Malik said he heard that a man asked Ibn ‘Umar whether the witr was obligatory, and ‘Abdallah said, “God’s Messenger observed the witr and the Muslims observed the witr.” The man kept repeating his question and ‘Abdallah kept saying, “God’s Messenger observed the witr and the Muslims observed the witr.” He transmitted it in al-Muwatta.

‘Ali said that God’s Messenger used to pray three rak'as when observing the witr, reciting nine suras from al-Mufassal in the course of them, three in each rak'a, the last of them being “Say, He is God, One” (Al-Qur’an; 112). Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Nafi' said, “I was with Ibn ‘Umar in Mecca when the sky was cloudy and he was afraid the morning might have come, so he observed a witr with one rak'a. The sky then cleared and he saw that it was still night, so he made it a pair by praying one rak'a; then he prayed series of two rak'as, and when he was afraid morning was near he observed a witr with one.” Malik transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to pray sitting, and would recite the Qur’an while sitting; then when about thirty or forty verses of his recitation remained he stood up and recited while standing. Then he bowed, then he prostrated himself, and after that he did the same kind of thing in the second rak'a. Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Salama said the Prophet used to pray two rak'as after the witr. Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah added that they were short ones which he prayed while sitting.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to observe a witr with one rak'a, then he performed two rak'as reciting the Qur’an in the course of them seated. When he wished to bow, he stood up and bowed. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Thauban reported the Prophet as saying, “This wakefulness is a toil and a burden, so when one of you observes a witr he should pray two rak'as. If he gets up during the night, well and good; otherwise they will serve for him." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Umama said the Prophet used to pray the two of them after the witr seated, and recited in the course of them, “When the earth is shaken’’, 1 and "Say, O infidels."2 Al-Qur’an; 99 Al-Qur’an; 109 Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger wished to invoke a curse or a blessing on someone he stood in supplication after bowing, and when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him,” he often said, “Praise be to Thee, our Lord! O God, rescue al-Walid b. al-Walid, Salama b. Hisham and ‘Ayyash b. Abu Rabi'a.1 O God, trample severely on Mudar and cause them a famine like that of Joseph,”2 saying that in a loud voice. And he would sometimes say in the course of his prayer, “O God, curse so and so and so and so of the tribes of the Arabs,” till God revealed, “You have nothing to do with the matter. . .”3 1. These were men who were persecuted for their faith and held prisoners. 2. The famine in the time of Joseph lasted seven years. 3. Al-Qur’an; 3:128. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I asked Anas b. Malik whether the humble supplication1 during the prayer was before or after bowing and he replied, “Before it; God’s Messenger observed it after bowing only for a month. He had sent out some people called Qur’an readers, to the number of seventy, on an expedition and they were smitten,2 so for a month God’s Messenger stood in humble supplication after bowing, invoking a curse on their murderers.” 1. The Arabic is qunut, which means 'being obedient’, or 'the act of standing’. It is used of certain supplications in the witr or at other times, but there is some disagreement about when these supplications may be made. The traditions in this chapter deal with the appropriate times. 2. The reference is to an incident at Bi’r Ma'una in 4 A.H. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger stood in humble supplication daily for a month at the noon, afternoon; sunset, evening and morning prayer when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” in the last rak'a, invoking a curse on some clans of the B. Sulaim, Ri‘l, Dhakwan and ‘Usayya, and those standing behind him said Amen. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas said that the Prophet stood in humble supplication for a month and then gave it up. Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

I said to my father, “Father, you have prayed behind God’s Messenger, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, and behind Ali here in al-Kufa for about five years. Did they stand in humble supplication?” He replied, “Sonny, it is an innovation.” Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Al-Hasan said that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab congregated the people with Ubayy b. Ka‘b as imam and he led them in prayer for twenty nights, but led them in humble supplication only in the second half. When the last ten days came he withdrew and prayed in his house, and the people were saying, “Ubayy has run away.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas b. Malik was asked about standing in humble supplication and replied, “God’s Messenger stood in humble supplication after bowing.” A version has “before and after bowing.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Zaid b. Thabit said that God’s Messenger made an apartment of reed mats in the mosque and prayed in it for some nights until people gathered round him. One night when they missed his voice and thought he had gone to sleep, some of them began to clear their throats in order that he might come out to them, so he said, “What I have seen you doing has continued to be your practice, so that I have been afraid that it might be prescribed for you, and if it were prescribed for you you would not fulfil it. You people should therefore pray in your houses, for, with the exception of the prescribed prayer, the most excellent prayer a man observes is that which he observes in his house.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that God’s Messenger used to commend prayer at night in Ramadan, but did not command it as a duty. He would say, “If anyone prays during the night in Ramadan because of faith and seeking his reward from God, his former sins will be forgiven him.” When God’s Messenger died this was the practice, and it continued thus during Abu Bakr’s Caliphate and the early part of ‘Umar’s. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you performs the prayer in his mosque he should leave a portion of his prayer for his house, for God blesses his house because of his prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.

We fasted along with God’s Messenger, 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. Next night he did not make us get up, but when the fifth remaining night came he made us get up for prayer till a half of the night had gone, so I said, “Messenger of God, I wish you had led us in supererogatory prayers during the whole of this night." He replied, “When a man prays with an imam till he goes away he is reckoned as having spent a night in prayer." On the fourth remaining night he did not make us get up till two-thirds of the night had passed. On the third remaining night he gathered his family, his wives and the people and prayed with us till we were afraid we would miss the falah (explaining, when asked, that the falah was the meal before daybreak). Then he did not make us get up for prayer during the remainder of the month. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted something similar, but Tirmidhi did not mention, “then he did not make us get up for prayer during the remainder of the month."

I missed God’s Messengerone night and found him at al-Baqi‘. He said, “Were you afraid that God and His Messenger would act wrongly towards you?" I replied, “Messenger of God, I thought you had gone to one of your wives." He said, “On the middle night of Sha'ban God most high descends to the lowest heaven and forgives more sins than the hairs of the goats of Kalb." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Razin added, “for those who deserve hell."Tirmidhi said, “I heard Muhammad (i.e., Bukhari) declare that this tradition is weak."

Zaid b. Thabit reported God s Messenger as saying, “A man’s prayer in his house is more excellent than his prayer in this mosque of mine, except for the prescribed prayer." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I went out one night to the mosque with ‘Umar b. al-Khattab and we saw the people in sections separate from one another, one man praying by himself, and another followed by a group; so ‘Umar said, “If I collected these people behind one reciter it would be better." He then made up his mind and collected them with Ubayy b. Ka‘b as imam. Afterwards I went out with him another night when the people were following the prayer of their reciter, and ‘Umar said, “This is a good innovation, but what you miss through sleeping is more excellent than what you are getting up for, meaning at the end of the night, for the people were getting up during the early part of the night. Bukhari transmitted it.

'Umar ordered Ubayy b. Ka'b and Tamim ad-Dari to lead the people in eleven rak'as during the night in Ramadan. The reader was reciting [a sura with over] a hundred verses in each rak'a so that we leaned on our sticks because of standing so long, and we did not depart till the dawn was beginning to break. Malik transmitted it.

I never came upon the people without hearing them cursing the infidels during Ramadan. The reader recited sura al-Baqara (Al-Qur’an; 2) in the course of eight rak'as, and when he made it serve for twelve rak'as the people thought he had shortened the prayer. Malik transmitted it.

I'heard Ubayy say, “We used to finish night prayers in Ramadan and ask the servants to hurry up with the food, for fear we would miss the meal before dawn.” In another version he said, “for fear the dawn would come.” Malik transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported the Prophet as saying, “Do you know what happens this night?” meaning the middle night of Sha‘ban. She asked, “What happens in it, Messenger of God?” He replied, “In it record is made of every human being who will be born and of every human being who will die this year; in it their actions are taken up to heaven and in it their provisions are sent down.” She asked, “Does one enter paradise only by the mercy of God most high?” He replied three times, “No one enters paradise but by the mercy of God most high.” She asked, “Not even you, Messenger of God?” He put his hand on the crown of his head and said, “Not even I, unless God enfolds me in His mercy,” saying it three times. Baihaqi transmitted it in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir.

Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God most high looks down on the middle night of Sha'ban and forgives all His creatures, except a polytheist or one who is hostile.” Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it from ‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As. His version has, “except two, one who is hostile and a murderer.”

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When the middle night of Sha'ban comes, spend the night in prayer and fast during the day, for in it God most high comes down at sunset to the lowest heaven and says, ‘Is there no one who asks forgiveness so that I may forgive him ? Is there no one who asks provision so that I may provide him? Is there no one afflicted so that I may relieve him? Is there not such and such? Is there not such and such?’ till the dawn comes.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Umm Hani’ said that the Prophet entered her house on the day of the Conquest of Mecca, bathed and prayed eight rak'as, adding, “I never saw a shorter prayer than it, except that he performed the bowing and the prostration completely.” In another version she said, “That was in the forenoon.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Mu'adha said she asked ‘A’isha how many rak'as God’s Messenger prayed at the forenoon prayer, and she replied, “Four rak'as, but sometimes more, as God pleased.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “In the morning alms are due from every bone in a man’s fingers and toes. Every utterance of ‘Glory be to God’ is alms; every utterance of ‘Praise be to God’ is alms; every utterance of ‘There is no god but God' is alms; every utterance of ‘God is most great’ is alms; enjoining good is alms; forbidding what is disreputable is alms; and two rak'as which one prays in the forenoon serve instead of that.” Muslim transmitted it.

They well know that prayer at another time than this is more excellent. God’s Messenger said, “The prayer of those who are penitent is observed when the young weaned camels feel the heat of the sun.”* * Young camels are said to feel the sand too hot when a quarter of the day has passed. Muslim transmitted it.

Abud Darda' and Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as stating that God who is blessed and exalted said, “Son of Adam, if you perform four rak'as for me at the beginning of the day, I will supply what you need till the end of it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it from Nu'aim b. Hammar al-Ghatafani, and Ahmad from them all.

Buraida said that he heard God’s Messenger say, “A human being has three hundred and sixty joints for each of which he must give alms.” On being asked who was capable of doing that he replied, “It may be mucus in the mosque which you bury, and something which you remove from the road; but if you do not find such, two rak'as in the forenoon will suffice you.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone prays twelve rak'as in the forenoon God will build for him a castle of gold in paradise.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Tirmidhi said, “This is a gharib tradition which I know only by this line of transmission.”

Mu'adh b. Anas al-Juhani reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone sits in his place of prayer when he finishes the Morning Prayer till he prays the two rak'as of the forenoon, saying nothing but what is good, his sins will be forgiven him even if they are more than the foam of the sea.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone perseveres in praying the two rak'as of the forenoon, his sins will be forgiven him, even if they are like the foam of the sea.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘A’isha used to pray eight rak'as in the forenoon, then say, “If my parents were brought back to life for me I would not give up praying them.” Malik transmitted it.

God’s Messenger used to pray in the forenoon so often that we felt he would never stop doing so; then he would leave off doing so for so long that we felt he would never resume prayer at that time. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

I asked Ibn ‘Umar whether he prayed in the forenoon and he said he did not. I asked whether ‘Umar did and he said he did not. I asked whether Abu Bakr did and he said he did not. I asked whether the Prophet did and he said, “I don’t think so.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported that God's Messenger said to Bilal at the dawn prayer, “Tell me, Bilal, of the action you have done since becoming a Muslim which is most calculated to cause hope in you, for I heard the sound of your sandals in front of me in paradise.” He replied, “I have done no action more calculated, in my opinion to cause hope than that I have never performed ablution at any hour of the night or day without immediately praying what was ordained for me to pray.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God’s Messenger used to teach us how to ask God’s guidance about matters just as he used to teach as a sura of the Qur’an, saying: When any of you intends to do something he should pray two rak'as which are not compulsory, then say, “O God, I ask Thy guidance by Thy knowledge, I ask Thee for power by Thy power, and I ask Thee out of Thy great abundance, for Thou hast power and I have none, Thou knowest and I did not, and Thou art the One who is aware of the unseen. O God, if Thou knowest that this matter is good for me regarding my religion, my livelihood, and my future wellbeing (or he said, “my affairs in this world and the next”), ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. But if Thou knowest that this matter is bad for me regarding my religion, my livelihood, and my future wellbeing (or he said, “my affairs in this world and the next”), turn it away from me, turn me away from it, ordain good for me wherever it is, then make me pleased with it.” He said that he should name what he required. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Bakr told me, and Abu Bakr spoke the truth, that he heard God’s Messenger say, “No man will commit a sin, then get up and purify himself, then pray, then ask God’s foigiveness without God forgiving him.” Then he recited, "And those who, when they do something to be ashamed of, or who wrong themselves, remember God and ask forgiveness for their sins” (Al-Qur’an; 3:135). Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Ibn Majah did not mention the verse.

Hudhaifa said that when anything distressed the Prophet he prayed. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Buraida told how one morning God’s Messenger called Bilal and said, "What did you do to get to paradise before me? I have never entered paradise without hearing the rustling of your garments in front of me.” He replied, "Messenger of God, I have never called the adhan without praying two rak'as, and no impurity has ever happened to me without my performing ablution on the spot and thinking that I owed God two rak'as.” God’s Messenger said, "It is because of them.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

If anyone wants something from God, or from a human being, he should perform ablution and do it well, then pray two rak'as, then extol God most high and invoke blessing on the Prophet, then say, "There is no god but God, the Clement and Generous. Glory be to God, the Lord of the mighty throne. Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe. I ask Thee for words which will guarantee Thy mercy, actions which will make certain Thy forgiveness, a supply of every virtue, and freedom from every offence. Do not leave me a sin which Thou dost not pardon, a care which Thou dost not remove, or a want that meets with Thy pleasure which Thou dost not supply, O most merciful of the merciful ones.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a gharib tradition.

‘Abbas my uncle, shall I not give you, shall I not present you, shall I not tell you, shall I not produce in you ten things, by your doing which God will forgive you your sin, first and last, old and new, involuntary and voluntary, small and great, secret and open? You should pray four rak'as reciting in each one Fatihat al-Kitab (Al-Qur’an; 1) and a sura and when you finish the recitation in the first rak'a you should say fifteen times while standing, “Glory be to God. Praise be to God. There is no god but God. God is most great.” Then you should bow and say it ten times while bowing. Then you should raise your head after bowing and say it ten times. Then you should get down in prostration and say it ten times while prostrating yourself. Then you should raise your head after prostrating yourself and say it ten times. ’ Then you should prostrate yourself and say it ten times, then raise your head and say it ten times. That is, seventy-five times in every rak'a. You should do that in four rak'as. If you can observe it once daily do so; if not, then once weekly; if not, then once a month; if not, then once a year; if not, then once in your lifetime. Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar from Abu Rafi'.

Abu Huraira told of hearing God’s Messenger say, “The first of his deeds for which a man will be taken into account on the day of resurrection will be his prayer. If it is sound he will be saved and successful, but if it is unsound he will be unfortunate and miserable. If any deficiency is found in his obligatory prayer the Lord who is blessed and exalted will issue instructions to consider whether His servant has said any voluntary prayers so that what is lacking in the obligatory prayer may be made up by it. Then the rest of his actions will be treated in the same fashion.” In a version it says, “Then zakat will be dealt with like that, and all his actions will be treated on the same principle.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it from “a man”.

Abu Umama reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God does not listen to a servant of His engaged in anything more excellent than the two rak'as which he prays. Kindness is spread over the head of a servant as long as he is engaged in prayer; and men do not draw near to God with anything to be compared with what came forth from Him,” meaning the Qur’an. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas said that God’s Messenger prayed four rak'as at the noon prayer in Medina and two rak'as at the afternoon prayer in Dhul Hulaifa. (Bukhari and Muslim.)