Allah's Apostle I said, "Not to wish to be the like of except two men: A man whom Allah has taught the Qur'an and he recites it during the hours of the night and during the hours of the day, and his neighbor listens to him and says, 'I wish I had been given what has been given to so-and-so, so that I might do what he does; and a man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it on what is just and right, whereupon an other man May say, 'I wish I had been given what so-and-so has been given, for then I would do what he does."

Allah's Apostle said, "(The Prophet) Solomon once said, 'Tonight I will sleep with ninety women, each of whom will bring forth a (would-be) cavalier who will fight in Allah's Cause." On this, his companion said to him, "Say: Allah willing!" But he did not say Allah willing. Solomon then slept with all the women, but none of them became pregnant but one woman who later delivered a halfman. By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, if he (Solomon) had said, 'Allah willing' (all his wives would have brought forth boys) and they would have fought in Allah's Cause as cavaliers. "

(the wife of the Prophet) Allah's Apostle woke up one night in a state of terror and said, "Subhan Allah, How many treasures Allah has sent down! And how many afflictions have been sent down! Who will go and wake the lady dwellers (wives of the Prophet) up of these rooms (for prayers)?" He meant his wives, so that they might pray. He added, "A well-dressed (soul) in this world may be naked in the Hereafter."

We were in the funeral procession of the daughter of Allah's Apostle and Allah's Apostle was sitting near the grave and I saw his eyes full of tears. He said, "Is there anyone amongst you who did not have sexual relations with his wife last night?" Abu Talha replied in the affirmative. And so Allah's Apostle told him to get down in her grave and he got down in her grave and buried her.

When I came to the Prophet said on my way, "O what a long tedious tiresome night; nevertheless, it has rescued me from the place of Heathenism." A slave of mine ran away on the way. When I reached the Prophet I gave him the oath of allegiance (for Islam), and while I was sitting with him, suddenly the slave appeared. The Prophet said to me. "O Abu Huraira! Here is your slave," I said, "He (i.e. the slave) is (free) for Allah's Sake," and manumitted him.

Abu Usaid As-Sa`idi invited the Prophet to his wedding party and his wife served him on that day, and she was the bride. She said (or Sahl said), "Do you know what she soaked for Allah's Apostle? She soaked some dates for him (in water) in a drinking bowl overnight."

Sahl bin Sa`d said, "Abu Usaid, the companion of the Prophet, got married, so he invited the Prophet to his wedding party, and the bride herself served them. Sahl said to the People, 'Do you know what drink she served him with? She infused some dates in a pot at night and the next morning she served him with the infusion."

We were sitting with the Prophet and he looked at the moon on the night of the full-moon and said, "You people will see your Lord as you see this full moon, and you will have no trouble in seeing Him, so if you can avoid missing (through sleep or business, etc.) a prayer before sunrise (Fajr) and a prayer before sunset (`Asr) you must do so." (See Hadith No. 529, Vol. 1)

Ziyad related to me from Malik that he had heard a man he trusted of the people of knowledge say, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was shown the lifespans of the people (who had gone) before him, or what Allah willed of that, and it was as if the lives of the people of his community had become too short for them to be able to do as many good actions as others before them had been able to do with their long lives, so Allah gave him Laylat al- Qadr, which is better than a thousand months."

Two of the companions of the Prophet departed from him on a dark night and were led by two lights like lamps (going in front of them from Allah as a miracle) lighting the way in front of them, and when they parted, each of them was accompanied by one of these lights till he reached their (respective) houses.

Allah's Apostle said, "Angels come to you in succession by night and day and all of them get together at the time of the Fajr and `Asr prayers. Those who have passed the night with you (or stayed with you) ascend (to the Heaven) and Allah asks them, though He knows everything about you, well, "In what state did you leave my slaves?" The angels reply: "When we left them they were praying and when we reached them, they were praying."

The Prophet said, "Angels keep on descending from and ascending to the Heaven in turn, some at night and some by daytime, and all of them assemble together at the time of the Fajr and `Asr prayers. Then those who have stayed with you over-night, ascent unto Allah Who asks them, and He knows the answer better than they, "How have you left My slaves?" They reply, "We have left them praying as we found them praying." If anyone of you says "Amin" (during the Prayer at the end of the recitation of Surat-al-Faitiha), and the angels in Heaven say the same, and the two sayings coincide, all his past sins will be forgiven."

Once two men from the companions of Allah's Apostle went out of the house of the Prophet on a very dark night. They were accompanied by two things that resembled two lamps lighting the way in front of them, and when they parted, each of them was accompanied by one of those two things (lamps) till they reached their homes.

Allah's Apostle said, "It is sufficient for one to recite the last two Verses of Surat-al-Baqara at night."

While some people were offering morning prayer at Quba' a man came to them and said, "A Qur'anic Order has been revealed to Allah's Apostle tonight that he should face the Ka`ba at Mecca (in prayer), so you too should turn your faces towards it." At that moment their faces were towards Sham (i.e. Jerusalem) (and on hearing that) they turned towards the Ka`ba (at Mecca).

That Allah's Apostle rode over a donkey covered with a Fadakiya (velvet sheet) and Usama was riding behind him. He was visiting Sa`d bin 'Ubada (who was sick) in the dwelling place of Bani Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj and this incident happened before the battle of Badr. They proceeded till they passed by a gathering in which `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul was present., and that was before `Abdullah bin Ubat embraced Islam. In that gathering there were Muslims, pagan idolators and Jews, and among the Muslims there was `Abdullah bin Rawaha. When a cloud of dust raised by (the movement of ) the animal covered that gathering, `Abdullah bin Ubai covered his nose with his garment and said, "Do not cover us with dust." Allah's Apostle greeted them, stopped, dismounted and invited them to Allah (i.e. to embrace Islam) and recited to them the Holy Qur'an. On that `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul said to him, "O man! There is nothing better than what you say, if it is the truth. So do not trouble us with it in our gatherings, but if somebody comes to you, you can preach to him." On that `Abdullah bin Rawaha said "Yes, O Allah's Apostle! Call on us in our gathering, for we love that." So the Muslims, the pagans and the Jews started abusing one another till they were about to fight with one another. Allah's Apostle kept on quietening them till all of them became quiet, and then Allah's Apostle rode his animal and proceeded till he entered upon Sa`d bin 'Ubada. Allah's Apostle said, "O Sa`d! Didn't you hear what Abu Habab said?" (meaning `Abdullah bin Unbar). "He said so-and-so." Sa`d bin Ubada said, "O Allah's Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you ! Excuse and forgive him for, by Him Who revealed to you the Book, Allah sent the Truth which was revealed to you at the time when the people of this town had decided to crown him (`Abdullah bin Ubai) as their ruler. So when Allah had prevented that with the Truth He had given you, he was choked by that, and that caused him to behave in such an impolite manner which you had noticed." So Allah's Apostle excused him. (It was the custom of) Allah's Apostle and his companions to excuse the pagans and the people of the scripture (Christians and Jews) as Allah ordered them, and they used to be patient when annoyed (by them). Allah said: 'You shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Scripture before you.....and from the pagans (3.186) He also ...

AbuHurayrah replied: Yes. Marwan then asked: When? AbuHurayrah said: On the occasion of the Battle of Najd. The Messenger of Allah (saws) stood up to offer the afternoon prayer. One section stood with him (to pray) and the other was standing before the enemy, and their backs were towards the qiblah. The Messenger of Allah (saws) uttered the takbir and all of them too uttered the takbir, i.e. those who were with him and those who were facing the enemy. Then the Messenger of Allah (saws) offered one rak'ah and the section that was with him also prayed one rak'ah. He then prostrated himself and those who were with him also prostrated, while the other section was standing before the enemy.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) then stood up and the section with him also stood up. They went and faced the enemy and the section that was previously facing the enemy stepped forward. They bowed and prostrated while the Messenger of Allah (saws) was standing in the same position. Then they stood up and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon) prayed another rak'ah and all of them bowed and prostrated along with him. After that the section that was standing before the enemy came forward and they bowed and prostrated, while the Messenger of Allah (saws) remained seated and also those who were with him. The salutation then followed. The Messenger of Allah (saws) uttered the salutation and all of them uttered it together. The Messenger of Allah (saws) prayed two rak'ahs and each of the two sections prayed one rak'ah with him (and the other by themselves).

Abu Dawud said: Musaddad said: His bowing and his moderation in bowing and prostration, and his prostration and his sitting between the two prostrations, and his prostration and sitting between the salutation and going away (after finishing the prayer) were nearly equal.

I spent a night with my maternal aunt Maymunah. The Prophet (saws) got up to pray at night. He prayed thirteen rak'ahs including two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer. I guessed that he stood in every rak'ah as long as one could recite Surah al-Muzzammil (73).

Abu Usaid As-Sa'di invited Allah's Apostle to his wedding party and his wife who was the bride, served them on that day. Do you know what drink she gave Allah's Apostle? She had soaked some dates for him (in water) overnight, and when he had finished his meal she gave him that drink (of soaked dates).

Allah's Apostle said, "Allah's Hand is full, and (its fullness) is not affected by the continuous spending, day and night." He also said, "Do you see what He has spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? Yet all that has not decreased what is in His Hand." He also said, "His Throne is over the water and in His other Hand is the balance (of Justice) and He raises and lowers (whomever He will)." (See Hadith No. 206, Vol. 6)

The Prophet said, "The Right (Hand) of Allah Is full, and (Its fullness) is not affected by the continuous spending night and day. Do you see what He has spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? Yet all that has not decreased what is in His Right Hand. His Throne is over the water and in His other Hand is the Bounty or the Power to bring about death, and He raises some people and brings others down." (See Hadith No. 508)

Allah's Apostle said, "(A group of) angels stay with you at night and (another group of) angels by daytime, and both groups gather at the time of the 'Asr and Fajr prayers. Then those angels who have stayed with you overnight, ascend (to Heaven) and Allah asks them (about you) ---- and He knows everything about you. "In what state did you leave My slaves?' The angels reply, 'When we left them, they were praying, and when we reached them they were praying.' "

Abu Huraira said, "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'The reward of a prayer in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of a prayer offered by a person alone. The angels of the night and the angels of the day gather at the time of Fajr prayer.' " Abu Huraira then added, "Recite the Holy Book if you wish, for "Indeed, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn (Fajr prayer) is ever witnessed." (17:78).

Only Um Hani told us that she had seen the Prophet (p.b.u.h) offering the Duha (forenoon prayer). She said, "On the day of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet took a bath in my house and offered eight rak`at. I never saw him praying such a light prayer but he performed perfect prostration and bowing.

Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night and they were eleven in number." I asked Anas, "Had the Prophet the strength for it?" Anas replied, "We used to say that the Prophet was given the strength of thirty (men)." And Sa`id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven).

While the people were offering the Fajr prayer at Quba' (near Medina), someone came to them and said: "It has been revealed to Allah's Apostle tonight, and he has been ordered to pray facing the Ka`ba." So turn your faces to the Ka`ba. Those people were facing Sham (Jerusalem) so they turned their faces towards Ka`ba (at Mecca).

Ibn `Umar said, "While the Prophet was on the pulpit, a man asked him how to offer the night prayers. He replied, 'Pray two rak`at at a time and then two and then two and so on, and if you are afraid of the dawn (the approach of the time of the Fajr prayer) pray one rak`a and that will be the witr for all the rak`at which you have offered." Ibn `Umar said, "The last rak`at of the night prayer should be odd, for the Prophet ordered it to be so.

The Prophet delayed the `Isha' prayer till midnight and then he offered the prayer and said, "The people prayed and slept but you have been in prayer as long as you have been waiting for it (the prayer)." Anas added: As if I am looking now at the glitter of the ring of the Prophet on that night.

Allah's Apostle passed by a grave of a deceased who had been buried at night. He said, "When was this (deceased) buried?" The people said, "Yesterday." He said, "Why did you not inform me?" They said, "We buried him when it was dark and so we disliked to wake you up." He stood up and we lined up behind him. (Ibn `Abbas said): I was one of them, and the Prophet offered the funeral prayer.

The Prophet ordered me to supervise the (slaughtering) of Budn (Hadi camel) and to distribute their meat, skins and covering sheets in charity and not to give anything (of their bodies) to the butcher as wages for slaughtering.

I was with the Prophet on a journey, and he observed the fast till evening. The Prophet said to a man, "Get down and mix Sawiq with water for me." He replied, "Will you wait till it is evening?" The Prophet said, "Get down and mix Sawiq with water for me; when you see night falling from this side, the fasting person should break his fast."

Allah's Apostle was the most generous of all the people, and he used to reach the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night of Ramadan to teach him the Qur'an. Allah's Apostle was the most generous person, even more generous than the strong uncontrollable wind (in readiness and haste to do charitable deeds).

My father and I went to Abu Barza-al-Aslami to ask him about the stated times for the prayers. He replied, "The Prophet used to offer the Zuhr prayer when the sun just declined from its highest position at noon; the `Asr at a time when if a man went to the farthest place in Medina (after praying) he would find the sun still hot (bright). (The sub narrator said: I have forgotten what Abu Barza said about the Maghrib prayer). The Prophet never found any harm in delaying the `Isha' prayer to the first third of the night and he never liked to sleep before it and to talk after it. He used to offer the morning prayer at a time when after finishing it one could recognize the person sitting beside him and used to recite between 60 to 100 verses in one or both the rak`at."

Allah's Apostle said, "The first group of people who will enter Paradise, will be glittering like the full moon and those who will follow them, will glitter like the most brilliant star in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit, or have any nasal secretions. Their combs will be of gold, and their sweat will smell like musk. The aloes-wood will be used in their centers. Their wives will be houris. All of them will look alike and will resemble their father Adam (in stature), sixty cubits tall."

The Prophet said, "Solomon (the son of) David said, 'Tonight I will sleep with seventy ladies each of whom will conceive a child who will be a knight fighting for "Allah's Cause.' His companion said, 'If Allah will.' But Solomon did not say so; therefore none of those women got pregnant except one who gave birth to a half child." The Prophet further said, "If the Prophet Solomon had said it (i.e. 'If Allah will') he would have begotten children who would have fought in Allah's Cause." Shuaib and Ibn Abi Az-Zinad said, "Ninety (women) is more correct (than seventy).

Abu Maryam said: The man with the crippled hand was called Nafi` Dhu al-Thadyah (Nafi`, man of nipple). He had in his hand something like a female breast with a nipple at it ends like the nipple of the female breast. If had some hair on it like the whiskers of cat.

Abu Dawud said: He was known among the people by the name of Harqus.

We fasted with the Messenger of Allah (saws) during Ramadan, but he did not make us get up at night for prayer at any time during the month till seven nights remained; then he made us get up for prayer till a third of the night had passed. When the sixth remaining night came, he did not make us get up for prayer. When the fifth remaining night came, he made us stand in prayer till a half of the night had gone.

So I said: Messenger of Allah, I wish you had led us in supererogatory prayers during the whole of tonight.

He said: When a man prays with an imam till he goes he is reckoned as having spent a whole night in prayer. On the fourth remaining night he did not make us get up. When the third remaining night came, he gathered his family, his wives, and the people and prayed with us till we were afraid we should miss the falah (success).

I said: What is falah? He said: The meal before daybreak. Then he did not make us get up for prayer during the remainder of the month.

Allah's Apostle rode a donkey, equipped with a thick cloth-covering made in Fadak and was riding behind him. He was going to pay visit to Sa`d bin Ubada in Banu Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj; and this incident happened before the battle of Badr. The Prophet passed by a gathering in which `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul was present, and that was before `Abdullah bin Ubai embraced Islam. Behold in that gathering there were people of different religions: there were Muslims, pagans, idol-worshippers and Jews, and in that gathering `Abdullah bin Rawaha was also present. When a cloud of dust raised by the donkey reached that gathering, `Abdullah bin Ubai covered his nose with his garment and then said, "Do not cover us with dust." Then Allah's Apostle greeted them and stopped and dismounted and invited them to Allah (i.e. to embrace Islam) and recited to them the Holy Qur'an. On that, `Abdullah bin Ubai bin Saluil said, "O man ! There is nothing better than that what you say. If it is the truth, then do not trouble us with it in our gatherings. Return to your mount (or residence) and if somebody comes to you, relate (your tales) to him." On that `Abdullah bin Rawaha said, "Yes, O Allah's Apostle! Bring it (i.e. what you want to say) to us in our gathering, for we love that." So the Muslims, the pagans and the Jews started abusing one another till they were on the point of fighting with one another. The Prophet kept on quietening them till they became quiet, whereupon the Prophet rode his animal (mount) and proceeded till he entered upon Sa`d bin Ubada. The Prophet said to Sa`d, "Did you not hear what 'Abu Hub-b said?" He meant `Abdullah bin Ubai. "He said so-andso." On that Sa`d bin Ubada said, "O Allah's Apostle! Excuse and forgive him, for by Him Who revealed the Book to you, Allah brought the Truth which was sent to you at the time when the people of this town (i.e. Medina) had decided unanimously to crown him and tie a turban on his head (electing him as chief). But when Allah opposed that (decision) through the Truth which Allah gave to you, he (i.e. `Abdullah bin Ubai) was grieved with jealously. and that caused him to do what you have seen." So Allah's Apostle excused him, for the Prophet and his companions used to forgive the pagans and the people of Scripture as Allah had ordered them, and they used to put up with their mischief with patience. Allah said: "And you shall certainly hear much that will grieve ...

Abu Dawud said: Sulaiman b. Musa has narrated this tradition about the time of the Maghrib prayer from Musa from 'Ata on the authority of Jabir from the Prophet (saws). This version adds: He then offered the Isha prayer when a third of the night had passed, as narrated (he said the Isha prayer) when half the night had passed.

This tradition has been transmitted by Ibn Buraidah on the authority of his father from the Prophet (saws) in a similar way.

Yahya related to me from Malik that Da'ud ibn al-Husayn said that someone had told him Abdullah ibn Abbas used to say, "Duluk ash-shams begins from when the sun passes the meridian. Ghasaq al-layl is the gathering of the night and its darkness."