Abu Ayyub al-Ansari reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The gates of heaven are opened for four rak'as containing no taslim before the noon prayer.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. as-Sa’ib said God’s Messenger used to pray four rak'as before the noon prayer, after the sun had passed the meridian, saying, “It is an hour at which the gates of heaven are opened, and I like a good deed of mine to ascend at that time.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God show mercy to a man who prays four rak'as before the afternoon prayer!” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali said that God's Messenger used to pray four rak’as before the afternoon prayer, separating them with a salutation to the angels who are near God’s presence and the Muslims and believers who come after them. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He said that God's Messenger used to pray two rak'as before the afternoon prayer. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anyone prays six rak'as after the sunset prayer, not saying anything evil during them, they will be treated for him as equivalent to twelve years’ worship.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying, “This is a gharib tradition which I know only from the traditions of ‘Umar b. Abu Khath'am; and I heard Muhammad b. Isma'il (i.e. Bukhari) say that his traditions are rejected. He declared him to be very weak.”

‘A'isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone prays twenty rak'as after the sunset prayer, God will build for him a house in paradise.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

She said that God’s Messenger never came into her house after praying the evening prayer without praying four or six rak'as. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When the stars set two rak'as should be prayed before the dawn prayer, and after the prostration two rak'as should be prayed after the sunset prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Umar said that he heard God’s Messenger say, “Four rak'as before the noon prayer after the sun has passed tne meridian are reckoned equivalent to a similar number at the dawn prayer.1 There is nothing which does not glorify God at that hour.” Then he recited, “Their shadows turn round from the right and the left prostrating themselves to God, and they are abject.”2 1. This is the literal translation, but commentators usually explain it as referring to night prayers at some time between midnight and dawn. 2. Al-Qur’an; 16:48 Tirmidhi and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al- iman, transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger never omitted to pray two rak'as after the afternoon prayer in her house. (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Bukhari she said, “By Him who took him away, he did not omit them till he met God.”

I asked Anas b. Malik about the voluntary prayers after the afternoon prayer and he replied, “Umar used to forbid prayer after the afternoon prayer, but in the time of God’s Messenger we used to pray two rak'as after the setting of the sun before the sunset prayer.” I asked him whether God’s Messenger prayed these two and he replied, “He used to see us praying them, but neither commanded us nor forbade us to do so.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said, “When we were in Medina, the moment the mu’adhdhin made the call to the sunset prayer the people hastened to the pillars of the mosque and prayed two rak'as, with the result that any stranger coming into the mosque would think that the obligatory prayer had been observed owing to the number who were praying them.” Muslim transmitted it.

I went to ‘Uqba al-Juhani and said, “I can tell you something about Abu Tamim which will make you wonder. He prays two rak'as before the sunset prayer.” ‘Uqba replied, “We used to do so in the time of God’s Messenger.” I asked, “What prevents you now?” and he replied, “Work.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Ka‘b b. ‘Ujra said that the Prophet came to the mosque of the B. ‘Abd al-Ashhal and prayed the sunset prayer in it. When the people finished their prayer he saw them performing tasbih after it and said, “This is the prayer to be observed at home.”* * This refers to supererogatory prayers. Tasbih is the utterance of 'Glory be to God!’ Abu Dawud transmitted it. In the version by Tirmidhi and Nasa’i it says that the people got up and offered supererogatory prayers, whereupon the Prophet said, “Observe this prayer at home.”

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger prolonged the recitation of the Qur’an in the two rak'as after the sunset prayer till the people in the mosque separated. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Makhul, tracing it back, told how God’s Messenger said, “If anyone before engaging in conversation after the sunset prayer prays two rak'as (four rak'as according to another version), his prayer will be taken up to ‘Illiyun.” It is given in mursal form. Hudhaifa has something similar, adding that he used to say, “Hasten the two rak'as after the sunset prayer, for they will be taken up along with the prescribed prayer.” Razin transmitted them both, and Baihaqi transmitted something to the same effect as the addition in Shu'ab al-iman.

‘Amr b. ‘Ata’ said that Nafi‘ b. Jubair sent him to as-Sa'ib to ask him about something Mu'awiya had seen him do in prayer. He said, “Yes, I prayed the Friday noon prayer along with him in the enclosure,* and when the imam uttered the salutation I stood up in my place and prayed. When he went in he sent me a message saying, ‘Never again do what you have done. When you pray the Friday noon prayer you must not join another prayer to it till you have engaged in conversation or gone out, for God’s Messenger gave us that precise command, not to join on a prayer till we had engaged in conversation or gone out’.” * The enclosure (maqsura) was a private part of the mosque reserved for the Caliph. Mu'awiya has been accused of being an innovator because he introduced this feature. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Ata’ said that when Ibn ‘Umar prayed the Friday noon prayer in Mecca he would go forward and pray two rak'as, then go forward and pray four; but when he was in Medina he prayed the Friday noon prayer, then returned to his house and prayed two rak'as, not praying them in the mosque. Someone mentioned this to him and he replied that God’s Messenger used to do it. Abu Dawud transmitted it. In Tirmidhi’s version he said, “I saw Ibn ‘Umar pray two rak'as after the Friday noon prayer, then he prayed four after that.”

‘A’isha said that between the time when he finished the evening prayer and the dawn prayer the Prophet used to pray eleven rak'as, uttering the salutation at the end of every two and observing the witr,* with a single one, and during that he would make a prostration about as long as one of you would take to recite fifty verses before raising his head. When the mu’adhdhin finished making the call for the dawn prayer and he saw the dawn clearly, he stood up and prayed two short rak'as, then lay down on his right side till the mu’adhdhin came to him for the iqama, whereupon he would go out. *Cf. chap. 36 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She said, “When the Prophet prayed the two rak'as of the dawn prayer, he would talk to me if I was awake, otherwise he would lie down.” Muslim transmitted it.

She said that when the Prophet prayed the two rak'as of the dawn prayer he lay down on his right side. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She said the Prophet used to pray thirteen rak'as during the night, including the witr and two rak'as of the dawn prayer. Muslim transmitted it.

Masruq said he asked ‘A’isha what prayers God’s Messenger said during the night and she replied, “Seven, nine, and eleven rak'as apart from the two rak'as of the dawn prayer.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that when the Prophet stood up at night to pray he began his prayer with two short rak'as. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you gets up at night; he should begin the prayer with two short rak'as.” Muslim transmitted it.

I spent a night with my maternal aunt Maimuna when the Prophet was with her. After talking to his family for a time he had a sleep, then when the last third of the night came, or a little later, he sat up, looked at the sky, and recited, “In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day there are indeed signs for people of understanding,"(Al-Qur’an; 3:190) to the end of the sura. Then getting up and going to the bucket, he loosened its cord and poured some water into a bowl, then performed a good ablution between the two extremes, not going to great length, and when he had done it fully he stood up and prayed. I got up, and when I had performed ablution I stood at his left side, whereupon he took me by the ear and made me go round to his right side. His prayer was altogether thirteen rak'as. Then he lay down and slept, and he snored as was his custom. When Bilal made the call to prayer for him he prayed without performing ablution, and his supplication included these words, “O God, place light in my heart, light in my eyesight, light in my hearing, light on my right hand, light on my left hand, light above me, light below me, light in front of me, light behind me, and grant me light." Some added, “and light in my tongue," and mentioned, “my joints, my flesh, my blood, my hair, my skin." (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by both of them he said, “Place light in my soul, and give me abundant light." In another by Muslim he said, “O God, give me light."

He said that once when he slept in the house of God’s Messenger, he awoke, cleaned his teeth and performed ablution, saying meanwhile, “In the creation of the heavens and the earth," to the end of the sura. He then stood up and prayed two rak'as, standing, bowing and prostrating himself at length in them. Then he finished, went to sleep and snored. He did that three times, six rak'as altogether, each time cleaning his teeth, performing ablution and reciting these verses. Then he performed a witr of three rak'as. Muslim transmitted it.

Zaid b. Khalid al-Juhani decided to watch one night what prayers God’s Messenger said. He prayed two short rak'as, then two long, long, long rak'as, then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'as which were less then the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding, then he prayed a single one, making a total of thirteen. Muslim transmitted it. The words “then he prayed two rak'as which were less than the two preceding”, mentioned four times, occur thus in Muslim’s Sahih and among those peculiar or him in Humaidi’s book, also in Malik’s Muwatta’, Abu Dawud’s Sunan, and Jami’ al-Usul.

‘A’isha said, “When God’s Messenger grew old and was ill, he mostly prayed sitting.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

37, 45, 47, 48, 50, 61, 67, 87, and 93. The name is most appropriately explained ay meaning that this is the section of the Qur’an which contains many shorter suras. 2. Al-Qur’an; 94. As this is included as one of the suras in al Mufassal, it suggests that this section begins earlier than the first number mentioned in the note referred to above. 3. Al-Qur'an; 78. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Hudhaifa said he saw the Prophet praying at night, and he was saying, “God is most great (three times), Possessor of the kingdom, might, pomp and greatness.” Thereafter he began and recited al-Baqara (Al-Qur’an; 2) then bowed, his bowing lasting about the same length of time as his standing, and he was saying while bowing, “Glory be to my mighty Lord.” He then raised his head after bowing and stood about the same length of time as he bad spent in bowing, saying, “To my Lord be the praise.” Then he prostrated himself for about the same length of time as he had stood, and he was saying while prostrating himself, “Glory be to my Lord most high.” He then raised his head after the prostration and sat between the two prostrations about the same length of time as he had spent in his prostration, and he was saying, “My Lord, forgive me; my Lord, forgive me.” He then prayed four rak'as in which he recited al-Baqara, Al 'Imran, an-Nisa’, and al-Ma'idaor al-An‘am (Al-Qur’an; 2, 3, 4 and 5 and 6) Shu‘ba was doubtful which it was. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

and if anyone makes proper use of a thousand verses he will be recorded among those who receive huge rewards.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that the Prophet’s recitation at night was partly in a loud voice and partly in a low voice. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said the Prophet’s recitation was loud enough for one who was in the inner chamber to hear it when he was in the house. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Qatada said God’s Messenger went out one night and found Abu Bakr praying in a low voice, and he passed ‘Umar who was raising his voice while praying. When they both were with the Prophet he said, “I passed you, Abu Bakr, when you were praying in a low voice.” He replied, “I made Him hear with whom I was holding intimate converse, Messenger of God.” He said to ‘Umar, “I passed you when you were raising your voice while praying.” He replied, “Messenger of God, I was wakening the drowsy and driving away the devil.” The Prophet said, “Raise your voice a little, Abu Bakr;” and he said to ‘Umar, “Lower your voice a little.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar.

Abu Dharr said that God’s Messenger kept awake during the night till morning reciting one verse, which was, “If Thou punishest them they are Thy servants; and if Thou forgivest them Thou art the Mighty, the Wise”(Al-Qur’an; 5:118). Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays the two rak'as of the dawn prayer, he should lie down on his right side.”* * Cf. the third tradition in section 1 of this chapter. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Masruq said he asked ‘A’isha what action was most pleasing to God’s Messenger and she replied that it was what one keeps on doing. He asked at what time he got up at night and she said it was at cockcrow. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said, “We never wanted to see God’s Messenger praying at night without doing so, and we never wanted to see him sleeping without doing so.”* *The tradition most probably means that he Prophet did not go to extremes in religious observances. Nasa'i transmitted it.

Humaid b. ‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf said that one of the companions of the Prophet told how he decided when he was on a journey along with God’s Messenger that he must watch his prayer to see how he conducted it. When he had prayed the evening prayer, which is the 'atama, he lay down for a long period during the night, then awoke, looked at the horizon and said, “Our Lord, Thou hast not created this in vain…verily Thou dost not break Thy promise” (Al-Qur’an; 3:191,194). Then God's Messenger went to his couch from which he took out a toothstick, then poured out some water into a bowl from a skin vessel beside him, cleaned his teeth, and stood up and prayed, till it appeared to me that he prayed as long as he had slept. Then he lay down till it appeared to me that he slept as long as he had prayed. Then awakening and doing as he did the first time, he said the same as he had said. He did that three times before the dawn. Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ya'la b. Mamlak said he asked Umm Salama, the Prophet’s wife, about his recitation and prayer. She Said, “What have you to do with his prayer? He would pray, then sleep as long as he had prayed, then pray as long as he had slept, then sleep as long as he had prayed, till morning.” She then described his recitation and did so with an exposition word by word. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas told how the Prophet said when he got up during the night to pray, “O God, to Thee be the praise; Thou art supreme over the heavens and the earth and their inhabitants. To Thee be the praise; Thou art the Light of the heavens and the earth and their inhabitants. To Thee be the praise; Thou art the King of the heavens and the earth and their inhabitants. To Thee be the praise; Thou art the Truth, Thy promise is truth, the meeting with Thee is true, Thy word is true, paradise is true, hell is true, the prophets are true, Muhammad is true, the last hour is true. O God, to Thee I submit, in Thee I believe upon Thee I trust, to Thee I repent, by Thy help I have disputed, and to Thee I have come for decision, so forgive me my former and my latter sins, my secret and my open sins, and what Thou knowest better than I. Thou art He who brings forward, and Thou art He who defers. There is no god but Thee, and there is no other god than Thee.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said that when the Prophet got up at night he began his prayer by saying, “O God, the Lord of Gabriel, Michael and Israfil, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, who knowest the unseen and the seen, Thou decidest among Thy servants concerning their differences. Guide me on account of different opinions regarding the truth by Thy permission; verily Thou guidest whom Thou wilt to a straight path.” Muslim transmitted it.

God is most great; there is no might and no power but in God,’ then says, ‘My Lord, forgive me’ (or he said, Then makes supplication), he will receive an answer; and if he performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘A’isha told how God’s Messenger said when he awoke during the night, “There is no god but Thee. Glory be to Thee, O God, and praise be to Thee. I ask for Thy forgiveness of my sin, and I ask for Thy mercy. O God, increase me in knowledge, and do not let my heart swerve after Thou hast guided me. Grant me mercy from Thyself. Thou art indeed the munificent One.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Mu'adh b. Jabal reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any Muslim goes to bed in a state of purity making mention of God, then is disturbed [from sleep] during the night and asks God for good, God will give it to him.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Shariq al-Hauzani told that he visited ‘A’isha and asked her what God’s Messenger said first when he rose during the night. Replying that he had asked her a question she had never been asked by anyone before, she said that when he rose during the night he said “God is most great” ten times, “Praise be to God” ten times, “Glory be to God, and praise be to him” ten times, “Glory be to the King most holy” ten times, he asked pardon from God ten times, said “There is no god but God” ten times, then said, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the distress of this world and from the distress of the day of resurrection” ten times, then he began the prayer. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that when God’s Messenger got up during the night he said, “God is most great,” then he would say, “Glory be to Thee, O God, and praise be to Thee; blessed be Thy name; exalted be Thine honour; there is no other god but Thee.” Then he would say, “God is most exceeding great;” then say, “I seek refuge in God, the Hearer and Knower, from the accursed devil, from his pricking, his blowing, and his sputtering.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, Abu Dawud adding after “no other god but Thee,” that he would then say “There is no god but God” three times, and at the end of the tradition, that he would then recite some verses.

Rabi'a b. Ka‘b al-Aslami said he used to spend the night near the Prophet’s inner chamber and hear him say when he got up during the night, “Glory be to the Lord of the universe" for a long time. Then he would say, “Glory be to God and praise be to Him" for a longtime. Nasa’i transmitted it, and Tirmidhi who has something similar says that this is a hasan sahih tradition.