, even if it be with a single date." It was narrated by al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani in al-Awsat and al-Kabir, and his wording is: "It is from the Sunnah that you do not go out on the day of Fitr until you give the charity and eat something before you go out."

3212 - And on the authority of Jabir bin Samurah, who said: "The Prophet (pbuh) used to, when it was the day of al-Fitr, eat seven dates before going out, and when it was the day of al-Adha, he would not eat anything."

3213 - And on the authority of Ali, who said: "The Prophet (pbuh) used to eat on the day of al-Fitr before going out to the prayer place." Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat.

3214 - And on the authority of Buraydah, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would not go out on the day of Fitr until he had eaten, and he would not eat on the day of Sacrifice until he returned and ate from his sacrifice."

3215 - From Ibn 'Umar, who said: "The Prophet (pbuh) used to go out to the Eid [prayer], and with him were a short spear and a shield."

3216 - And on the authority of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ammar al-Qaraz, the Mu’adhin of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), when he delivered the sermon on the two Eids, he delivered it while leaning on a bow. I say: He has a narration with Ibn Majah stating: Whenever he delivered a sermon during war, he delivered it while leaning on a bow. It was narrated by at-Tabarani in al-Saghir.

3217 - On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to go out on Eid and take his family out."

3218 - And on the authority of Aisha, she said: "Young maidens used to emerge from their private quarters for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on the two Eids."

3219 - And on the authority of the sister of 'Abdullah bin Rawahah, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), that he said: "Going out has become obligatory for every woman possessing a waist-belt." It was narrated by Ahmad and Abu Ya'la, who added: "Meaning: on the two Eids," and by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3220 - And on the authority of the Mother of the Believers, Aisha, she said: "I asked the Prophet (pbuh): 'Should women go out on the Eid?' He said: 'Yes.' It was said: 'And the young unmarried women?' He said: 'Yes; and if she does not have a garment to wear, let her wear the garment of her companion.'" Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat.

And on the authority of Ibn Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Women have no share in going out except when compelled by necessity [meaning] she has no servant, except during the two Eids, al-Adha and al-Fitr, and they have no share in the path except for the edges." It was narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3222 - And on the authority of 'Utbah ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr, who said: My father narrated to me from my grandfather, who said: "I was with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on the day of Eid, and he said: 'Call the leader of the Ansar for me.' So they called Ubayy ibn Ka'b. He said: 'O Ubayy, go to the prayer place and order it to be swept, and command the people to come out.' When he reached the door, he returned and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, and the women?' He said: 'And the young adolescent women and the menstruating women; they shall be among the people to witness the supplication.'"

3223 - And on the authority of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, that the Prophet (pbuh) used to go out to the Eid prayer walking and return by a path other than the path by which he had gone out. Narrated by al-Bazzar.

3224 - And on the authority of Abd al-Rahman ibn Hatib, who said: "I saw the Prophet (pbuh) attending the Eid, going by one path and returning by another."

3225 - On the authority of Sa'id bin Aws al-Ansari, from his father, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "When the day of Eid al-Fitr arrives, the angels stand at the gates of the paths and call out: 'Go forth early, O assembly of Muslims, to a Generous Lord who bestows goodness and then rewards it abundantly. You were commanded to stand at night and you stood, and you were commanded to fast during the day and you fasted; you obeyed your Lord, so receive your prizes.' When they have performed the prayer, a caller announces: 'Behold, your Lord has forgiven you, so return rightly guided to your dwellings.' For it is the Day of Prize, and that day is called the Day of Prize in the heavens." — And in a narration: "a Merciful Lord" instead of "a Generous Lord" — and he said: "I have forgiven all of your sins."

3226 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: "The supplication of the Prophet (pbuh) during the two Eids was: 'O Allah, we ask You for a pious life, a sound death, and a return that is neither disgraceful nor scandalous. O Allah, do not destroy us suddenly, do not take us unawares, and do not hasten us [to death] before fulfilling a right or a testament. O Allah, we ask You for chastity, self-sufficiency, piety, guidance, and a good outcome in the Hereafter and this world. And we seek refuge in You from doubt, discord, ostentation, and seeking reputation in Your religion. O Turner of hearts, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from Yourself; indeed, You are the Bestower.'"

3227 - On the authority of Wahb ibn Kaysan, who said: I heard Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr on the day of 'Eid saying, when he prayed before the sermon then stood to address the people: "O people, all is the Sunnah of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (pbuh)."

And on the authority of Anas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh), Abu Bakr, and Umar used to begin with the prayer before the sermon on the day of Eid."

3229 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Umar, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to begin with the prayer on al-Fitr and al-Adha." Reported by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3230 - On the authority of Ayyub, who said: I saw Anas bin Malik and Al-Hasan praying on the day of Eid before the Imam came out. He said: And I saw Muhammad bin Sirin arrive and sit down without praying. Reported by Abu Ya'la.

3231 - And on the authority of Ibn Sirin and Qatadah, that Ibn Mas'ud used to pray four or eight rak'ahs after it, and he would not pray before it.

3232 - And on the authority of Abu Mas'ud, who said: "It is not from the Sunnah to perform prayer before the emergence of the Imam on the day of Eid."

3233 - And on the authority of Fa’id Abu al-Warqa’ who said: "I led Abdullah bin Abi Awfa to the prayer ground on the day of Eid, and he said: 'Bring me close to the pulpit,' so I brought him close, and he sat down and did not pray before it nor after it. And he reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not pray before it nor after it." Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3234 - And on the authority of Ibn Sirin that Ibn Mas'ud and Hudhayfah used to forbid the people—or he said—they would make anyone sit down whom they saw praying before the emergence of the Imam [on the 'Eid]. It was narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir through multiple chains of narration.

3235 - On the authority of Abdul-Malik bin Ka'b bin 'Ujrah, who said: I went out with Ka'b bin 'Ujrah on the day of Eid to the prayer ground (al-Musalla), and he sat down before the Imam arrived and did not pray until the Imam departed. The people were moving as if they were a column towards the mosque. I said: "Do you not see?" He replied: "This is an innovation and the abandonment of the Sunnah." In another narration: "Indeed, much of what we see is coarseness and a lack of knowledge. Verily, these two rak’ahs are the voluntary prayer of this day until this prayer calls you." Both were narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3236 - And from Al-Walid bin Saree', the freed slave of 'Amr bin Hurayth, who said: "We went out with the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali bin Abi Talib, on the day of Eid, and a group of his companions asked him, saying: 'O Commander of the Faithful, what do you say regarding prayer on the day of Eid, before the prayer and after it?' He did not give them any response. Then another group came and asked just as those before them had asked, and he did not respond to them. When we reached the place of prayer and he led the people in prayer, he recited the Takbir seven and five times, then he delivered the sermon to the people. Then he descended and mounted his animal, and they said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, these people are praying?' He said: 'What am I expected to do? You asked me about the Sunnah; indeed, the Prophet (pbuh) did not pray before it nor after it. So whoever wishes may do so, and whoever wishes may refrain. Do you think I would forbid a people from praying, such that I would be in the position of one who forbids a servant when he prays?'"

3237 - On the authority of Abu Rafi' that "the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to go out to the two Eids walking, praying without an Adhan or an Iqamah."

3238 - And on the authority of Al-Bara' bin 'Azib: "That the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed on the day of Al-Adha without an Adhan and without an Iqamah. He then addressed the men, then he turned toward the women and addressed them, and he urged them to give charity, until the goods accumulated with Bilal became numerous."

3239 - And on the authority of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas: "That the Prophet (pbuh) performed the Eid prayer without an Adhan or an Iqamah, and he used to deliver two sermons, separating between them with a sitting."

3240 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) performed the Eid prayer as two rak'ahs, reciting in them nothing but the Mother of the Book, and he did not add anything more than that." Narrated by Ahmad.

3241 - And from Samurah bin Jundub that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to recite in the two Eids: "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High" and "Has there come to you the narration of the Overwhelming?" Narrated by Ahmad and Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir.

3242 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet (pbuh) used to recite in the two Eid prayers: "Amma Yatasa'alun" and "Ash-Shamsi wa Duhaha."

3243 - On the authority of al-Harith, from Ali, who said: "Audible recitation in the Eid prayer is part of the Sunnah."

3244 - Narrated from Abd al-Rahman bin Awf, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to have the short spear (al-Anazah) brought out for him on the two Eids so that he would pray towards it, and he would pronounce thirteen Takbirs; and Abu Bakr and Umar - may Allah's mercy be upon them - used to do that."

3245 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet (pbuh) used to pronounce the Takbir twelve times during the two Eids; seven in the first and five in the last, and he used to go by one path and return by another.

3246 - And on the authority of Abu Waqid al-Laythi and Aisha, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) led the people in prayer on the day of al-Fitr and al-Adha. He pronounced the takbir seven times in the first rak'ah and recited: "Qaf. By the Glorious Qur’an," and in the second rak'ah, he pronounced it five times and recited: "The Hour has come near, and the moon has split."

3247 - And from Kurdus, who said: Al-Walid sent for Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Hudhayfah, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, and Abu Mas'ud after the night prayer ('Atamah) and said: "Indeed, this is an Eid for the Muslims, so how is the prayer performed?" They said: "Ask Abu Abdurrahman!" So he asked him, and he said: "He stands and says 'Allahu Akbar' (takbir) four times, then recites the Opening of the Book (Al-Fatihah) and a Surah from the Mufassal section, then he says 'Allahu Akbar' four times, bowing at the last of them; so that is nine in the two Eids." And none of them objected to it. Narrated by At-Tabarani in Al-Kabir.

3248 - And from Ibrahim, that Al-Walid ibn 'Uqba entered the mosque while Ibn Mas'ud, Hudhayfah, and Abu Musa were in the courtyard of the mosque. Al-Walid said: "Indeed, the Eid has arrived, so what should I do?" Ibn Mas'ud said: "You say: 'Allahu Akbar', and you praise Allah and extol Him, and you invoke blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh), and you supplicate to Allah. Then you say 'Allahu Akbar', and you praise Allah and extol Him, and you invoke blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh), and you supplicate to Allah. Then you say 'Allahu Akbar', and you praise Allah and extol Him, and you invoke blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh), and you supplicate to Allah. Then you say 'Allahu Akbar', and you praise Allah and extol Him, and you invoke blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh), and you supplicate. Then say 'Allahu Akbar' and recite the Opening of the Book and a Surah. Then say 'Allahu Akbar' and bow and prostrate. Then stand up and recite the Opening of the Book and a Surah. Then say 'Allahu Akbar', praise Allah, extol Him, and invoke blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh) [and supplicate, then say 'Allahu Akbar', praise Allah, extol Him, and invoke blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh)], then bow and prostrate." He said: Hudhayfah and Abu Musa said: "He is correct."

3249 - And from Kurdus, who said: Abdullah bin Mas’ud used to perform the Takbir during the Eid of al-Adha and al-Fitr nine times: he would start and perform four Takbirs, then recite, then perform one Takbir with which he would bow; then he would stand for the second rak’ah and begin by reciting, then perform four Takbirs, bowing with one of them.

3250 - And on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, that between every two Takbirs is the duration of a word.

3251 - And on the authority of Abdullah, he said: The Takbir in the two Eids is four, like the prayer over the deceased.

3252 - On the authority of Abu Tarafa 'Abbad ibn al-Rayyan al-Lakhmi al-Himsi, who said: I came to al-Miqdam ibn Ma'di Karib while he was in a village several miles from Homs on the day of Eid. We said: "Come out and lead us in the Eid prayer." He replied: "No, pray individually." Reported by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3253 - On the authority of al-Sha'bi, who said: Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "Whoever misses the Eid prayer, let him pray four rak'ahs."

3254 - On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) delivered a sermon on the day of Eid while atop his mount.

3255 - On the authority of Habib ibn 'Umar al-Ansari, who said: My father narrated to me, saying: I met Wathilah on the day of Eid and I said: "May Allah accept [good deeds] from us and from you." He replied: "[Yes], may Allah accept from us and from you." It was narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3256 - On the authority of Ali, who said: "Going out to the open prayer ground on the two Eids is of the Sunnah."

3257 - And in another narration by him as well, he said: "It is from the Sunnah to pray in the cemetery."

3258 - On the authority of Abdur-Rahman ibn Uthman al-Taymi, who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) standing in the marketplace on the day of Eid, watching as the people passed by." Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Ya'la, and al-Tabarani in al-Kabir and al-Awsat. In both of them, he said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), when he finished from the two Eids, he would come to the middle of the prayer area and stand, observing the people, how they departed and how their conduct was, then he would wait for a while before departing."

3259 - On the authority of Umm Salama, who said: "A young girl belonging to Hassan bin Thabit entered upon us on the Day of Fitr with her hair flowing, carrying a tambourine and singing. Umm Salama rebuked her, so the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Leave her, O Umm Salama, for indeed every people has a festival, and this is our festival.'"

3260 - And on the authority of Zainab bint Umm Salama that the performers were playing while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was in the mosque. He said: So he mentioned the hadith.

3261 - 264 - CHAPTER ON THE ECLIPSE. 3261 On the authority of Abu Shurayh al-Khuza’i, who said: "The sun eclipsed during the era of ‘Uthman [ibn ‘Affan, and Abdullah ibn Mas’ud was in Medina. He said: So ‘Uthman came out] and led the people in that prayer, performing two rak'ahs and making two prostrations in each rak'ah. He said: Then ‘Uthman left and entered his house, and Abdullah ibn Mas’ud sat by the room of ‘Aisha, and we sat with him. He said: Verily, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to command prayer during the eclipse of the sun and the moon. So when you see that it has struck them, hasten to prayer; for if it is the matter you are warned of, it will occur while you are not in a state of heedlessness, and if it is not so, you will have attained good and earned it."

3262 - And on the authority of 'Ali, who said: "The sun was eclipsed, so 'Ali led the people in prayer. He recited Surah Ya-Sin or something similar, then he bowed for a duration approximately equal to the surah. Then he raised his head and said: 'Allah hears him who praises Him.' Then he stood for the duration of the surah, supplicating and magnifying Allah. Then he bowed for the duration of his recitation again, then he said: 'Allah hears him who praises Him.' Then he stood again for the duration of the surah, then he bowed for that duration again, until he had performed four bowings. Then he said: 'Allah hears him who praises Him,' then he prostrated. Then he stood for the second rak'ah and did as he had done in the first rak'ah. Then he sat supplicating and beseeching until the sun was revealed. Then he narrated to them that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had done similarly."

3263 - And from Mahmud ibn Labid who said: "The sun eclipsed on the day Ibrahim, the son of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), died. So they said: The sun has eclipsed for the death of Ibrahim [the son of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)]. Then the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Indeed, the sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. Behold, they do not eclipse for the death of anyone nor for his life. So when you see them as such, hasten to the mosques.' Then he stood and recited some of Surah adh-Dhariyat, then he bowed, then he stood upright, then he prostrated twice, then he stood and did as he had done in the first [unit]."

3264 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "I prayed behind the Prophet (pbuh) the eclipse prayer, and I did not hear from him therein a single letter."

3265 - And from 'Ali, who said: "The sun eclipsed, so 'Ali stood and performed five bowings and two prostrations, then he stood for the second unit and did the same. Then he said: 'No one has prayed it after the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) except me.'"

3266 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: "The sun eclipsed on the day Ibrahim died, so the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Indeed, the sun and the moon are two signs,'" and he mentioned the like of the hadith at the beginning of the chapter.

3267 - And on the authority of Bilal, who said: "The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), and he said: 'Indeed, the sun and the moon do not eclipse for the death of anyone nor for his life, but they are two signs among the signs of Allah. So when you see that, pray like the most recent prayer you have performed.'"

3268 - And from Ibn Umar: "That the sun eclipsed upon the death of a great man among the prominent figures, so the Prophet (pbuh) went out and led the people in prayer. He prolonged the standing until it was said: 'He will not bow,' due to the length of the standing. Then he bowed and prolonged the bowing until it was said: 'He will not rise,' due to the length of the bowing. Then he rose and prolonged the standing in a manner similar to his first standing. Then he bowed and prolonged the bowing in a manner similar to his first bowing. Then he raised his head and prostrated. Then he did the same in the final unit (rak'ah), such that there were four bowings and four prostrations. Then he turned towards the people and said: 'O people, indeed the sun and the moon do not eclipse for the death of anyone nor for his life, but they are two signs among the signs of Allah; so when you see them, hasten to prayer.'"

3269 - And from Hudhayfah: "That the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed during a solar eclipse; he stood and proclaimed the takbir, then recited, then bowed for a duration similar to his recitation, then rose for a duration similar to his bowing, then bowed for a duration similar to his recitation. He performed this for four bowings before performing two prostrations. Then he rose for the second rak'ah and did the same, and he did not recite between the bowings."

3270 - And on the authority of Samurah, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to say: "Indeed, the sun and the moon do not eclipse because of the death of any one of you, but rather they are two signs among the signs of Allah by which He calls His servants to seek His pleasure, that He may observe who fears Him and who remembers Him. So, when you see that, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and remember Him."

3271 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "The sun eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), and they said: 'Magic of the sun.' So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) recited: {The Hour has drawn near and the moon has split. And if they see a sign, they turn away and say, 'Continuous magic.'} [Al-Qamar: 1-2]."

3272 - And from Samurah ibn Jundub that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to say: "Indeed, the sun and the moon do not eclipse for the death of anyone nor for any event that you bring about, but they are among the signs of Allah—Mighty and Majestic—by which His servants take heed; he who fears Him and remembers Him gives thanks. So, when you see any of the signs of Allah—Mighty and Majestic—hasten to the remembrance of Allah; so remember Him and fear Him." And he led us in prayer on the day the sun eclipsed, then he exhorted us and reminded us, then he said: "There is nothing you have seen in the world that has a color, nor anything you have been informed of regarding Paradise or the Fire, except that it has been depicted for me in the direction of this wall since I prayed this prayer of mine for you, and I looked at it depicted on the wall of the mosque."

3273 - And from Thalaba ibn Abbad al-Abdi - from the people of Basra - who said: "I witnessed one day a sermon by Samurah ibn Jundub, in which he mentioned a narration from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He said: 'While I and a boy from the Ansar were shooting at two targets of ours during the era of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), until the sun was at the height of two or three spears in the eye of the beholder, it darkened until it became as pitch black as a dark featureless land. One of us said to his companion: "Let us go to the mosque, for by Allah, this state of the sun will surely result in a matter occurring for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) concerning his nation." He said: "So we rushed to the mosque, and there he was, out in the open." He said: "And we reached the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) just as he came out to the people. He stepped forward and led us in prayer, standing for the longest I have ever seen him stand in prayer, yet we did not hear any voice from him. Then he prostrated for the longest I have ever seen him prostrate in prayer, yet we did not hear any voice from him. Then he did the same in the second unit (rak'ah). The sun's clearing coincided with his sitting in the second unit." Zuhayr said: I believe he said: "He gave the salutation of peace (taslim), then praised Allah (the Mighty and Majestic) and extolled Him, and bore witness that he is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. Then he said: 'O people, I adjure you by Allah, if you know that I have fallen short in conveying any of the messages of my Lord (the Mighty and Majestic), will you not inform me of that? (For I have conveyed the messages of my Lord as they ought to be conveyed. And if you know that I have conveyed the messages of my Lord, will you not inform me of that?)' He said: Some men stood up and said: 'We bear witness that you have indeed conveyed the messages of your Lord, advised your nation, and fulfilled what was upon you.' (Then they fell silent.) Then he said: 'To proceed: Indeed, some men claim that the eclipse of this sun, the eclipse of this moon, and the removal of these stars from their places of rising are because of the death of great men among the people of the earth; but they have lied. Rather, they are signs among the signs of Allah (the Mighty and Majestic) by which His servants take heed, to see who among them will offer repentance. And by Allah, since I stood to pray, I have seen what you will encounter of the matters of your worldly life and your hereafter. And by Allah, the Hour will not be established until thirty liars emerge, the last of whom is the one-eyed Dajjal (the Antichrist), whose left eye is obliterated as if it were the eye of Abu Yahya - [referring] to an old man from the Ansar at that time who was between him and Aisha’s chamber. Whenever he emerges, he will claim that he is Allah. Whoever believes in him, affirms him, and follows him, no good deed he performed previously will benefit him. And whoever disbelieves in him and rejects him, he will not be punished for any of his [previous] deeds - and Hasan said: for any of his deeds performed previously. He will prevail - or he said: he shall prevail - over the whole earth except for the Sanctuary (al-Haram) and Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis). He will besiege the believers in Jerusalem, and they will be shaken with a severe shaking. Then Allah (Exalted and Majestic) will destroy him, until the base of a wall - or he said: the root of a wall - (Hasan al-Ashyab said: and the root of a tree) will call out - or he said: say: "O believer - or he said: O Muslim - here is a Jew - or he said: here is a disbeliever - come and kill him."' He said: 'And that will not occur until you see matters whose severity increases within yourselves, and you ask amongst yourselves: "Did your Prophet mention anything of this to you?" And until mountains move from their places, then after that is the taking [of souls].'" He said: Then he witnessed another sermon by Samurah in which he mentioned this narration, and he did not bring forward a word nor delay it from its place. I said: Some of it is in the Sunan regarding eclipses.

3274 - And on the authority of 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir, who said: "When Ibrahim passed away, the sun eclipsed. So the people said: 'The sun has eclipsed due to the death of Ibrahim.' Then the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Indeed, the sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah; they do not eclipse for the death of anyone nor for his life. So if you see that, then hasten to prayer.'" Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3275 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "The moon eclipsed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)." He said: Then he mentioned something similar to the hadith of Ibn Jurayj. Transmitted by Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir.

3276 - And on the authority of Musa ibn 'Abd al-Rahman, from Umm Sufyan, that a Jewish woman used to enter upon 'A'isha and converse with her, and whenever she stood up to leave, she would say: "May Allah protect you from the punishment of the grave." When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) arrived, she informed him of that, and he said: "She has lied; that is only for the People of the Book." Then the sun eclipsed, and he said: "I seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the grave." He then pronounced the Takbir and stood, prolonging the standing; then he bowed and prolonged the bowing; then he raised his head and stood, prolonging the standing; then he bowed and prolonged the bowing, and it was less than the first bowing; then he performed two bowings and two prostrations, reciting during them the equivalent of his standing and his bowing.

3277 - And on the authority of Abu al-Darda, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to take refuge in the mosque whenever there was a night of strong wind until the wind subsided; and if an event occurred in the sky such as a solar or lunar eclipse, he would take refuge in prayer until it cleared."

3278 - On the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Your Lord—Mighty and Majestic—said: 'If My servants were to obey Me, I would have provided them rain by night and made the sun rise upon them by day, and I would not have made them hear the sound of thunder.'" Narrated by Ahmad and al-Bazzar, and he added to it: And the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Renew your faith." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, how do we renew our faith?" He said: "Renew your faith by saying: 'There is no god but Allah'."

3279 - And on the authority of Anas, that the Prophet (pbuh) was such that whenever the wind blew violently, that would be recognized in his face.

3280 - And from Mu'awiyah al-Laythi, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "People will be suffering from drought, then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, sends down upon them provision from His provision, yet they become polytheists." It was said to him: "And how is that, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "They say: 'We have been given rain by such and such star constellation.'"

3281 - And it is narrated on the authority of Abu al-Darda, who said: "A drought occurred during the time of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), so we asked the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) to pray for rain for us, and he prayed for rain. The following morning, the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) went out and found a group of people talking, and they said: 'We were granted rain tonight by the setting of such-and-such a star.' The Prophet of Allah (pbuh) then said: 'Allah does not bestow a blessing upon a people except that they wake up as disbelievers because of it.'"

3282 - And on the authority of Talha bin Abdullah bin Awf, who said: "I asked Ibn Abbas about the Sunnah regarding the prayer for rain (al-Istisqa), and he said: 'The Sunnah in the prayer for rain is like the Sunnah in the Eid prayer; the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) went out to pray for rain, so he prayed two rak'ahs, reciting in both of them, and he performed seven takbirs in the first and five takbirs in the second.'"

3283 - And on the authority of Anas bin Malik, who said: "The people suffered from drought during the era of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). The Muslims came to him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, the rain has ceased, the trees have withered, the livestock have perished, and the people are in distress; so pray to your Lord for rain for us.' He said: 'When it is such and such a day, come out, and bring out charity with you.' When that day arrived, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and the people went out, walking while tranquility and dignity were upon them, until he reached the prayer area. Then the Prophet (pbuh) stepped forward and led them in two rak'ahs, reciting the Quran loudly in them. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to recite in the two 'Eids and in the rain-seeking prayer, in the first rak'ah: 'The Opening of the Book' and 'Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,' and in the second rak'ah: 'The Opening of the Book' and 'Has there come to you the news of the Overwhelming?' When he finished his prayer, he turned his face toward the people, inverted his cloak, then knelt on his knees, raised his hands, and uttered the Takbir before seeking rain. Then he said: 'O Allah, grant us rain that is relieving, helpful, widespread, fertile, grand, abundant, covering, drenching, pleasant, productive, nourishing, heavy, all-encompassing, pouring, plentiful, continuous, flowing, beneficial and not harmful, swift and not delayed. O Allah, bring life to the lands through it, and relieve the servants with it, and make it a sufficiency for the city-dweller and the desert-dweller among us. O Allah, send down upon us in our land its adornment, and send down upon us in our land its settlement. O Allah, send down upon us from the sky pure water, so that We may bring life thereby to a dead land and give it as drink to those We created of livestock and many people.' He said: 'They did not leave until patches of clouds appeared and joined together, then it rained upon them for seven days and their nights, without ceasing over Madinah.'"

3284 - And on the authority of Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh and Anas, who both said: "Whenever the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed for rain, he said: 'O Allah, grant us a rain that is tranquil and beneficial, by which wealth and souls are satiated; a rain that is wholesome, productive, covering, and all-encompassing, through which our desert-dwellers and city-dwellers find abundance; by which You send down from the blessings of the heaven and bring forth for us from the blessings of the earth, and make us—at its occurrence—among the grateful; indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.'"

3285 - And from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (pbuh) sought rain and said: "O Allah, grant us a rain that is a relief, wholesome, covering, immediate and not delayed, beneficial and not harmful." We did not wait long before it rained upon us until everything flowed, until they came to him and said: "We have surely drowned." So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "O Allah, around us and not upon us."

3286 - And from Abu Umama (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stood in the mosque during the forenoon and proclaimed the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) three times, then said: "O Allah, grant us rain" — three times — "O Allah, provide us with clarified butter, milk, fat, and meat." At that time, we did not see any cloud in the sky, but then a wind and dust arose, then clouds gathered, and the sky poured down rain. The people of the markets cried out and rushed toward the porticoes of the mosque and to their homes while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) remained standing. The roads flooded, and we saw that rain on the tips of the hair of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and on his shoulders and shoulder blades, as if it were pearls. Then the Prophet (pbuh) departed, and I departed, walking at his pace, while he was saying: "This has most recently come from its Lord." Abu Umama said: I never saw a year with more clarified butter, milk, fat, and meat; it was so abundant in the streets that almost no one would buy it. Then he turned toward the men and exhorted them and forbade them, then he turned toward the women and exhorted them and was firm with them regarding the use of silk and gold. A man from the tribe of Bani 'Amir approached and said: "O Messenger of Allah, it has reached us that you have been strict regarding the wearing of silk and gold. By Him who sent you with the truth, I love beauty, to the extent that out of my love for beauty, I have made the handle of this whip of mine from leopard skin." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) then said: "Indeed, Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. Rather, pride is for one to disregard the truth and look down upon people with his eyes."

3287 - And from Umar bin Kharijah bin Sa'd, from his grandfather Sa'd, that a group of people complained to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about the lack of rain, so he commanded them to kneel on their knees, and they knelt. He said: "Say: O Lord!" and they did so, then they were granted rain until they wished for it to be cleared from them. This is his wording according to Al-Bazzar. And Al-Tabarani said in Al-Awsat: Amir bin Kharijah bin Sa'd, from his father, from his grandfather Sa'd, that a group of people complained to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about the lack of rain, so he said: "Kneel on your knees and say: O Lord, O Lord," and he raised his index finger toward the sky, then they were granted rain until they wished for it to be cleared from them.

3288 - And from Raqiqah bint Abi Sayfi ibn Hashim—and she was the mother of Abd al-Muttalib—she said: Consecutive years of drought came upon Quraysh, which dried up the udders and made the bones thin. While I was sleeping in grief—or grieving—behold, a caller shouted in a hoarse voice, saying: "O people of Quraysh, indeed this Prophet is about to be sent; his days have shaded you, and this is the time of his appearance. So, hasten to life and fertility. Look for a man among you who is of noble standing, great, of large stature, fair, and radiant, having long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, smooth cheeks, and a high bridge of the nose. He possesses a pride that he restrains, and a path to which he guides. Let him and his descendant come forth, and let a man from every clan descend to him. Let them sprinkle water, touch perfume, and touch the Corner. Then let them ascend Abu Qubays, then let the man pray and the people say 'Amen,' and you shall be given relief as much as you wish." I woke up—God knows—my skin shivering and my mind bewildered. I related my vision and it spread through the valleys of Mecca. By the Sacred Precinct and the Sanctuary, there was no valley left but that it said: "This is Shaybah al-Hamd." The men of Quraysh gathered to him, and a man from every clan descended to him. They sprinkled water, walked, and touched the Corner, then they ascended Abu Qubays and lined up around him until they reached the peak of the mountain. Abd al-Muttalib stood up, and with him was the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), a boy who had reached adolescence or was close to it. He raised his hands and said: "O Allah, Healer of poverty, Remover of distress, You are a Teacher who was not taught, and the One asked who is not stingy. And these are Your male servants and female servants, at the courtyards of Your Sanctuary, complaining to You of their drought, which has destroyed the camels and the cattle. O Allah, send down upon us a heavy, abundant, and beneficial rain." By the Lord of the Kaaba, they had not moved before the sky burst forth with its water, and the valley overflowed with its pouring stream. I heard the elders and notables of Quraysh—Abdullah ibn Jud'an, Harb ibn Umayyah, and Hisham ibn al-Mughirah—saying to Abd al-Muttalib: "Congratulations to you, O Father of the Valley!" And regarding that, Raqiqah bint Abi Sayfi said:
For the sake of Shaybah al-Hamd, Allah gave water to our land, when we had lost life and the rain had ceased.
A dark cloud poured forth its water in streams, gushing, so the livestock and trees lived by it.
A favor from Allah through the one whose omen is blessed, and the best of those of whom Mudar was ever given glad tidings.
Blessed in his affair, the clouds are sought for rain through him; there is none among mankind equal or comparable to him.

3289 - And on the authority of Abu Lubaba bin Abd al-Mundhir, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed for rain. Abu Lubaba bin Abd al-Mundhir said: 'O Messenger of Allah, the dates are in the drying yards (al-marabid).' Thereupon he (pbuh) said: 'O Allah, give us rain until Abu Lubaba stands naked and plugs the drainage of his drying yard with his waist-wrap.' At that time, we did not see any clouds in the sky, then it rained. So the people gathered around Abu Lubaba and said: 'It will not stop raining until you stand naked and plug the drainage of your drying yard with your waist-wrap.' So he did so, and the sky cleared."

3290 - And it is narrated on the authority of Ibn Umar—may Allah the Exalted be pleased with them both—who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to say, when he saw rain: 'O Allah, let it be a beneficial downpour.'"

3291 - And on the authority of Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (pbuh) used to supplicate when seeking rain: "O Allah, send down upon our land its blessing, its adornment, and its tranquility." And in a narration: "And provide for us, for You are the best of providers."

3292 - On the authority of al-Shifa' Umm Sulayman, that the Prophet (pbuh) prayed for rain on Friday in the mosque and raised his hands and said: "Ask forgiveness of your Lord; indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver," and he turned his cloak over.

3293 - And on the authority of Samurah - may Allah the Exalted be pleased with him - that the Prophet (pbuh) used to raise his hands when he delivered a sermon until the whiteness of his armpits was visible.

And from 'Abdullah bin Yazid al-Khatimi that Ibn al-Zubayr went out to perform the prayer for rain with the people, so he delivered a sermon and then prayed without an Adhan or an Iqamah; and among the people on that day were al-Bara' bin 'Azib and Zayd bin Arqam.

3295 - And on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to say, when rain befell them in Medina and the water spouts flowed: "There shall be no drought upon you this year."

3296 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "The downpour is only from here," and he pointed with his hand toward the sky.

3297 - On the authority of Sa'd ibn Ibrahim—meaning the son of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf (may Allah be pleased with them both)—who said: "I was sitting beside Humayd ibn 'Abd al-Rahman when a handsome old man from the tribe of Banu Ghifar passed by, and in his ears was deafness—or he said: a heaviness. Humayd sent for him, and when he approached, he said: 'O nephew, make room for him between me and you, for he indeed accompanied the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).' So he came and sat between me and him. Humayd then said to him: 'Relate to me the narration that you told me from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).' The old man said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: "Indeed, Allah—Mighty and Majestic—originates the clouds, and they speak with the finest speech and laugh with the finest laughter."'"

3298 - And on the authority of Sabrah bin Ma'bad, who said: "The companions of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw a cloud and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we were hoping that this cloud would rain upon us.' So he said: 'Indeed, this [cloud] has been commanded to rain upon Balayl' - meaning a valley called Balayl."

3299 - And on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "The south wind does not stir a cloud from the depth of a valley but that it causes it to flow with rain."

3300 - And on the authority of Aisha, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "If a cloud arises from the sea and then moves toward the North, then it is an abundant source of rain."

3301 - On the authority of Abu al-Darda’, who said: "My close friend (pbuh) exhorted me with three things: fasting three days of every month, the Witr prayer before sleeping, and the two Rak'ahs of Fajr."

3302 - And on the authority of Ibn 'Umar, who said: A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, direct me to a deed through which Allah may benefit me?" He (pbuh) said: "You must observe the two rak'ahs of Fajr, for indeed in them is great merit."

3303 - And from Ibn 'Umar, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: "Do not abandon the two rak'ahs that are before the Fajr prayer, for in them are the desired rewards." And I heard him say: "Do not disown your child, lest Allah disgrace you before the heads of all creation just as you disgraced him in this world." And I heard him say: "Do not die while you owe a debt, for indeed there are only good deeds and bad deeds; there is no dinar nor dirham there for recompense or repayment, and Allah does not wrong anyone."

3304 - And from a man from the people of Sana’a, who said: We were in Mecca and we sat with ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani beside the wall of the Mosque, but we did not ask him anything and he did not narrate to us. He said: Then we sat with Ibn ‘Umar—may Allah be pleased with them both—in a gathering similar to this one of yours, and we did not ask him and he did not narrate to us. So he said: What is the matter with you that you do not speak nor remember Allah? Say: Allah is Most Great, all praise is due to Allah, and Glory be to Allah and with His praise; for one there are ten, and for ten there are a hundred. Whoever increases, Allah increases for him, and whoever remains silent, Allah forgives him. Shall I not inform you of five things I heard from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)? We said: Yes indeed. He said: ...and the two rak‘ahs of Fajr; be diligent in observing them, for in them are the desired rewards.

3305 - And on the authority of Ibn Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "'Say: He is Allah, [who is] One' is equivalent to a third of the Quran, and 'Say: O disbelievers' is equivalent to a fourth of the Quran." And he used to recite both of them in the two rak'ahs of Fajr, and he said: "In these two rak'ahs is the desire of the lifetime."

3306 - And on the authority of Anas, that the Prophet (pbuh) used to recite in the two rak'ahs of Fajr: "Say, O disbelievers" [Al-Kafirun: 1], and "Say, He is Allah, [who is] One" [Al-Ikhlas: 1].

3307 - And according to Anas as recorded by Al-Bazzar: "That the Prophet (pbuh) used to pray two rak'ahs after the Witr prayer, reciting in them: {Say, 'O disbelievers'} [Al-Kafirun: 1], and {Say, 'He is Allah, [who is] One'} [Al-Ikhlas: 1]."

3308 - And from Abdullah bin 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "There is no prayer before Fajr except for the two rak'ahs of Fajr."

3309 - And on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "When dawn rises, there is no prayer except the two rak'ahs of Fajr."

3310 - And from Abdullah bin Amr: "That the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to, when he prayed the two rak'ahs of Fajr, lie down on his right side."

3311 - And from Aisha, she said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray the two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer (Fajr), then he would say: 'O Allah, Lord of Jibril and Mika’il, and Lord of Israfil, and Lord of Muhammad, I seek refuge in You from the Fire,' then he would depart for his prayer."

3312 - And on the authority of Usama bin Umair, that he prayed the two rak'ahs of Fajr with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He prayed near him, and he [the Prophet] performed two light rak'ahs, and I heard him saying: "O Lord of Jibril, Mika'il, Israfil, and Muhammad, I seek refuge in You from the Fire" - three times.

3313 - And on the authority of Abu ‘Ubaydah bin ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, who said: It was difficult for ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud to speak (after dawn) except for the remembrance of Allah.

3314 - And from 'Ata', who said: Ibn Mas'ud came out to a group of people who were talking after the dawn prayer (Fajr). He forbade them from talking and said: "You have only come for the prayer; so either pray or remain silent."

3315 - On the authority of Thawban, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to like to pray during a portion of the middle of the day. Aisha said: "O Messenger of Allah, I see that you like to pray at this hour?" He said: "The gates of heaven are opened during it, and Allah looks with mercy upon His creation; and it is a prayer that Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus used to observe regularly."

3316 - And on the authority of Abu Ayyub, who said: "When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stayed with me, I saw him consistently performing four rak'ahs before the Dhuhr prayer, and he said: 'Indeed, when the sun passes its zenith, the gates of heaven are opened, and not a single gate among them is closed until the Dhuhr prayer is offered; therefore, I love that a good deed should be raised for me during that hour.'"

3317 - And it is narrated from Abu Ayyub in al-Kabir that he said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stayed with me for a month, and I observed him when the sun declined—or passed its zenith—that if he was engaged in any worldly work, he would abandon it, and if he was sleeping, it was as if he were being awakened, so he would stand and perform a major ablution—or a minor ablution—then he would pray four units of prayer (rak'ahs), perfecting the bowing within them, completing them, performing them excellently, and remaining composed during them. When he intended to depart, I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I saw you that when the sun declined or passed its zenith, if you had any worldly work in your hand, you abandoned it, or if you were sleeping, it was as if you were being awakened, then you would perform a major or minor ablution and pray four rak'ahs, completing them, remaining composed in them, and performing them excellently?' The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Verily, the gates of heaven and the gates of Paradise are opened at that hour, and no one [ordinarily] fulfills this prayer, so I loved that some good from me should ascend to my Lord at that hour.'"

3318 - And from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to go out to some of the orchards of Medina when the day reached its midpoint, and his means of purification would have been prepared for him there. If he had a need, he would fulfill it; otherwise, he would perform purification. When the sun had declined from the zenith of the sky by the measure of a sandal strap, he would stand and pray four units (rak'ahs), without reciting the Tashahhud between them, offering the salutation (Taslim) at the end of the four units. Then he would stand and come to the mosque. Ibn Abbas said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is this prayer that you perform and we do not?" Ibn Abbas said (quoting the Prophet): "Whoever from my nation performs them has indeed enlivened his night; it is an hour in which the gates of heaven are opened and supplication is answered."

3319 - And on the authority of Safwan, from the Prophet (pbuh): "Whoever prays four [rak'ahs] before Dhuhr, they shall be for him like the reward of ten slaves" - or he said: "four slaves from the descendants of Ismail (pbuh)."

3320 - And on the authority of Ayman, the freed slave of Ibn Abi 'Amrah, who said: "I entered upon 'A'ishah while I was then a slave before I was manumitted, and I said to her: 'O Mother of the Believers, at what hour did the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) pray the most?' She said: 'The decline of the sun until it inclines.'"

3321 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: "I never went out in the midday heat except that I found the Prophet (pbuh) praying."

3322 - And on the authority of al-Bara' ibn 'Azib, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Whoever prays four rak'ahs before Dhuhr, it is as if he performed Tahajjud with them during his night; and whoever prays them after 'Isha', it is like their equivalent during Laylat al-Qadr."

3323 - And on the authority of al-Bara', that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray four rak'ahs before the Dhuhr prayer.

3324 - And on the authority of Bashir bin Abi Salman, from a Sheikh from among the Ansar, from his father, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Whoever prays four rak'ahs before the Dhuhr prayer, it is equivalent to freeing a slave from the descendants of Ishmael."

3325 - And from Bashir ibn Salman, from 'Amr al-Ansari, from his father, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "The same as it."

3326 - And on the authority of Abu Musa, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever prays the Duha prayer and four rak'ahs before the Duha prayer, a house will be built for him in Paradise."

3327 - And on the authority of Abd al-Rahman ibn Humayd, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "The prayer of al-Hajir is like the night prayer." Then I asked Abd al-Rahman ibn Humayd about al-Hajir, and he said: "When the sun has passed its meridian."

3328 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Budayl, who said: The person most closely connected to Abdullah bin Mas'ud narrated to me that whenever the sun passed its zenith, he [Ibn Mas'ud] would stand and perform four rak'ahs, reciting in them two surahs from the Mi'un. Then, when the Mu'adhins responded to one another, he would fasten his garments and go out to the prayer.

3329 - And from al-Aswad, Murrah, and Masruq, who said: 'Abdullah said: "Nothing of the daytime prayer equals the night prayer except for four [rak'ahs] before Dhuhr; and their excellence over the daytime prayer is like the excellence of congregational prayer over the prayer of an individual."

3330 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah: "That the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray between Dhuhr and Asr."

3331 - On the authority of Maymunah, she said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray two rak‘ahs before the ‘Asr prayer."

3332 - And on the authority of Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever consistently performs four rak'ahs before the Asr prayer, Allah (the Mighty and Sublime) will build for him a house in Paradise." Reported by Abu Ya'la.

3333 - And from Umm Salama, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Whoever prays four rak'ahs before Asr, Allah forbids his body from the Fire." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have seen you praying [them] and leaving [them]!" He said: "I am not like one of you."

3334 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As, who said: "I arrived while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was sitting among a group of his companions, including Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). I caught the end of the discourse while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was saying: 'Whoever prays four units (rak'ahs) before the Asr prayer, the Fire shall not touch him.'"

3335 - And on the authority of Ali bin Abi Talib, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "My nation will not cease praying these four rak'ahs before the Asr prayer until it walks upon the earth forgiven (with forgiveness) definitively."

3336 - On the authority of Urwa ibn al-Zubayr, who said: "Umar went out to the people and struck them for [performing] the two prostrations (rak'ahs) after the Asr prayer until he passed by Tamim al-Dari, who said: 'I shall not abandon them; I prayed them with one who is better than you, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).' Umar replied: 'If the people were like you, I would not mind.'"

3337 - And on the authority of Urwa, who said: "Tamim al-Dari informed me—or I was informed—that Tamim al-Dari performed two rak'ahs after Umar ibn al-Khattab's prohibition of prayer after the Asr prayer. Umar came to him and struck him with a whip, so Tamim signaled to him to sit while he was in his prayer. Umar sat until Tamim finished his prayer, then he said to Umar: "Why did you strike me?" He replied: "Because you performed these two rak'ahs when I have forbidden them." He said: "I have indeed prayed them with one who is better than you: the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)." Umar then said: "O people, there is no sin upon me, but I fear that a people will come after me who will pray between Asr and Maghrib until they pass through the hour in which the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) strictly forbade prayer. Pray between Zuhr and Asr (then they will say: We saw so-and-so and so-and-so praying after Asr)."

3338 - On the authority of Zaid bin Khalid al-Juhani, that Umar bin al-Khattab saw him, while he was the Caliph, performing two rak'ahs after the 'Asr prayer. He walked toward him and struck him with a whip while he was praying as he was. When he finished, Zaid said: "O Commander of the Faithful, by Allah, I will never abandon them hereafter, for I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) praying them." He said: Then Umar sat down next to him and said: "O Zaid bin Khalid, were it not that I fear that people would take it as a ladder to praying until the night, I would not have struck for them."

3339 - On the authority of Abu Musa, that he saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) praying two rak'ahs after the 'Asr prayer. Narrated by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat and Al-Kabir, and he added: Abu Diras said: "I saw Abu Bakr bin Abi Musa praying them and he would say: 'I saw Abu Musa praying them and he would say: Verily, the Prophet (pbuh) used to pray them in the house of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her).'"

And on the authority of Abdullah bin al-Harith bin Nawfal, who said: Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan led us in the Asr prayer, then he sent a messenger to Maimunah and followed him with another man. She said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was equipping an expedition, and he did not have any mounts from the charity livestock. So he sat distributing them among them, and they detained him until they pressed the time of Asr. He used to pray two rak'ahs before Asr, and whatever else Allah willed. So he prayed Asr, then he returned and prayed what he used to pray before it. Whenever he performed a prayer or did an action, he loved to maintain it regularly.

3341 - And on the authority of Maymunah: "that the Prophet (pbuh) missed the two rak'ahs of Asr, so he prayed them afterward."

3342 - And on the authority of 'Aishah, she said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) missed two rak'ahs before the 'Asr prayer, so when he finished, he prayed them, then he did not pray them thereafter."

3343 - And on the authority of Umm Salama, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed the Asr prayer, then he entered my house and prayed two rak'ahs. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you have performed a prayer that you were not used to performing?' He said: 'Some wealth arrived and distracted me from the two rak'ahs I used to pray after Zuhr, so I have prayed them now.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, should we make them up if they are missed?' He said: 'No.'"

3344 - On the authority of Qabisah bin Dhu'ayb, that Aisha informed the family of Al-Zubayr that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed two rak'ahs in her presence after the Asr prayer, so they used to pray them. Qabisah said: Then Zaid bin Thabit said: May Allah forgive Aisha; we are more knowledgeable of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) than Aisha. That was only because a group of Bedouins came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) at midday, and they sat questioning him while he provided them with religious verdicts until he performed the Dhuhr prayer and did not pray—meaning the voluntary prayers after it. Then he continued sitting and providing them with verdicts until he performed the Asr prayer, after which he returned to his house and remembered that he had not prayed anything after Dhuhr, so he prayed them after Asr. We are more knowledgeable of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) than Aisha; the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prohibited prayer after Asr.

3345 - And from Zaid bin Thabit that the Prophet (pbuh) forbade praying when the horn of the sun rises or when its horn sets; indeed, it rises between the two horns of a devil, or between the two horns of the Devil.

3346 - And on the authority of Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal, that he asked the Prophet (pbuh), saying: "O Prophet of Allah, I am asking you about that which you are knowledgeable of and I am ignorant of: Is there an hour during the night and the day in which you dislike prayer?" The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "When you have prayed the morning prayer (Subh), then refrain from prayer until the sun rises. When it has risen, then pray, for the prayer is attended and accepted until it [the sun] stands level over your head like a spear. When it is level over your head, that is the hour in which Hell is stoked and its gates are opened, until it [the sun] declines from your right eyebrow. When it has declined from your right eyebrow, then pray, for the prayer is attended and accepted until you pray the afternoon prayer (Asr)."

3347 - And on the authority of Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: "There are two prayers after which no prayer is to be performed: the Subh prayer until the sun rises, and the 'Asr prayer until the sun sets."

3348 - And from Murrah ibn Ka'b—or Ka'b ibn Murrah al-Sulami—Shu'bah said: Mansur narrated to me from Salim, from Murrah or Ka'b, who said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh): 'At what part of the night is [one's supplication] most heard?' He replied: 'The middle of the latter part of the night.' Then he said: 'Prayer is accepted until dawn breaks, then there is no prayer until the sun rises and is at the height of a spear or two. Then prayer is accepted until the shadow stands [directly] as a spear, then there is no prayer until the sun declines from its zenith. Then prayer is accepted until the Asr prayer is performed, then there is no prayer until the sun sets.'" Then he mentioned the hadith.

3349 - And on the authority of Abu Umama, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Do not pray at the rising of the sun, for it rises between the two horns of a devil, and every disbeliever prostrates to it; nor at its setting, for it sets between the two horns of a devil, and every disbeliever prostrates to it; nor at midday, for it is at the time of the heating of Hellfire."

3350 - And from Samurah, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Do not pray when the sun rises nor when it sets, for it rises between the two horns of Satan and sets between the two horns of Satan."

3351 - And on the authority of Salama bin al-Akwa', who said: "I used to travel with the Prophet (pbuh), and I never saw him pray after Asr nor after Subh ever." It was reported by Ahmad and al-Tabarani in al-Awsat.

3352 - And from Sa'id bin Nafi', who said: Abu Bashir al-Ansari, a companion of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), saw me while I was praying the Duha prayer when the sun had just risen, so he criticized me and forbade me, and said: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Do not pray until the sun has risen high, for it rises between the two horns of Satan."

3353 - And on the authority of Sa‘id ibn Nafi‘, who said: "Abu al-Yusr saw me while I was performing the Duha prayer, so he forbade me and then said: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Do not pray when the sun rises, for it rises between the two horns of a Satan.'"

3354 - And on the authority of Bilal, who said: "Prayer was not forbidden except at the rising of the sun, for it rises between the two horns of a devil."

3355 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) addressed them while he was leaning his back against the Ka'bah and said: "There is no prayer after 'Asr until the sun sets."

3356 - And from Hayyi ibn Ya'la ibn Umayyah, he said: I saw Ya'la praying before the sun rose. He said: A man said to him—or it was said to him—: "You are a man from the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), yet you pray before the sun rises!" Ya'la said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: "Indeed, the sun rises between the two horns of a devil." Ya'la said: "For it to rise while you are engaged in the matter of Allah is better than for it to rise while you are distracted."

3357 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Rabah, from a man among the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed the Asr prayer, then a man stood up to pray, and Umar saw him and said to him: "Sit down, for the People of the Book only perished because there was no distinction between their prayers."

3358 - And from 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Verily, the sun rises, when it rises, between the two horns of a devil." He said: "So we were forbidden from praying at the rising of the sun, at its setting, and at midday."

3359 - And on the authority of Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Do not pray at the rising of the sun, nor at its setting, for it sets and rises upon the horn of Satan; pray between those times as you wish.

3360 - Al-Bazzar narrated it, and his wording is: That the Prophet (pbuh) prohibited prayer after the 'Asr prayer until the sun sets, and after the Fajr prayer until the sun rises.

3361 - And on the authority of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to forbid prayer at the time of the sun's rising until it had risen higher, and he would say: "Indeed, it rises with a horn of a devil," and he forbade prayer when it approached sunset.

3362 - And on the authority of Abd al-Rahman bin Awf, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was asked: "At which part of the night is [supplication] most heard?" He said: "The core of the latter part of the night; then prayer is accepted until the dawn rises. Thereafter, there is no prayer until the sun is at the height of a spear or two spears. Then prayer is accepted until the shadow stands [straight] like a spear. Thereafter, there is no prayer until the sun passes its zenith. Then prayer is accepted until the sun is at the distance of a spear or two spears [from setting]. Thereafter, there is no prayer until the sun sets." Thus he mentioned the Hadith, and it will be presented in the Book of Manumission, if Allah wills.

And from Safwan bin al-Mu'attal al-Sulami that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Indeed, when the sun rises, the devil accompanies it; when it has fully risen, he departs from it; when it approaches the meridian, he accompanies it; when it has passed the meridian, he departs from it; when it approaches setting, he accompanies it; and when it has set, he departs from it." Thus, he forbade prayer during those hours.

3364 - And on the authority of Abu Asid, that he heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: "There is no prayer after the Asr prayer."

3365 - And from Kurayb, that Ibn Abbas, al-Miswar ibn Makhramah, and Abd al-Rahman ibn Azhar said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade prayer after the 'Asr prayer."

3366 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "We were forbidden from praying at the time of sunrise and at the time of sunset."

3367 - And on the authority of Qabisah Abi al-Muhallab, on the authority of his father, on the authority of the Prophet (pbuh), that he was asked whether there is any hour of time that restrains us from prayer. He said: "No, except at the rising of the sun and at its setting, for it rises between the two horns of a devil and sets between the two horns of a devil."

3368 - And from 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: "Indeed, the sun rises between the two horns of a devil, and it does not rise the height of a reed except that a gate from the gates of Hell is opened for it; and when the day reaches its midpoint, the gates of Hell are opened for it." He said: "And 'Abdullah used to forbid prayer during these two times: when it rises until it ascends, and at midday."

3369 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade prayer at three times: at the rising of the sun until it has risen, at midday, and at the setting of the sun.

3370 - On the authority of Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas, who said: I came to the mosque while the Prophet (pbuh) was in prayer. When the Prophet (pbuh) offered the salutation, he turned toward me while I was praying. The Prophet (pbuh) began looking at me while I was praying. When I finished, he said: "Did you not pray with us?" I said: "Yes." He said: "Then what is this prayer?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah (pbuh), the two rak'ahs of Fajr; I had not prayed them." He said: and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not criticize that.

3371 - On the authority of Wathilah, who said: A questioner asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh): "What is the reason that on Friday the call to prayer is made at midday, whereas you have forbidden it on all other days?" He (pbuh) replied: "Indeed, Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - kindles Hellfire every day at midday, and He subdues it on Friday."

3372 - On the authority of Abu Dharr, that he took hold of the ring of the door of the Ka'bah and said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: "There is no prayer after Asr until the sun sets, and no prayer after Fajr until the sun rises, except in Makkah."

3373 - And on the authority of Ibn Umar who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "O children of Abd Manaf, let me not find that you prevent anyone circumambulating the House from praying at any hour he wishes, whether of the night or the day."

3374 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "O children of Abd Manaf (O children of Abd al-Muttalib), if you are put in charge of this matter, do not prevent anyone who has performed circumambulation (Tawaf) around this House from praying at whatever hour he wishes of the night or day."

3375 - And it is narrated from Amr ibn Dinar that he said: "I saw Ibn Umar circumambulate [the Ka'bah] after the dawn prayer and perform two cycles of prayer, then he said: 'Prayer is only disliked at the time of sunrise because the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Indeed, the sun rises between the two horns of a devil."'"

3376 - And on the authority of Zirr bin Hubaysh, that he accompanied Ubayy bin Ka'b and 'Abd al-Rahman bin 'Awf, and he stated that they both used to stand when the sun set and perform two rak'ahs before the Maghrib prayer.

3377 - And on the authority of 'Ubayd, the freed slave of the Prophet (pbuh), that he was asked about the prayer of the Prophet (pbuh), and he mentioned a prayer between the Maghrib and the Isha. Narrated by Ahmad.

3378 - And according to him, in a narration: That he was asked whether the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to command any prayer after the prescribed one or other than the prescribed one? He said: "Yes, between Maghrib and Isha."

3379 - And from Mahmud bin Labid, one of the Banu 'Abd al-Ashhal, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came to us in our mosque and led us in the Maghrib prayer. When he had finished it with the Taslim, he said: 'Perform these two rak'ahs in your homes,' referring to the supererogatory prayer after Maghrib." Reported by Ahmad, and its narrators are trustworthy.

3380 - And from Muhammad ibn Ammar ibn Yasir (my father narrated to me, from my grandfather) who said: "I saw Ammar ibn Yasir praying six rak'ahs after Maghrib (so I said: O my father, what is this prayer? He replied): I saw my beloved, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), praying six rak'ahs after Maghrib, and he said: 'Whoever prays six rak'ahs after Maghrib, his sins will be forgiven even if they were like the foam of the sea.'"

3381 - And from Ibn 'Abbas: that the Prophet (pbuh) used to pray two rak'ahs after Maghrib, prolonging the recitation in them until the people of the mosque would disperse. It was narrated by Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir.

3382 - And from Al-Aswad bin Yazid, who said: Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "What an excellent hour of heedlessness it is"—meaning the prayer between Maghrib and 'Isha.

3383 - And on the authority of Abd al-Rahman bin Yazid, who said: There was never a time that I came to Abdullah bin Mas'ud except that I found him praying during it, between Maghrib and Isha. So I asked Abdullah, saying: "There is never a time that I have ever come to you except that I found you praying during it." He said: "Indeed, it is an hour of heedlessness."

3384 - And from Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin 'Ali, who said: We said to 'Abdullah bin Ja'far: "Relate to us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and what you saw of him, and do not relate to us from anyone else, even if he were trustworthy." So he mentioned the hadith until he said: "And the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to recite in the two rak'ahs before Fajr and the two rak'ahs after Maghrib: {Say, O disbelievers} and {Say, He is Allah, [who is] One}."

3385 - On the authority of Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Four [rak'ahs] before the Dhuhr prayer are equivalent to four after the 'Isha prayer, and four after the 'Isha prayer are equivalent to their like on the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr)."

3386 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who attributed it to the Prophet (pbuh), that he said: "Whoever prays four rak'ahs after the final Isha prayer, reciting in the first two rak'ahs: 'Say, O disbelievers' and 'Say, He is Allah, [who is] One', and in the latter two rak'ahs: 'The Revelation of the Prostration' and 'Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion', they shall be recorded for him as four rak'ahs from the Night of Decree."

3387 - And on the authority of Ibn Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever prays the final Isha prayer in congregation and prays four rak'ahs before leaving the mosque, it would be equivalent to the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr)."

3388 - On the authority of Abu Musa, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever prays twelve rak'ahs in a day and a night, other than the obligatory prayer, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise."

And on the authority of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: "The Prophet (pbuh) used to pray eight rak'ahs of voluntary prayer during the night and twelve rak'ahs during the day."

3390 - And on the authority of Abu Umama, who said: "I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) for ten years, and his prayer every day was ten rak'ahs: two rak'ahs before Fajr, two rak'ahs before Zuhr, two rak'ahs after it, two rak'ahs after Maghrib, and two rak'ahs after 'Isha'."

3391 - And on the authority of Buraydah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Between every two calls to prayer there is a prayer, except for the Maghrib prayer."

3392 - And on the authority of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "There is no prescribed prayer except that there are two rak'ahs before it."

3393 - And from Abu 'Ubaydah, who said: The prayer of 'Abdullah during the day consisted of four rak'ahs before Zuhr and two rak'ahs after it, two rak'ahs after Maghrib, two rak'ahs after 'Isha', and two rak'ahs before Fajr; and he would not pray before 'Asr nor after it.

3394 - And from Yahya bin Abi Kathir who said: Abu Ubaydah bin ‘Abdullah wrote to me: To proceed: I am informing you of the guidance of Ibn Mas'ud, his speech regarding the prayer, and his actions. He said: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was given the comprehensive words and he used to teach us how to say in the prayer: "The greetings are for Allah, and the prayers and the good deeds. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger." Then you ask whatever occurs to you after that and desire from His mercy and His forgiveness in simple words, and do not prolong the sitting. And he used to say: "I love that your request to Him when one of you sits in the prayer and completes the greeting is to say: 'Glory be to You, there is no god but You; forgive me my sin and rectify for me my action. Indeed, You forgive sins for whom You will, and You are the Forgiving, the Merciful. O Forgiver, forgive me; O Granter of repentance, accept my repentance; O Most Merciful, have mercy on me; O Pardoner, pardon me; O Most Compassionate, show compassion to me. O Lord, inspire me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me, and endow me with the excellence of Your worship. O Lord, I ask You for all good, and I seek refuge in You from all evil. O Lord, open for me with good and seal for me with good, and grant me a longing to meet You without harmful affliction or misleading trial. And protect me from evil deeds, and whomever You protect from evil deeds on that day, You have indeed had mercy on him, and that is the great success.'" Then whatever your supplication may be, let it be in humility and sincerity, for He loves the humility of His servant to Him. Then, indeed, ‘Abdullah used to stand in the midday heat when the sun had risen and pray four units (rak'ahs), reciting in them surahs of the Quran, long and short. Then he would stay only a little while until he prayed the Dhuhr prayer, prolonging the standing in the first two units, reciting in them two surahs like Alif Lam Mim Tanzil as-Sajdah and its like from the Mathani. When he prayed Dhuhr, he would pray two units after it, then stay until the sun inclined and while there was still much daylight, he prayed the Asr prayer, reciting in the first two units two surahs from the Mathani or the Mufassal, and they were shorter than what was in the Dhuhr prayer. When he finished the Asr prayer, he did not pray after it until the sun set. When he saw it had disappeared, he prayed the Maghrib prayer, which you call ‘Isha’, and he recited in them two surahs from the short Mufassal, such as 'By the night when it covers' and 'Glorify the name of your Lord the Most High' and their like from the short Mufassal, then he would pray two units after it. He used to swear by it—something he did not swear by for any other prayer—by Allah besides whom there is no god, that this hour is the appointed time for this prayer. He would say its confirmation is: "Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed." And it is what you call the Subh prayer, and at that time the guards gather. It was hard for him to hear someone speaking at that hour except with the remembrance of Allah and the recitation of the Quran. Then he would stay after it until he prayed the Isha’ which you call the ‘Atamah, and he would recite the ends of Al-Imran: "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth..." to its end, and the ends of Surah al-Furqan: "Blessed is He who has placed in the sky constellations..." to its end, with rhythmic recitation and a beautiful voice with the Quran. He used to say: "Indeed, a beautiful voice with the Quran is an adornment for it." If he did not recite the ends of these two, he would recite something like them from the Mathani or the Mufassal. When he finished the Isha’ prayer, he would pray two units after it. He did not pray after any of the obligatory prayers except two units, except for the Friday prayer, after which he would pray four units. Until when it was the end of the night, he stood and prayed Witr whatever Allah decreed of prayer, either nine or seven or more than that. When it was the time when dawn breaks and he saw the horizon while there was still darkness of the night upon it, he stood and prayed the Subh prayer, reciting in them two long surahs like Ar-Ra'd and its like from the Mathani, until it was almost about to become bright daylight. He used to say the Takbir in every part of the prayer when he stood for it. When he raised his head, he would say: "Allah hears whoever praises Him," standing straight, then praising his Lord and glorifying Him while standing. Then he would say the Takbir for prostration as he fell down prostrating, then say the Takbir when he raised his head, then sit upright and praise his Lord and glorify Him. Then he would say the Takbir for the second prostration, then say the Takbir when he raised his head from it, then say the Takbir when he stood from the sitting position. When he prayed a prayer, he would give the Salaam twice without turning or gesturing with his hand. Then he would attend to his needs, whether they were to his right or his left. When he stood for prayer, he lowered his voice and his hands in it. Most of his speech while standing was glorification, and his glorification in it was: "Glory be to You, there is no god but You," never tiring of that.

3395 - And on the authority of Aisha, that the Prophet (pbuh) used to follow every prayer with two rak'ahs, except for the Subh prayer, which he would perform before it.

3396 - And it is narrated from Masruq who said: "I asked Aisha about the voluntary prayer of the Prophet (pbuh) during travel." She replied: "Two rak'ahs after every prayer."

3397 - And from Abu Hurairah, who said: "My close friend (pbuh) advised me with the two Rak’ahs of Fajr, for indeed in them are the treasures of the age; the two Rak’ahs of Duha, for it is the prayer of the penitent; two Rak’ahs before Dhuhr and two Rak’ahs after it; and two Rak’ahs after Asr; and two Rak’ahs after Maghrib; and two Rak’ahs after Isha; and with fasting three days of every month—he said: 'It is the fast of a lifetime'; and that I should not sleep except after performing Witr. And he said to me: 'O Abu Hurairah, pray two Rak’ahs at the beginning of the day, and I will guarantee for you its end.'"

3398 - From Abdullah bin Rabah, from a man among the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed the Asr prayer, and a man stood up to pray. Umar saw him and said to him: "Sit down, for the People of the Book perished only because there was no separation in their prayers." Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Ibn al-Khattab has done well."

3399 - On the authority of Anas bin Malik, that he never saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) perform the Dhuha prayer at all, except when departing for a journey or arriving from a journey. It was narrated by Ahmad and Abu Ya’la, except that he (Abu Ya'la) stated: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would not pray the Dhuha prayer except when arriving from a journey or departing.” Both versions were narrated by Ubaydullah bin Rawaha, who said: “Anas narrated to me.”

3400 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) pray the Duha prayer except once.

3401 - And on the authority of Abu ‘Ubaydah bin ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, that his father did not used to perform the Duha (forenoon) prayer.

3402 - And on the authority of Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunayf, who said: The first person to perform the Duha prayer was a man from the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) known by the kunya Abu al-Zawa’id.

3403 - And on the authority of Aisha, who said: "The Prophet (pbuh) did not pray the Dhuha (forenoon prayer) except on the day of the Conquest of Mecca."

3404 - And on the authority of Ali bin Abi Talib that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray during the forenoon (Duha).

3405 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sent out a military expedition, and they gained spoils and returned quickly. The people spoke about the proximity of their campaign, the abundance of their spoils, and the speed of their return. So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Shall I not direct you to a closer campaign, more abundant spoils, and a swifter return? (Whoever performs ablution and then goes out to the mosque for the Duha prayer, then he is closer in campaign, has more abundant spoils, and is swifter in return)."

And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) dispatched an expedition, and they obtained immense spoils and returned quickly. Thereupon, a man said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we have never seen an expedition return more quickly nor obtain more immense spoils than this expedition!' He (pbuh) said: 'Shall I not inform you of one whose return is even quicker and whose spoils are even more immense? A man who performs ablution (in his house) and perfects his ablution, then repairs to the mosque and performs the morning prayer therein, then follows it with the forenoon (Duha) prayer; he has indeed returned more quickly and obtained more immense spoils.'"

And on the authority of ‘A’idh bin ‘Amr, who said: "There was a scarcity of water, so the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) performed ablution and then sprinkled [the water] upon us. He said: 'And the fortunate one among us was the one whom it reached, and we do not think but that it reached all of the people.' He said: 'Then the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) led us in the Duha prayer.'"

3408 - And on the authority of 'Itban bin Malik, that the Prophet (pbuh) prayed the Duha supererogatory prayer in his house.

3409 - And on the authority of 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir al-Juhani that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah—Mighty and Sublime—says: 'O son of Adam, suffice Me at the beginning of the day with four rak'ahs, and I will suffice you through them for the end of your day.'"

3410 - And on the authority of Abu al-Darda' that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah - Mighty and Majestic - says: 'O son of Adam, do not fail to perform four rak'ahs at the beginning of the day, that I may suffice you for the end of it.'"

3411 - And on the authority of Abu Murrah al-Ta'ifi, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: 'O son of Adam, pray four rak'ahs for Me at the beginning of the day, and I will suffice you for the rest of it.'"

And on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Allah says: 'O Son of Adam, pray two rak'ahs for Me at the beginning of the day, and I shall guarantee for you the end of it.'"

3413 - On the authority of al-Nawwas bin Sam'an, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: "Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - said: 'O son of Adam, do not fail to perform four units of prayer at the beginning of the day, and I will suffice you for the end of it.'"

3414 - And on the authority of Abu Umamah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah says: 'O son of Adam, perform four rak'ahs for Me at the beginning of the day, and I will suffice you for its end.'"

3415 - And on the authority of Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed eight rak'ahs in Makkah on the day of its conquest, prolonging the recitation and the bowing therein."

3416 - And on the authority of Uqbah ibn Amir, that he went out with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) one day during the Expedition of Tabuk, and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sat and spoke to his companions, saying: "Whoever stands when the sun faces him, performs ablution and perfects his ablution, then stands and prays two rak'ahs, his sins shall be forgiven for him, and he shall be as on the day his mother gave birth to him."

And from Anas bin Malik: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on a journey, and he prayed the voluntary Duha prayer as eight rak'ahs. When he finished, he said: 'Indeed, I have performed a prayer of hope and fear. I asked my Lord for three things, and He granted me two and denied me one: [I asked] that He not afflict my nation with years of drought, and that He not grant their enemies dominance over them, and He granted those; and I asked Him that He not confuse them into sects, but He denied me that.'"

3418 - And on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, who said: I said to Abu Dharr: "O uncle, advise me." He said: "You have asked me regarding that which I asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about. He (pbuh) said: 'If you pray two rak’ahs of Duha, you will not be recorded among the heedless; if you pray four, you will be recorded among the worshippers; if you pray six, you will be sufficed; if you pray eight, you will be recorded among the devout; and if you pray twelve rak’ahs, a house will be built for you in Paradise. There is no day, nor night, nor hour except that Allah has a charity therein which He bestows upon whomsoever He wills of His servants; and He has not bestowed upon a servant anything like inspiring him with His remembrance.'"

3419 - And on the authority of Abu al-Darda', who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever prays two rak'ahs of Duha will not be recorded among the heedless; whoever prays four will be recorded among the worshippers; whoever prays six will be sufficed for that day; whoever prays eight, Allah will record him among the devout; and whoever prays twelve, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise. There is no day or night except that Allah has a favor that He bestows upon His servants and a charity, and Allah has not bestowed a favor upon any of His servants better than inspiring him with His remembrance."

3420 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who traced the hadith back to the Prophet (pbuh), he said: "Charity is due upon every joint of the son of Adam every day, and the two rak'ahs of the Dhuha prayer suffice for all of that."

3421 - And on the authority of Abu Umama, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "When the sun rises from its place of rising to the same extent as its state for the 'Asr prayer when it sets in its place of setting, and a man prays two rak'ahs and four prostrations, then he shall have the reward of that day." And I believe he said: "And his faults and sins are expiated for him." And I think he said: "And if he dies on that day, he enters Paradise."

3422 - And on the authority of Anas bin Malik, who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) praying the Duha prayer as six rak'ahs, and I never abandoned them thereafter." It was narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat.

3423 - And on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah, who said: "My mount failed me while I was with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), so he mounted me upon a camel. He passed by me while I was striking it at the rear of the people, so the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) struck it with a whip, and it thereafter continued to be among the foremost of the people. When we arrived in Mecca, I came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to return it to him, and I found him praying six rak'ahs."

3424 - And in a narration: "I came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to offer him a camel of mine, and I saw him praying the Dhuha prayer as six rak'ahs."

3425 - And on the authority of Abu Musa, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever prays four rak'ahs of Duha and four rak'ahs before the first [prayer], a house will be built for him in Paradise."

And from Jubayr ibn Mut'im that he saw the Prophet (pbuh) praying the Dhuha prayer.

3427 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Abi Awfa that he prayed the Duha prayer as two rak'ahs, so his wife said to him: "You have only prayed two rak'ahs?" He said: "Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed it as two rak'ahs when he was given the glad tidings of the victory and when he was given the glad tidings of the head of Abu Jahl."

3428 - And on the authority of Umm Hani', who said: "When it was the day of the Conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) called for water, and Umm Hani' and Umm Sulaym—the mother of Anas bin Malik—screened him with a cloak." Then he entered the house of Umm Hani' and prayed the Duha prayer, four rak'ahs.

3429 - And from her that the Prophet (pbuh) entered upon her on the day of the Conquest and prayed the Duha prayer as six rak'ahs.

3430 - And on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: "I used to pass by this verse and did not know what it meant—His saying: {in the evening and at sunrise} [Saad: 18]—until Umm Hani' bint Abi Talib narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) entered upon her and called for water for ablution in a large bowl in which I can still recall seeing the traces of dough. He performed ablution and then prayed the Duha prayer, then said: 'O Umm Hani', this is the Ishraq prayer.'"

3431 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would not leave the Duha prayer during travel or otherwise.

3432 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "None maintains the Duha prayer except an awwab (one who is constantly repentant)."

3433 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Indeed, in Paradise there is a gate called ad-Duha. When the Day of Resurrection comes, a caller will cry out: 'Where are those who used to be constant in performing the Duha prayer? This is your gate, so enter it by the mercy of Allah.'"

3434 - And on the authority of Ibrahim, who said: Abdullah was asked about a man who lies on his side during the two rak'ahs of the Dhuha prayer. He said: "What is the matter with one of you that he wallows like the wallowing of a donkey!?"

3435 - On the authority of Abu Tamim al-Jayshani, who said: I heard Amr ibn al-Aas saying: "A man from the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) informed me that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Indeed, Allah—Mighty and Majestic—has added a prayer for you, so perform it between the Isha prayer and the Subh prayer: the Witr, the Witr.'"
Behold, he was Abu Basra al-Ghifari. Abu Tamim said: Abu Dharr and I were sitting, and Abu Dharr took my hand and we went to Abu Basra and found him at the door adjacent to the door of Amr. Abu Dharr said: "O Abu Basra, did you hear the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: 'Indeed, Allah—Mighty and Majestic—has added a prayer for you, so perform it between the Isha prayer and the Subh prayer: the Witr, the Witr'?" He said: "Yes." Abu Dharr asked: "You heard it yourself?" He said: "Yes."

3436 - And on the authority of Abd al-Rahman ibn Rafi' al-Tanukhi, the judge of Ifriqiyah, that Mu'adh ibn Jabal arrived in al-Sham and the people of al-Sham were not praying the Witr prayer. He said to Mu'awiyah: "Why do I see that the people of al-Sham do not pray the Witr?" Mu'awiyah said: "And is that obligatory upon them?" He replied: "Yes, I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: 'My Lord—Mighty and Majestic—has added for me a prayer, and it is the Witr, between the Isha prayer until the break of dawn.'"

3437 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah has added a prayer for you, so observe it diligently; and it is the Witr." Narrated by Ahmad.

3438 - And narrated by him from him as well, he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah has forbidden for my nation intoxicants, gambling, maize-wine (al-mizr), wheat-wine (al-qinnin), (and the drum (al-kubah)), and He has added for me the Witr prayer."

3439 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever does not perform the Witr prayer is not of us."

3440 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "The Witr prayer is an obligation upon every Muslim."

3441 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came out while joy was recognizable on his face, and he said: "Indeed, Allah has added a prayer for you, and it is the Witr."

3442 - And on the authority of Amr ibn al-As and Uqbah ibn Amir al-Juhani, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), who said: "Indeed, Allah - Mighty and Majestic is He - has added for you a prayer that is better for you than red camels: the Witr; and it is between the Isha prayer until the break of dawn."

3443 - And on the authority of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, who attributed it to the Prophet (pbuh), saying: "The Witr prayer is a duty upon every Muslim; so whoever is able to pray Witr with five rak'ahs, let him do so; and whoever is unable to pray Witr with five, let him pray with three; and whoever is unable to pray Witr with three, let him pray with one; and whoever is unable to pray Witr with one, let him gesture."

3444 - And for him in al-Kabir: "The Witr is a duty; so whoever wishes may pray Witr with seven," and he mentioned it similarly.

3445 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Umar that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah is Witr (One/Odd) and He loves the witr (the odd)." Nafi' said: And Ibn Umar used not to do anything except in odd numbers.

3446 - And on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "The Witr prayer is incumbent upon the people of the Qur'an."

3447 - And on the authority of Sulayman ibn Surad, who said: The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Use the tooth-stick, cleanse yourselves, and perform the Witr prayer, for indeed Allah is Witr and He loves the Witr."

3448 - And on the authority of Ibn Umar, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: "Whoever performs the Duha prayer, fasts three days of each month, and does not abandon the Witr prayer whether traveling or resident, the reward of a martyr shall be recorded for him."

3449 - On the authority of Abu Umamah, who said: "The Prophet (pbuh) used to perform Witr with nine rak'ahs, until when he grew old and gained weight, he performed Witr with seven and prayed two rak'ahs while sitting, reciting: 'When the earth is shaken' and 'Say, O disbelievers'."

3450 - And on the authority of Abu Ayyub, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Perform the Witr prayer with five; if you are unable, then with three; if you are unable, then with one; and if you are unable, then gesture with a sign."

3451 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: I spent the night with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), and when the first dawn appeared, he stood and performed Witr with nine rak'ahs, pronouncing the salutation after every two rak'ahs.

3452 - And on the authority of Ibn Abi Awfa, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to perform the Witr prayer with three rak'ahs, reciting in the first: 'Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High', in the second: 'Say, O disbelievers', and in the third: 'Say, He is Allah, [who is] One'. Then, when he had offered the salutation, he would say: 'Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy,' and he would prolong his voice with it."

3453 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Babiyy, who said: I came to Abdullah bin 'Amr at 'Arafah and saw that he had pitched a tent in the non-sacred area (al-Hill) and a tent in the sacred precinct (al-Haram). I said to him: "Why did you do this?" He replied: "So that my prayer will be in the sacred precinct, and when I go out to my family, I will be in the non-sacred area." I asked: "How do you perform the Witr prayer?" He said: "The most pleasing Witr to me is seven; Allah created the heavens as seven, the earths as seven, and the days as seven, and He made the circumambulation (Tawaf) seven, the walking (Sa'y) between as-Safa and al-Marwah seven, and the pelting of the pebbles seven pebbles." Then he said: "Allah did not create anything on earth from Paradise except this ruby, the Black Stone; by Allah, it shall indeed be raised up before the Day of Resurrection."

3454 - And on the authority of 'Aisha, she said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "The Witr is three, like the three of Maghrib."

3455 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: The Witr of the night is like the Witr of the day, the Maghrib prayer, three.

3456 - And on the authority of Abu 'Ubaydah that 'Abdullah used to pray Witr with three rak'ahs or more.

3457 - And on the authority of Husayn, who said: It reached Ibn Mas’ud that Sa’d performs the Witr prayer with a single rak'ah. He said: "A single rak'ah has never sufficed."

3458 - And from Ibrahim, who said: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas: "Do you perform Witr with one [rak'ah]?" Sa'd replied: "Is not the Witr only one?" Abdullah said: "Yes, but three is better." He said: "Indeed, I shall not add to it." Abdullah became angry, so Sa'd said: "Are you angry with me for performing Witr with one rak'ah while you grant inheritance to three grandmothers? Why then do you not grant inheritance to Eve, the wife of Adam?!"

3459 - And from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, that the Prophet (pbuh) performed the Witr prayer with a single rak'ah.

3460 - And on the authority of Jabir bin 'Abdullah that the Prophet (pbuh) performed the Witr prayer with one rak'ah.

3461 - On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray during the night in units of two, and when morning approached, he performed the Witr prayer with one and said: 'Indeed, Allah is One and He loves the odd.'"

3462 - On the authority of 'A'ishah, she said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray in the chamber while I was in the house, and he would separate between the even and the odd prayers with a salutation that he made us hear."

3463 - And on the authority of Ibn Umar, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to separate between the even (shaf') and the odd (witr) prayers with a salutation and would let us hear it."

3464 - On the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to recite in the Witr prayer: 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High' in the first rak'ah, 'Say: O disbelievers' in the second, and 'Say: He is Allah, the One' in the third."

3465 - On the authority of Al-Nu'man ibn Bashir, who said: "I said: O Messenger of Allah, with what do you perform the Witr prayer?" He (pbuh) said: "With: {Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High}, {Say: O disbelievers}, and {Say: He is Allah, [who is] One}."

3466 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (pbuh), that he used to recite in the first rak'ah of the Witr prayer: "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High" (Surah al-A'la); and in the second: "Say, O disbelievers" (Surah al-Kafirun); and in the third: "Say, He is Allah, [the] One" (Surah al-Ikhlas) and the two chapters of seeking refuge (Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas).

3467 - And from Ibn ‘Umar, from the Prophet (pbuh), that he used to recite in the Witr: {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High}, {Say, O disbelievers}, and {Say, He is Allah, [who is] One}.

3468 - And from 'Imran bin Husayn, from the Prophet (pbuh), that he used to recite in the Witr: "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High," "Say, O disbelievers," and "Say, He is Allah, [who is] One."

3469 - And on the authority of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sabrah—meaning Abu Khaythamah—that his father asked the Prophet (pbuh) what he should recite in the Witr prayer. He said: "Recite 'Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High' in the first rak'ah, and in the second: 'Say: O disbelievers', and 'Say: He is Allah, [who is] One' in the third." And in another narration: He said: "My father and I entered upon the Prophet (pbuh)," and he mentioned something similar.

3470 - On the authority of Al-Husayn bin Ali, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) taught me words to say in the Qunut of the Witr prayer: 'O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, grant me wellbeing among those You have granted wellbeing, take me into Your care among those You have taken into Your care, bless for me what You have given, and protect me from the evil of what You have decreed, for indeed You decree and none can decree against You, and indeed, he whom You take as an ally shall not be humiliated. Blessed are You, our Lord, and Exalted.'"

3471 - And from al-Aswad, who said: Abdullah used to recite in the last rak'ah of the Witr: "Say, He is Allah, [who is] One," then he would raise his hands and perform the Qunut before the bowing.

3472 - And from al-Nakha'i that Ibn Mas'ud used to perform the Qunut throughout the entire year in the Witr prayer.

3473 - And from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Aswad, who said: 'Abdullah used not to perform the Qunut in his prayer, and if he performed the Qunut in the Witr, he performed the Qunut before the bowing.

3474 - On the authority of Abu Mas'ud 'Uqbah ibn 'Amr, from the Prophet (pbuh), that he used to perform the Witr prayer at the beginning of the night, its middle, and its end.

3475 - And on the authority of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas that he used to pray the final Isha prayer in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), then he would perform Witr with a single rak'ah, adding nothing more to it. He said: It was said to him, "Do you perform Witr with a single rak'ah, adding nothing more to it, O Abu Ishaq?" He would reply, "Yes, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: 'The one who does not sleep until he performs Witr is prudent.'"

3476 - And on the authority of Ali - may Allah be pleased with him - he said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade me from sleeping except after [praying] Witr."

3477 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Prophet (pbuh) asked Abu Bakr, saying: "How do you perform the Witr prayer?" He replied: "I perform the Witr at the beginning of the night." He said: "Cautious and astute." Then he asked Umar: "How do you perform the Witr prayer?" He replied: "In the latter part of the night." He said: "Strong and aided."

3478 - And on the authority of Uqbah bin 'Amir, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked Abu Bakr: "When do you perform the Witr prayer?" He said: "I pray two by two, then I perform Witr before I sleep." So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to him: "A cautious believer." Then he said to Umar: "How do you perform Witr?" He said: "I pray two by two, then I sleep until I perform Witr at the end of the night." The Prophet (pbuh) said: "A strong believer."

3479 - And on the authority of 'Uqbah ibn 'Amr and Abu Musa, that they both said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to perform the Witr prayer at times in the beginning of the night and at other times in its middle, so that it might be a source of ease for the Muslims."

3480 - And on the authority of Thuwair bin Abi Fakhita, from a man among the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) called Abu al-Khattab, that he asked the Prophet (pbuh) about the Witr prayer. He said: "Do you like that I pray Witr at midnight? Indeed, Allah - Mighty and Majestic - descends from the highest heaven to the lowest heaven and says: 'Is there any seeker? Is there any seeker of forgiveness? Is there any supplicant?' until when dawn breaks, He ascends."

3481 - And from 'Alqama, who said: A man came to 'Abdullah and said: "Inform us, when did the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) perform the Witr prayer?" He said: "When there remained of the night approximately the same amount as what had passed of it until the Maghrib prayer." Then they asked him about his recitation, and he said: "He used to let the people of the house hear him."

3482 - And on the authority of al-Aswad ibn Hilal, who said: I bear witness regarding 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, and I indeed heard him announcing it loudly: The Witr prayer is between the two prayers; the latter 'Isha' prayer, which you call al-'Atamah, and the Fajr prayer. Whenever you perform the Witr, it is good.

3483 - And on the authority of 'Abd Khayr, who said: "We were in the mosque when 'Ali came out to us in the latter part of the night and said: 'Where is the one asking about the Witr?' So we gathered around him, and he said: 'Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) performed the Witr at the beginning of the night, then he performed the Witr in its middle, then he performed the Witr at this hour, and he passed away while he was performing the Witr at this hour.'"

3484 - And from Ali bin Abi Talib that he used to go out when Ibn al-Tayyah called the Adhan at the first dawn, and he would say: "What an excellent hour for the Witr prayer this is," and he would interpret this verse: {And by the dawn when it breathes} [At-Takwir: 18].

3485 - On the authority of Ibn Umar that whenever he was asked about the Witr prayer, he said: "As for me, if I performed the Witr before I slept and then desired to pray during the night, I would make the Witr I had already performed even by adding one rak'ah to it, then I would pray in units of two, and when I finished my prayer, I would perform Witr with a single rak'ah (for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded that the last prayer of the night be the Witr)."

3486 - And on the authority of Ata' ibn al-Sa'ib, from more than one of the companions of Abdullah, that Ibn Mas'ud used to say: If one of you performs the Witr prayer, then sleeps and wakes up, let him break his Witr; let him pray another rak'ah for it, then let him perform Witr after that.

3487 - And on the authority of Thawban, who said: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on a journey, and he said: 'Indeed, this journey is a strain and a burden; so when one of you performs the Witr prayer, let him pray two rak'ahs. Then, if he wakes up [he may pray more], otherwise they shall count for him.'"

3488 - From al-Agharr al-Muzani that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whoever reaches the morning and has not prayed Witr, there is no Witr for him."

3489 - And from al-Agharr al-Muzani, that a man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said: "O Prophet of Allah, I have reached the morning and I have not performed the Witr." He said: "The Witr is only at night." The man said: "O Prophet of Allah, I have reached the morning and I have not performed the Witr." He said: "Then perform the Witr."

3490 - And on the authority of Abu Nahik that Abu al-Darda' used to address the people saying: "There is no Witr prayer for the one who has reached the morning." So, a group of men from among the believers went to Aisha and informed her of this, and she said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would reach the morning and then perform the Witr prayer."

3491 - And on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who said: It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, is the Witr performed after the morning Adhan?" So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Perform the Witr before the Adhan." He said: And the Adhan of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to be after the break of dawn. They said: "Witr after the Adhan?" So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Perform the Witr before the Adhan." Then they said for the third time: "Witr after the Adhan?" So he said: "Perform the Witr after the Adhan," granting them a concession.

And from 'Urwah bin al-Zubayr, who said: Ibn Mas'ud used to pray the Witr after the break of dawn, and my father used to pray the Witr before the break of dawn.

3493 - And on the authority of 'Urwah ibn Mas'ud, who said: "I do not mind if the call (tathwib) for the Fajr prayer is made while I am in the middle of my daily litany (wird) and have not yet performed the Witr prayer."

3494 - On the authority of Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Pray in your houses and do not make them as graves."

3495 - And on the authority of Aisha: That the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to say: "Pray in your houses and do not make them graves for yourselves."

3496 - And on the authority of Suhayb ibn al-Nu'man, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "The excellence of a man's prayer in his house over his prayer where people see him is like the excellence of the obligatory prayer over the voluntary prayer."

3497 - And on the authority of al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Pray in your houses and do not make them graves, and do not make my house a place of recurring visitation, and send blessings and peace upon me, for indeed your prayer and your greeting of peace reach me wherever you may be."

3498 - On the authority of Aisha, she said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said: 'Whoever harms a devoted friend (Wali) of Mine, he has surely made lawful to himself My declaration of war. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything like the obligatory duties, and the servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary acts until I love him. If he asks of Me, I shall give to him, and if he calls upon Me, I shall answer him. I do not hesitate about anything I do as I hesitate about his death, because he dislikes death and I dislike to grieve him.'"

3499 - And on the authority of Abu Umamah, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), who said: "Indeed, Allah the Exalted says: 'My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory acts of worship until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his tongue with which he speaks, and his heart with which he reasons. If he calls upon Me, I answer him; if he asks of Me, I grant his request; and if he seeks My support, I support him. And the most beloved way My servant worships Me is through sincerity toward Me.'"

3500 - And he has with him, in a narration from the Prophet (pbuh), that he said: "Whoever demeans a protégé of Mine has challenged Me with hostility. O son of Adam, you shall never attain what I have except by performing what I have made obligatory upon you; and My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary deeds until I love him," and then he mentioned its meaning.

3501 - And on the authority of Abu Dharr: That the Prophet (pbuh) went out in winter while the leaves were falling, so he took hold of a branch from a tree. He said: Then those leaves began to fall away. So he said: "O Abu Dharr!" I said: "At your service, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "Indeed, when a Muslim servant performs prayer, seeking thereby the Countenance of Allah, his sins fall away from him just as these leaves fall away from this tree."

3502 - And from Mutarrif, who said: I sat with a group of people from Quraysh, and a man came and began to pray, bowing and prostrating without sitting. I said: By Allah, I do not think this man knows whether he is finishing on an even or an odd number. They said: Will you not go to him and speak to him? He said: So I stood up and said: O servant of Allah, I do not think you are finishing on an even or an odd number. He said: But Allah knows, and I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: "Whoever prostrates a single prostration to Allah, Allah writes for him a good deed for it, removes from him a sin for it, and raises him a degree for it." I said: Who are you? He said: Abu Dharr. So I returned to my companions and said: May Allah reward you as evil companions! You commanded me to teach a man from the companions of the Prophet (pbuh).
And in a narration: I saw him lengthening the standing and frequently bowing and prostrating, so I mentioned that to him. He said: I have not failed to do my best; the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) says: "Whoever bows once or prostrates once, a degree is raised for him thereby and a sin is removed from him thereby."

3503 - And from Ziyad bin Abi Ziyad, the freed slave of Banu Makhzum, from a servant of the Prophet (pbuh) - a man or a woman - who said: Among the things that the Prophet (pbuh) used to say to the servant was: "Do you have any need?" He said: Until one day he said: "O Messenger of Allah, my need." He said: "And what is your need?" He replied: "My need is that you intercede for me on the Day of Resurrection!" He said: "And who directed you to this?" He replied: "My Lord - Mighty and Sublime is He." He said: "If so, then help me by means of frequent prostration."

And from Abu Fatima, he said: The Prophet of Allah (pbuh) said to me: "O Abu Fatima, if you desire to meet me, then increase prostration."

3505 - And from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Prayer is the best [deed] prescribed; so whoever is able to perform much of it, let him do so."

3506 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) passed by a grave and said: "Who is the occupant of this grave?" They said: "So-and-so." He said: "Two rak'ahs are more beloved to this person than the remainder of your world."

3507 - And on the authority of Jabir ibn Samurah, who said: "There was a young man who used to serve the Prophet (pbuh) and would be quick in attending to his needs. So he (the Prophet) said: 'Ask me for your need.' He replied: 'Supplicate to Allah Almighty for me for Paradise.' He said: 'Then he (the Prophet) raised his head, breathed deeply, and said: "Yes, but assist me by yourself through frequent prostration."'"

3508 - And on the authority of Rabi'ah bin Ka'b, who said: "I used to serve the Prophet (pbuh) during my day, and when night came, I would seek shelter at the door of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). I would spend the night there and I would continuously hear him saying: 'Glory be to Allah, Glory be to Allah, Glory be to my Lord,' until I would grow weary or my eyes would overcome me and I would fall asleep. Then one day he said: 'O Rabi'ah, ask of me and I shall give to you.' I said: 'Give me time so that I may consider.' Then I remembered that this world is fleeting and transient, so I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I ask you to supplicate to Allah to save me from the Fire and admit me into Paradise.' The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) remained silent, then he said: 'Who commanded you to do this?' I said: 'No one commanded me to do it, but I knew that this world is transient and fleeting, and you hold a high status with Allah, so I wished for you to supplicate to Allah.' He said: 'I shall do so, then assist me by performing much prostration.'"

3509 - And on the authority of Abu al-Darda, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "I am the first who will be permitted to raise his head, so I shall raise my head and recognize my Ummah to my right and to my left." It was asked: "How will you recognize them, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "They will have radiant faces and white-blazed limbs from the traces of prostration, and their offspring's light will be before them."

3510 - And on the authority of Abdullah—meaning Ibn Mas’ud—who said: "There is no state more beloved to Allah in which to find the servant than to find him with his face covered in dust."

3511 - And on the authority of Abu Rayhanah, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and complained to him about the Quran escaping from my memory and the hardship it caused me. So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Do not take upon yourself what you cannot bear, and you must adhere to prostration."

3512 - And on the authority of Jubayr ibn Nawfal, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Allah has not granted a servant permission for anything better than two rak'ahs or more, and righteousness is scattered over the head of the servant as long as he is in prayer, and a servant does not draw near to Allah - Mighty and Majestic is He - with anything better than what came from Him - meaning the Quran."

3513 - And from Salama ibn al-Akwa', who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Be steadfast and you will not be able to encompass all, and know that the best of your deeds is the prayer, and none maintains the prayer except a believer."

3514 - And from 'Ubadah bin al-Samit, from the Prophet (pbuh) who said: "Be steadfast, and how excellent it is if you remain steadfast; and the best of your deeds is the prayer." Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir from Muhammad bin 'Ubadah from his father.

3515 - And from Malik ibn Qays, who said: "Uqbah ibn Amir came to Muawiyah while he was in Aelia, and he had not stayed long before he went out. He was sought but was not found—or he said: we sought him but did not find him—so we came to him and found him praying in an open tract of land. He said: 'What has brought you?' They said: 'We have come to renew our acquaintance with you or to fulfill your right.' He said: 'Then I have your reward; we were with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on a journey, and it was the duty of each man among us to tend the camels for one day. It was my day to tend them.' He said: 'So I brought the camels back in the evening and reached the Prophet (pbuh) while his companions had surrounded him as he was speaking.' He said: 'So I left the camels and turned towards him. I reached him while he was saying: "Whoever performs ablution and perfects the ablution, then prays two rak'ahs seeking by them the Face of Allah, Allah will forgive him what preceded them."' I said: 'Allah is the Greatest!' He said: 'Then a man tapped my shoulder, and I turned around to find it was Abu Bakr.' He said: 'O Ibn Amir, what preceded this was even better.' I asked: 'What was before it?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allah, his heart confirming his tongue, shall enter through whichever of the gates of Paradise he wills."'"

3516 - On the authority of Abu Umamah al-Bahili, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: "The expiation for every dispute is two units of prayer."

3517 - On the authority of Jabir, who said: The night prayer was prescribed for us: "O you wrapped in garments! Stand (to pray) all night, except a little" [Al-Muzzammil: 1-2]. So we stood (in prayer) until our feet swelled. Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He, revealed the concession: "He knows that there will be among you those who are ill" [Al-Muzzammil: 20] until the end of the Surah.

3518
And on the authority of Abdullah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "The excellence of the night prayer over the day prayer is like the excellence of secret charity over public charity."

3519 - And from Abu Umama al-Bahili, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), who said: "You should observe the night prayer, for it was the custom of the righteous before you; it is a means of near approach to your Lord, an expiation for evil deeds, and a deterrent from sin."

3520 - And on the authority of Salman al-Farisi, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "You should perform the night prayer, for it was the custom of the righteous before you, a means of drawing near to Allah—Mighty and Majestic—an expiation for misdeeds, a deterrent from sin, and a means of repelling envy."

3521 - And on the authority of Anas that the Prophet (pbuh) used to, if the manner of a man pleased him, command him to pray.

3522 - And on the authority of Samurah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded us to pray during the night, whether a little or much, and that we make the last of that Witr. It was narrated by al-Bazzar, at-Tabarani in al-Awsat and al-Kabir, and Abu Ya'la. In a narration by al-Bazzar: That the Messenger of Allah used to command us to pray every night after the obligatory prayer, similar to it.

3523 - And on the authority of Jabir, from the Prophet (pbuh) who said: "Do not ever abandon the night prayer, even if for the duration of milking a sheep."

3524 - And on the authority of Jundub bin Sufyan, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to admire performing the night prayer (Tahajjud) for half of it, a third of it, a fourth of it, the duration between two milkings of a she-camel, or the duration between two milkings of a ewe.

3525 - And on the authority of Iyas ibn Mu'awiyah al-Muzani that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "There must be prayer at night, even if for the duration of milking a sheep; and whatever occurs after the 'Isha prayer is part of the night."

3526 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: I mentioned the night prayer, and some of them said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Half of it, a third of it, a fourth of it, the interval between two milkings of a she-camel, the interval between two milkings of a sheep."

3527 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) commanded the night prayer and encouraged it until he said: 'You must perform the night prayer, even if it is but one Rak'ah.' And the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came out and found a man performing units of prayer after the call to commence (Iqamah) the prayer had been made. He also said: 'Will you then desist? Two prayers together?'"

3528 - And on the authority of 'Ubaydah al-Mulayki, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), that he used to say: "O people of the Qur'an, do not take the Qur'an as a pillow, and recite it as it should be recited during the hours of the night and the day. And remember what is in it so that you may succeed, and do not be in haste for its reward, for indeed it has a reward."

3529 - And on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'd, who said: Gabriel came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said: "O Muhammad, live as you will, for you shall surely die; work as you will, for you shall surely be recompensed for it; love whom you will, for you shall surely part from them; and know that the honor of the believer is the night prayer, and his dignity is his independence from people."

3530 - And from Mu'adh bin Jabal, he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever among you performs the night prayer, let him recite aloud, for the angels pray with his prayer and listen to his recitation. Verily, the believing jinn who are in the air and his neighbors who are with him in his dwelling pray with his prayer and listen to his recitation. By reciting aloud, he expels from his house and the houses around him the wicked of the jinn and the rebellious devils. Verily, the house in which the Quran is recited has a pavilion of light over it, by which the inhabitants of heaven are guided, just as the luminous star guides in the depths of the seas and in the desert lands. When the companion of the Quran dies, that pavilion is raised, and the angels from heaven look down and no longer see that light. Then the angels meet him from one heaven to another, and the angels pray over his soul among the souls. Then they meet the guardian angels who were with him, and the angels seek forgiveness for him until the day he is resurrected. No man learns the Book of Allah and then prays for a portion of the night except that the past and coming night recommend that he be attentive to his hour and that it be light upon him. When he dies and his family is busy with his funeral preparations, the Quran comes in a fine and beautiful form and stands at his head until he is wrapped in his shrouds; then the Quran stays on his chest beneath the shroud. When he is placed in his grave and the earth is leveled over him and his companions depart from him, Munkar and Nakir come to him and make him sit in his grave. Then the Quran comes until it is between him and them. They say to it: 'Move aside so that we may question him.' It says: 'No, by the Lord of the Ka'bah, he is my companion and my close friend, and I shall not abandon him under any circumstance. If you have been commanded with something, then proceed with what you were commanded, and leave my place, for I shall not depart from him until I enter him into Paradise.' Then the Quran looks at its companion and says: 'I am the Quran, which you used to recite aloud and in secret, and you loved me; so I am your beloved, and whomever I love, Allah loves. There shall be no worry or grief upon you after the questioning of Munkar and Nakir.' Then Munkar and Nakir question him and ascend, and he remains with the Quran. It says: 'I shall certainly spread for you a thousand soft beds, and I shall certainly clothe you with a fine and beautiful covering, because of how I kept you awake during your nights and exhausted you during your days.' He said: Then the Quran ascends to the heaven faster than the blink of an eye and asks Allah for that for him, and He grants it. Then it descends with a million of those brought near from the sixth heaven. The Quran comes and greets him, saying: 'Did you feel lonely? Since I left you, I did nothing but speak to Allah—the Mighty and Sublime—until I prepared for you a bed, a covering, and a key. I have brought them to you, so rise so that the angels may prepare your bed.' He said: Then the angels raise him gently, then they open for him in his grave a distance of a four-hundred-year journey. Then a bed is placed for him, its lining of green silk and its stuffing of fragrant musk. Cushions of fine green silk and thick brocade are placed at his feet and his head. Two lamps from the light of Paradise are lit at his head and his feet, shining until the Day of Resurrection. Then the angels lay him on his right side facing the Qiblah. Then jasmine from Paradise is brought, and they ascend from him, and he remains with the Quran. The Quran takes the jasmine and places it on his nose, fresh, and he inhales it until he is resurrected. The Quran returns to his family and informs them every day and night, looking after them just as a compassionate father looks after his child with goodness. If one of his children learns the Quran, it brings him glad tidings of that. If his offspring are wicked, it prays for their righteousness and for their turning back," or as he mentioned.

3531 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Allah does not disappoint a person who stands in the middle of the night and begins [his prayer] with Surah al-Baqarah and Aal-Imran."

3532 - On the authority of 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Indeed, in Paradise there is a chamber whose exterior is visible from its interior, and whose interior is visible from its exterior." Abu Malik al-Ash'ari asked: "For whom is it, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "For him who speaks pleasant words, provides food, and spends the night standing in prayer while the people are asleep."

3533 - And on the authority of Abu Malik al-Ash'ari, who said: The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Indeed, in Paradise there are chambers whose interiors can be seen from their exteriors and whose exteriors can be seen from their interiors; Allah has prepared them for those who provide food, speak kindly, fast continuously, and stand in prayer at night while the people are asleep."

3534 - And on the authority of Abu Mu'aniq al-Ash'ari that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, in Paradise there are chambers whose outside can be seen from their inside, and whose inside can be seen from their outside; Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - has prepared them for those who provide food, fast continuously, and pray at night while people are asleep."

3535 - And on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever spends a night in lightness of food and drink, praying, the wide-eyed maidens of Paradise gather around him until the morning."

3536 - And on the authority of Abu al-Darda, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "There are three whom Allah loves, laughs towards, and rejoices in: the one who, when a detachment is exposed, fights behind it with his own soul for the sake of Allah the Exalted, whether he is killed or Allah grants him victory and suffices him, so He says: 'Look at this servant of Mine, how he persevered for Me with his own soul!' And the one who has a beautiful wife and a fine, soft bed, yet he rises at night, forsaking his desire and remembering Me, though had he wished, he could have slept. And the one who, when he is on a journey with a company of riders, and they stay awake then go to sleep, he rises during the pre-dawn hours in hardship and in secret."

3537 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, elevating it to the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Three whom Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - loves: A man who stood during the night reciting the Book of Allah, a man who gave charity concealing it from his left hand, and a man who was in a military detachment whose companions were defeated, so he faced the enemy."

3538 - On the authority of Ibn Mas‘ud, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Our Lord wonders at two men: a man who rose from his mattress and blanket from among his family and his beloved to his prayer, so our Lord says: 'O My angels, look at My servant; he rose from his bed and mattress from among his beloved and his family to his prayer, out of desire for what is with Me and out of apprehension of what is with Me,'" and then he mentioned the rest of the narration similarly, while abbreviating the portion regarding giving charity.

3539 - And it is reported by Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir a similar narration in a Mawquf form, except that he said: "And a man whom no one knows of, who performed the ablution thoroughly, sent blessings upon Muhammad (pbuh), praised Allah, and commenced the recitation; then Allah laughs because of him, saying: 'Look at My servant; no one sees him other than Me.'"

3540 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud that he said: "Behold, indeed Allah laughs at two men: a man who rose on a cold night from his bed, his quilt, and his covers, performed ablution, then stood for prayer. So Allah—Mighty and Majestic—says to His angels: 'What prompted this servant of Mine to do what he has done?' They reply: 'Our Lord, [it was] out of hope for what is with You and out of fear of what is with You!' He says: 'Then I have indeed granted him what he hoped for and secured him from what he fears.'"

3541 - And on the authority of Abu Sa'id, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), he said: "Indeed, Allah laughs at three individuals: a man who rose in the depth of the night, performed purification excellently and prayed; a man who fell asleep while he was prostrating; and—I think he said—a man who was in a battalion that was defeated while he was on a swift horse, and had he wished to depart, he could have departed."

3542 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Envy is only [permissible] in two cases: a man to whom Allah has given the Quran, so he stands by it [in prayer and practice], upholding its permissible matters and forbidding its prohibited matters; and a man to whom Allah has given wealth, through which he maintains ties with his relatives and kin, and acts in obedience to Allah."

3543 - And on the authority of Samurah ibn Jundub, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to say to us: "There is no envy in this world except in two cases: a man who is envied because Allah has given him abundant wealth, so he spends from it and increases his spending, and another says: 'If I had wealth, I would have spent it just as this man spends and better,' thus he envies him; and a man who recites the Quran and stands in prayer at night, while a man beside him does not know the Quran, so he envies him for his standing in prayer and for what Allah - Mighty and Majestic - has taught him of the Quran, saying: 'If Allah had taught me the like of this, I would have stood in prayer just as he stands.'"

3544 - And on the authority of Yazid bin al-Akhnas—and he was a Companion—that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "There is no rivalry among you except in two instances: a man to whom Allah has given the Quran, and he stands in prayer with it during the hours of the night and the day and follows what is in it, such that another man says: 'If Allah had given me what He gave so-and-so, I would have stood in prayer with it as he stands with it'; and a man to whom Allah has given wealth, and he spends it and gives charity, such that another man says the same as that."

3545 - And on the authority of Abu Sa'id who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "There is no envy except in two cases: a man whom Allah has given the Qur'an, so he recites it during the hours of the night and the hours of the day, and he [another] says: 'If I were given the like of what this man was given, I would do as he has done'; and a man whom Allah has given wealth, so he spends it in its rightful cause, and he [another] says: 'If I were given the like of what this man was given, I would do as he does.'"

3546 - On the authority of Abu Umamah, who said: A man from the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) while Abu Bakr and Umar were with him, and he said: "So-and-so planted a crop and it yielded manifold," or as he said. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "And what of that?! Two light units of prayer are better for you than all of that—from the world and whatever is upon it. And if you were to perform all that you have been commanded, you would have eaten without being driven by others or being wretched."

3547 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Mas’ud, that he would hardly ever fast. He said: "Indeed, when I fast, I become too weak to perform the prayer, and prayer is more beloved to me than fasting." However, if he did fast, he would fast three days of the month.

3548 - And on the authority of Abu 'Ubaydah, from his mother, who said: I never saw 'Abdullah fasting at all, except for two days, excluding Ramadan. He said: I do not know what the significance of those two days was.

3549 - And on the authority of al-Sha'bi, from his uncle, who said: I frequented Ibn Mas'ud for a year, and I never saw him fasting at all except in Ramadan, and he used to drink strong Nabidh in green jars.

3550 - And on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, who said: "Prayer is more beloved to me than fasting," and he did not use to pray the Duha prayer.

3551 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: "Indeed, as long as you are in prayer, you are knocking at the door of the King; and whoever knocks frequently at the door of the King, it is imminent that it will be opened for him."

3552 - And from Ibn Mas'ud, also reported by him: The parable of the one who persists in prayer is like the parable of the one who knocks on a door; and whoever persists in knocking on the door, it is likely that it will be opened for him.

3553 - And on the authority of al-Sha‘bi, who said: Ibn Mas‘ud did not use to pray the Duha prayer, but he would pray between the Dhuhr and ‘Asr prayers, along with a long portion of the night.

3554 - And from 'Ali bin Abi Hamlah and al-Awza'i, who both said: 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas used to perform one thousand prostrations every day.

3555 On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: A man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said: "Indeed, so-and-so prays during the night, but when morning comes, he steals!!" He said: "What he says will forbid him."

3556 - And on the authority of Jabir, who said: A man said to the Prophet (pbuh), "Indeed, so-and-so performs the prayer, yet when it is morning, he steals." He replied, "What he says shall soon restrain him."

3557 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever's prayer does not restrain him from indecency and evil, he increases in nothing from Allah except distance."

3558 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: Whoever is not commanded by his prayer to do good and forbidden by it from evil, he only increases in distance from Allah.

3559 - On the authority of Waqid, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), who said: "Whoever obeys Allah - Mighty and Majestic - has remembered Him, even if his prayer, fasting, and recitation of the Quran are little; and whoever disobeys Allah has not remembered Him, even if his prayer, fasting, and recitation of the Quran are plenty."

3560 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "There was a freedwoman belonging to the Prophet (pbuh) who would fast during the day and stand in prayer during the night. It was said to him: 'Indeed, she fasts during the day and stands in prayer during the night.' Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Verily, for every deed there is a period of zeal, and every zeal leads to a period of slackening. So, whoever's slackening is toward my Sunnah has indeed been guided, and whoever's slackening is toward something else has indeed gone astray.'"

3561 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Allah does not tire until you tire."

3562 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas and Aisha, they both said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) entered the mosque and heard a sound like the buzzing of bees from the recitation of the Qur'an. He said: 'Indeed, Islam shall certainly expand, then there will be a period of slackening. So whoever’s slackening leads to extremism and innovation, then those are the people of the Fire.'"

3563 - And on the authority of Ja'dah ibn Hubayrah, who said: A freed slave belonging to the Banu Abd al-Muttalib was mentioned to the Prophet (pbuh), noting that he prays and does not sleep, and fasts and does not break his fast. Thereupon, he (pbuh) said: "I pray and I sleep, and I fast and I break my fast. Verily, for every deed there is a peak of fervor, and for every fervor there is a period of slackening. So, he whose slackening is toward my Sunnah has indeed been guided, and he whose slackening is toward other than that has indeed gone astray."

3564 - And on the authority of Abu Umamah, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Take from worship what you are able to bear, for Allah does not tire until you grow tired."

And on the authority of 'Imran ibn Husayn, from the Prophet (pbuh) who said: "Take upon yourselves of deeds what you can endure, for indeed Allah does not grow weary until you grow weary."

3566 - And from Ibn Umar, he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, the soul is prone to boredom, and indeed one of you does not know the extent of his lifespan; so let him take from worship what he can endure and then remain constant in it, for indeed the most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are constant, even if they are few."

3567 - And on the authority of Aisha, who said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) praying one night, so I stood behind him and prayed along with his prayer. When he sat, he shortened his standing and prayed two light units (rak'ahs), then performed the salutation. Then he stood and prayed two units (rak'ahs) and performed the salutation, making me hear the salutation. Then he turned to me and said: 'Take upon yourself of deeds only what you can endure,' saying it three times."

3568 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Amr, who said: "Mention was made in the presence of the Prophet (pbuh) of a people who strive with great intensity in worship. He said: 'That is the vigor and enthusiasm of Islam, and for every deed there is a period of enthusiasm. So whoever's period of slackening is toward moderation, then how excellent that is; but whoever's period of slackening is toward sins, then those are the ones who are destroyed.'"

3569 - And from Abu Umamah who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came out from the house of Uthman bin Maz’un and stood at the door and said: 'What is the matter with you, O Kahilah, looking disheveled? Is Uthman not present?' She said: 'Yes, but he has not lain on a bed since such and such time, and he fasts the day and does not break his fast.' He said: 'Command him to come to me.' When he came, she told him, so he went to him and found him in the mosque. He sat by him, but he [the Prophet] turned away from him. Then he [Uthman] wept and said: 'I have known that something about me has reached you!' He (pbuh) said: 'Are you the one who fasts the day and stands the night in prayer, such that your side does not fall upon a bed?' Uthman said: 'I have done that seeking goodness!' So the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'For your eye there is a right, and for your body there is a right. So fast and break your fast, sleep and stand in prayer, and go to your wife; for indeed, I fast and I break my fast, I sleep and I pray, and I go to women. Thus, whoever takes to my Sunnah has been guided, and whoever abandons it has gone astray. Verily, for every deed there is a peak of zeal, and for every zeal there is a period of languor. If the period of languor leads toward heedlessness, then it is destruction; but if the period of languor leads toward the obligatory duties, then it does not harm its practitioner at all. So take of deeds that which you can bear, for I was only sent with the easy, upright monotheism. Therefore, do not make the worship of your Lord burdensome upon yourself; you do not know the length of your life?'" Reported by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir, and within it is Ali bin Yazid, and he is weak.

3570 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: Do not try to overcome this night, for you will not be able to endure it. So if one of you becomes drowsy, let him retire to his bed, for that is safer for him.

3571 - And on the authority of Masruq, who said: We used to, when Abdullah stood up [to leave], sit after him, and the people would verify the recitation. Then, when we stood up, we prayed. This reached him, so we entered upon him, and he said: "Do you impose upon the people what Allah—Mighty and Majestic—has not imposed upon them? You pray, and they see that as being obligatory upon them. If you must do so, then do it in your homes."

3572 - And from Abu al-Tufail 'Amir ibn Wathilah: that a man passed by a group of people and greeted them with peace, and they returned the greeting. When he had passed them, a man among them said to them: "Indeed, I hate this man for the sake of Allah." The people of the gathering said: "By Allah, what an evil thing you have said! You must certainly clarify this to him. Stand up, O so-and-so"—referring to one of the men there—"and inform him." He said: Their messenger caught up with him and informed him of what the man had said. So the man turned back until he came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I passed by a gathering of Muslims in which so-and-so was present. I greeted them and they returned the greeting. When I passed them, a man from among them caught up with me and informed me that so-and-so said: 'By Allah, I hate this man for the sake of Allah.' So call him, O Messenger of Allah, and ask him why he hates me?" So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) called him and asked him about what the man had reported. He admitted to it and said: "I did indeed say that, O Messenger of Allah (pbuh)." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Why do you hate him?" He replied: "I am his neighbor and I am well-acquainted with him. By Allah, I have never seen him perform any prayer at all except for these prescribed prayers which both the righteous and the wicked perform." The man said: "Ask him, O Messenger of Allah, if he has ever seen me delay them beyond their time, or perform the bowing and prostration within them poorly?" The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked him, and he replied: "No." He (the critic) said: "By Allah, I have never seen him fast at all except for this month which both the righteous and the wicked fast." The man said: "Ask him, O Messenger of Allah, if he has ever seen me neglect it or diminish any of its rights?" The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked him, and he replied: "No." He (the critic) said: "By Allah, I have never seen him give to a beggar, nor have I seen him spend anything of his wealth on any path of goodness for the sake of Allah except for this Zakat (alms) which both the righteous and the wicked fulfill." The man said: "Then ask him, O Messenger of Allah, if I have ever concealed any part of the Zakat or haggled over it with its collector?" The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked him, and he replied: "No." Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Stand up; I do not know, perhaps he is better than you!"

And from Wathila bin al-Asqa’, he said: “A man came to the Prophet (pbuh) who was of dull complexion, cross-eyed, short-necked, club-footed, very dark-skinned, left-handed, thin-buttocked, and bow-legged. He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, inform me of what Allah has made obligatory upon me.’ When he informed him, the man said: ‘I covenant with Allah that I shall not add anything to the obligatory duties.’ He asked: ‘Why?’ He said: ‘Because He created me of dull complexion, cross-eyed, very dark-skinned, left-handed, thin-buttocked, and bow-legged.’ Then he turned away, and Gabriel—peace be upon him—came to him and said: ‘O Muhammad, where is the one who reproached his Lord? He has reproached a Generous Lord, so grant him satisfaction.’ He said: ‘Say to him: Would you not be pleased to be resurrected in the form of Gabriel on the Day of Resurrection?’ So the Prophet (pbuh) sent for the man and said: ‘Indeed, you reproached a Generous Lord, and He has granted you satisfaction. Would you not be pleased that Allah resurrects you on the Day of Resurrection in the form of Gabriel?’ He said: ‘Indeed, O Messenger of Allah!’ The man then said: ‘Then I covenant with Allah that my body shall not possess strength for anything that Allah—Mighty and Majestic—is pleased with, except that I shall perform it.’”

3574 - On the authority of Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "There is no male nor female except that upon their head a rope is tied with three knots when they sleep. If one of you wakes up and remembers Allah—the Mighty and Majestic—a knot is undone. If they stand and perform ablution, a knot is undone. If they stand for prayer, all their knots are undone."

And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: When one of you sleeps, a rope is tied over his head. If he wakes up and remembers Allah—the Mighty and Majestic—one [knot] is undone. If he proceeds and performs ablution, the second is undone. If he proceeds and prays, the third is undone. But if he reaches the morning without having stood for any part of the night and without having prayed the morning prayer, he reaches the morning with it—meaning the rope—upon him.

3576 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said: They mentioned a man in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), or a man said: "O Messenger of Allah, indeed so-and-so slept last night and did not pray until he reached the morning." He said: "Satan urinated in his ear." Al-Hasan said: "By Allah, his urine is indeed heavy."

3577 - And on the authority of Samurah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, Satan has an eye-salve and a lickable substance; so when he applies his eye-salve to a person, his eyes sleep, neglecting the remembrance [of Allah], and when he gives him a lick of his substance, his tongue becomes sharp with evil."

3578 - And on the authority of Abdullah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "When a servant intends to pray during the night, an angel comes to him and says: 'Rise, for the morning has arrived; pray and remember your Lord.' Then the Devil comes to him and says: 'You have a long night ahead of you, and you will rise soon.' If he rises and prays, he reaches the morning energetic, light of body, and delighted of eye. But if he obeys the Devil until the morning, he [the Devil] urinates in his ear."

3579 - On the authority of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) entered upon me and Fatima during the night and woke us for prayer. He said: Then he returned to his house and prayed for a portion of the night, but he did not hear any movement from us, so he returned to us, woke us up, and said: 'Rise and pray.' He said: I sat up while rubbing my eyes and saying: 'By Allah, we only pray what has been written for us; our souls are but in the hand of Allah, so if He wills to awaken us, He awakens us.' He said: So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) turned away while saying, and striking his hand against his thigh: 'We only pray what has been written for us, we only pray what has been written for us; "But man is ever more than anything contentious" [Al-Kahf: 54].'"

3580 - And on the authority of Abu Malik al-Ash'ari, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "There is no man who wakes up at night and wakes his wife, and if sleep overcomes her, he sprinkles some water on her face, and they both stand in their house and remember Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - for an hour of the night, except that they are both forgiven."

3581 - On the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would not sleep except that the Siwak was with him, and when he awoke, he began with the Siwak.

3582 - And on the authority of Anas, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to, when he rose at night, perform Istinja', perform Wudu', and use the Siwak; then he would send to seek perfume from the quarters of his wives."

3583 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: "Sleep was mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), and he said: 'Sleep, and when you wake up, use the tooth-stick (Siwak).'"

3584 - And on the authority of Rabi'ah al-Jurashi, who said: I asked Aisha: "What did the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to say when he rose at night? And with what would he commence [his prayer]?" She replied: "He would say 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Greatest) ten times, 'Alhamdulillah' (Praise be to God) ten times, 'Subhanallah' (Glory be to God) ten times, 'La ilaha illa Allah' (There is no god but God) ten times, and seek forgiveness ten times. And he would say: 'O Allah, forgive me, guide me, and provide for me' ten times, and he would say: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the distress of the Day of Account' ten times."

3585 - And on the authority of Sa'd ibn Junadah, who said: I was present with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) at [Hunayn], and I heard him say: "Whoever stands during the night, performs ablution, rinses his mouth, and then says: 'Glory be to Allah' one hundred times, 'Praise be to Allah' one hundred times, and 'There is no god but Allah' one hundred times, his sins shall be forgiven, except for blood and property, for they are not nullified."

3586 - And on the authority of Al-Nu'man bin Bashir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "If one of you sleeps at night while intending to pray during the night, let him place a handful of soil to his right; then, when he wakes up, let him throw it to his left."

3587 - And on the authority of Uqbah bin ‘Amir, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: "Two men from my Ummah; one of them gets up at night and struggles with himself to perform purification while he is bound by knots. He performs ablution; when he washes his hands, a knot is undone. When he washes his face, a knot is undone. When he wipes his head, a knot is undone. When he washes his feet, a knot is undone. Then the Lord—Mighty and Majestic—Who is behind the veil, says: 'Look at this servant of Mine struggling with himself; whatever this servant of Mine asks of Me, it is his.'"

3588 - On the authority of Amr bin Abasa, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "The night prayer is performed in pairs of two, and the depth of the latter part of the night is the most responsive to supplication." I asked: "The most obligatory?" He said: "No, the most responsive," meaning by that the answering of the supplication.

3589 - And on the authority of Ammar bin Yasir, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to me: "Perform the Witr prayer before you sleep, and the night prayer is in pairs."

3590 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "The night prayer is two by two, and the Witr is one rak'ah at the end of the night."

3591 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said: "The Prophet (pbuh) used to pray during the day two by two."

3592 - On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, from the Prophet (pbuh), he said: "A woman shall not grant permission in her husband's house except with his permission, nor shall she rise from her bed to perform voluntary prayer except with his permission."

3593 - On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who said: "When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stood [for prayer] at night, he would commence his prayer and pronounce the Takbir, saying: 'Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no deity besides You.' Then he would say: 'There is no deity but Allah' three times, and then he would say: 'I seek refuge in Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the accursed Satan: from his madness, his arrogance, and his poetry.'"

3594 - And from Abu Umama al-Bahili, who said: "Whenever the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) entered the prayer at night, he would say 'Allahu Akbar' three times, 'Subhan Allah' three times, and 'La ilaha illa Allah' three times, then he would say: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the accursed Satan; from his madness, his arrogance, and his polytheism.'"

3595 - On the authority of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib: that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade that a man raises his voice with the recitation of the Quran before the Isha prayer and after it, causing his companions to make mistakes while they are praying.

3596 - And from Ibn 'Umar, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) performed i'tikaf during the last ten days [of Ramadan]." He said: "A hut made of palm branches was built for him." He said: "He put his head out of it one night and said: 'O people, indeed the worshiper, when he prays, is only in private conversation with his Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He; so let him consider what he is conversing with Him, and do not raise your voices over one another.'"

And on the authority of Al-Bayadhi, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came out to the people while they were praying and their voices had been raised with the recitation. He said: "Indeed, the worshiper is in private conversation with his Lord - Mighty and Majestic is He - so let him consider with what he is conversing with Him, and let not some of you raise your voices over others with the Quran."

3598 - And from Abu Hurayrah, that Abdullah ibn Hudhafah stood to pray and recited aloud in his prayer, so the Prophet (pbuh) said: "O son of Hudhafah, do not make me hear, but let your Lord hear."

3599 - And on the authority of Ali, who said: "Abu Bakr used to lower his voice when he recited, and Umar used to recite aloud, and Ammar, when he recited, would take a portion from this Surah and a portion from that Surah. This was mentioned to the Prophet (pbuh), and he asked Abu Bakr: 'Why do you lower your voice?' He replied: 'Indeed, I make Him whom I am privately conversing with hear.' He said to Umar: 'Why do you recite aloud?' He replied: 'I frighten away the Devil and awaken the drowsy.' And he said to Ammar: 'Why do you take from this Surah and that Surah?' He replied: 'Do you hear me mixing with it that which is not part of it?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Then all of it is good.'"

3600 - And on the authority of Ammar bin Yasir, who said: It was said to Abu Bakr: "Why do you lower your voice in your recitation?" He replied: "Indeed, I make the One with Whom I am conversing hear." And it was said to Umar: "Why do you raise your voice in your recitation?" He replied: "I wake the drowsy ones." And it was said to another man: "Why do you mix your recitation?" He asked: "Do you hear me adding to it that which does not belong to it?" He replied: "No." He said: "Then it is all good; I mix some parts of it with others."

3601 - And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah and Aisha, from the Prophet (pbuh) that he looked into a house while people were praying and reciting aloud, so he said: "Indeed, the one who prays is in private conversation with his Lord, so let him consider what he is conversing with Him about, and let not some of you raise your voices over others with the Quran."

3602 - And on the authority of Abu Umamah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Indeed, the one who recites the Quran loudly is like the one who gives charity openly, and the one who recites the Quran secretly is like the one who gives charity secretly."

3603 - And from Mu'adh ibn Jabal, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whosoever among you prays at night, let him recite aloud, for the angels pray along with his prayer and listen to his recitation. Furthermore, the believing jinn who are in the atmosphere and his neighbors with him in his dwelling pray along with his prayer and listen to his recitation. Verily, by reciting aloud, he expels from his house and from the houses around him the wicked jinn and the rebellious devils."

3604 - And from Abu Bakrah, who said: "The recitation of the Prophet (pbuh) was with elongation, and there was no vibration (tarjee') in it."

3605 - And on the authority of 'Alqama ibn Qays, who said: I spent the night with 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud one night, and he rose during the first part of the night and then stood to pray. He used to recite in the manner of the recitation of the Imam in his neighborhood mosque, reciting in slow, measured tones and not vibrating his voice; he would make those around him hear and did not vibrate his voice, until there remained of the lingering darkness of the end of the night only the equivalent of the time between the call to prayer for Maghrib and the completion of it, then he performed the Witr prayer.

3606 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: He who makes his own ears hear has not whispered.

3607 - On the authority of Aisha, she said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever does not recite the Quran melodiously is not of us."

3608 - On the authority of Wathila, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Count the verses in the voluntary prayer and do not count them in the obligatory prayer."

3609 - And on the authority of Tamim al-Dari, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever recites a hundred verses, the devotion of a night shall be recorded for him." Narrated by Ahmad and al-Tabarani in al-Kabir.

3610 - And on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever prays in a night with one hundred verses will not be recorded among the heedless, and whoever prays with two hundred verses, he will be recorded — I think — among the righteous."

3611 - And on the authority of Fadalah ibn Ubayd and Tamim al-Dari, from the Prophet (pbuh), who said: "Whoever recites ten verses in a night, a qintar is recorded for him, and a qintar is better than the world and all that is in it. When it is the Day of Resurrection, your Lord - Mighty and Majestic - says: 'Recite and ascend a degree for every verse,' until he reaches the last verse he has. Your Lord - Mighty and Majestic - says to the servant: 'Grasp,' so the servant gestures with his hand [saying]: 'O Lord, You know best.' He says: 'For this [hand] is eternity and for this [hand] is bliss.'"

3612 - On the authority of Abu Umama, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever recites ten verses in a night will not be recorded among the heedless; whoever recites one hundred verses, the devotion of a night will be recorded for him; whoever recites two hundred verses will be recorded among the devout; whoever recites four hundred verses will be recorded among the worshippers; whoever recites five hundred verses will be recorded among the preservers; whoever recites six hundred verses will be recorded among the humble; whoever recites eight hundred verses will be recorded among the lowly; and whoever recites a thousand verses, he will have attained a qintar—and a qintar is one thousand two hundred uqiyahs, which is better than what is between the heaven and the earth—or he said: better than everything upon which the sun rises—and whoever recites two thousand verses will be among those who have necessitated [Paradise]."

3613 - And from 'Ubadah bin al-Samit, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying: "Whoever recites ten verses in a night will not be recorded among the heedless; whoever recites one hundred verses will have the devotion of a night recorded for him; whoever recites two hundred verses will be recorded among the devout; whoever recites four hundred verses will be recorded among the humble; whoever recites one thousand verses will reach the morning having earned a qintar—which is one thousand and two hundred ounces (uqiyyah), and an ounce is better than what is between the heaven and the earth—; and whoever recites two thousand verses will be among those who have necessitated [the reward of Paradise]."

3614 - And on the authority of Abu al-Darda, he said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever recites one hundred verses in a night will not be recorded among the heedless, and whoever recites two hundred verses will be recorded among the devoutly obedient, and whoever recites five hundred to one thousand verses will have recorded for him a qintar of reward; the qirat of the qintar is like a great hill."

3615 - And on the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever recites ten verses will not be recorded among the heedless, and whoever recites one hundred verses will be recorded among the devoutly obedient, and whoever recites two hundred verses will be recorded among the worshippers."

3616 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas’ud, he said: Whoever recites fifty verses in a night will not be recorded as among the heedless, and whoever recites one hundred verses will be recorded as among the devoutly obedient, and whoever recites three hundred verses, a qintar shall be recorded for him, and whoever recites seven hundred shall be successful.

3617 - On the authority of Sa'id bin al-Mundhir al-Ansari, who said: "O Messenger of Allah (pbuh), should I recite the Qur'an in three [days]?" He replied: "Yes." He said: "And he used to recite it as such until he passed away."

3618 - And on the authority of 'Uthman bin 'Amr bin Aws, from his father, who said: "I came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) among the delegation of Thaqif. He used to come out to us and speak to us. One night, he was late in coming to us, so we said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you were late in coming to us tonight.' He said: 'Indeed, my portion (hizb) of the Quran came upon me, and I disliked to interrupt it until I had finished it.' When morning came, we asked the companions of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh): 'How do you divide the Quran into portions?' They said: 'Three, five, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, and the portion between Qaf and the Glorious Quran until the end of the Mufassal is an excellent portion.'"

3619 - And on the authority of Qays ibn Abi Sa'sa'ah that he said: O Messenger of Allah, in how many [days] should I recite [the Quran]? He said: "In fifteen." He said: I find myself stronger than that! He said: "In a week." He said: I find myself stronger than that! He [the narrator] said: So he remained as such, reciting it for a duration of time until he grew old and would bind [a bandage] over his eyes, then he returned and began reciting it in fifteen. He then said: "O, I wish I had accepted the first concession of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)."

3620 - And on the authority of Mu'adh bin Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Whoever recites a thousand verses in the cause of Allah will be recorded on the Day of Resurrection with the Prophets, the Truthful ones, and the Martyrs; and what excellent companions they are."

3621 - And from Abu al-Ahwas who said: Abdullah said: The Quran should not be recited in less than three days; recite it in seven, and a man should maintain his daily portion.

3622 - And on the authority of 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud that he used to recite the Quran in three [days], and he would seldom recite from it during the day.

3623 - And on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ud, who said: "Whoever recites the Qur’an in less than three [days] is but a chanter of poetry (*rajiz*)."

3624 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin 'Amr, that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whoever recites: 'Say, He is Allah, [who is] One; Allah, the Eternal Refuge,' has recited a third of the Qur'an."

3625 - And on the authority of Abdullah, who said: "Whoever recites three verses from Surah al-Baqarah has done much and has done well."

3626 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Amr, that a man came to the Prophet (pbuh) with a son of his and said: "O Messenger of Allah, indeed my son recites the Mushaf during the day and sleeps through the night." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) then said: "What do you find objectionable in that your son reaches the morning as a rememberer (of Allah) and passes the night in safety?"

3627 - On the authority of Abdullah bin Salam, who said: "I said: O Messenger of Allah (pbuh), I have read the Quran, the Torah, and the Gospel?" He replied: "Recite this one night and that one another night."

3628 - And on the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari, who said: "A man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said: 'Indeed, I perform a deed and keep it secret, then it becomes known and I am pleased by it?' He said: 'Two rewards are recorded for you: the reward of secrecy and the reward of publicity.'"

3629 - On the authority of Ibn Abbas, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Gabriel (pbuh) said to me: 'Prayer has been made beloved to you, so take from it as much as you wish.'"

3630 - And on the authority of Safinah, that the Prophet (pbuh) devoted himself to worship before he died and withdrew from women until he became like a worn-out waterskin.

3631 - And on the authority of Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting one day while the people were around him, and he said: "Indeed, Allah has designated for every prophet a desire, and indeed my desire is in the night prayer; if I stand [to pray], let no one pray behind me. And indeed, Allah has designated for every prophet a source of sustenance, and indeed my sustenance is this fifth (Al-Khums); so when I pass away, it belongs to the rulers after me."

3632 - And from Anas, he said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stood [in prayer] until his feet—or his legs—became swollen. It was said to him: 'Has Allah not forgiven you your past and future sins?' He said: 'Should I not then be a grateful servant?'"

3633 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas'ud, who said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray during the night until his feet became swollen. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has already forgiven you your past and future sins?" He replied: "Should I not then be a grateful servant?"

3634 - And on the authority of Abu Hurairah, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray until his feet swelled. It was said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, do you do this when it has come to you from Allah that He has forgiven your past and future sins?' He said: 'Should I not then be a grateful servant?'"

3635 - And from Al-Nu'man bin Bashir, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to stand in prayer during the night until his feet became cracked. It was said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, has Allah not forgiven your past and future sins?' He replied: 'Should I not then be a grateful servant?'"

3636 - And on the authority of Abu Juhaifah, who said: The Prophet (pbuh) used to pray until his feet became swollen. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has already forgiven your past and future sins?" He replied: "Should I not then be a grateful servant?"

3637 - And on the authority of Abu Ayyub that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to use the tooth-stick during the night twice or thrice; and when he rose to pray during the night, he prayed four rak'ahs without speaking or commanding anything, and he gave the salutation between every two rak'ahs.

3638 - And on the authority of Ali, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to pray sixteen rak'ahs during the night besides the prescribed prayer."

3639 - And on the authority of Abdullah bin al-Zubayr, who said: "When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) performed the Isha prayer, he would pray four rak'ahs and perform the Witr with a single prostration until he prayed after his night prayer."

3640 - And on the authority of Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal al-Sulami, who said: "I was with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on a journey, and I observed his prayer one night. He prayed the last 'Isha prayer and then slept. When it was midnight, he woke up and recited the last ten verses of Surah Al-Imran. Then he used the tooth-stick (siwak), performed ablution, and stood to pray two rak'ahs; I do not know whether his standing, his bowing, or his prostration was longer. Then he finished, then he woke up and did the same, and he continued to do as he did the first time until he had prayed eleven rak'ahs."