I met Bilal, the Mu'adhdhin of the Messenger of Allah (saws) at Aleppo, and said: Bilal, tell me, what was the financial position of the Messenger of Allah (saws)?

He said: He had nothing. It was I who managed it on his behalf since the day Allah made him Prophet of Allah (saws) until he died. When a Muslim man came to him and he found him naked, he ordered me (to clothe him). I would go, borrow (some money), and purchase a cloak for him. I would then clothe him and feed him.

A man from the polytheists met me and said: I am well off, Bilal. Do not borrow money from anyone except me. So I did accordingly. One day when I performed ablution and stood up to make call to prayer, the same polytheist came along with a body of merchants.

When he saw me, he said: O Abyssinian. I said: I am at your service. He met me with unpleasant looks and said harsh words to me. He asked me: Do you know how many days remain in the completion of this month? I replied: The time is near. He said: Only four days remain in the completion of this month. I shall then take that which is due from you (i.e. loan), and then shall return you to tend the sheep as you did before. I began to think in my mind what people think in their minds (on such occasions). When I offered the night prayer, the Messenger of Allah (saws) returned to his family. I sought permission from him and he gave me permission.

I said: Messenger of Allah, may my parents be sacrificed for you, the polytheist from whom I used to borrow money said to me such-and-such. Neither you nor I have anything to pay him for me, and he will disgrace me. So give me permission to run away to some of those tribes who have recently embraced Islam until Allah gives His Apostle (saws) something with which he can pay (the debt) for me. So I came out and reached my house. I placed my sword, waterskin (or sheath), shoes and shield near my head. When dawn broke, I intended to be on my way.

All of a sudden I saw a man running towards me and calling: Bilal, return to the Messenger of Allah (saws). So I went till I reached him. I found four mounts kneeling on the ground with loads on them. I sought permission.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said to me: Be glad, Allah has made arrangements for the payment (of your debt). He then asked: Have you not seen the four mounts kneeling on the ground?

I replied: Yes. He said: You may have these mounts and what they have on them. There are clothes and food on them, presented to me by the ruler of Fadak. Take them away and pay off your debt. I did so.

He then mentioned the rest of the tradition. I then went to the mosque and found that the Messenger of Allah (saws) was sitting there. I greeted him.

He asked: What benefit did you have from your property? I replied: Allah Most High paid everything which was due from the Messenger of Allah (saws). Nothing remains now.

He asked: Did anything remain (from that property)? I said: Yes. He said: Look, if you can give me some comfort from it, for I shall not visit any member of my family until you give me some comfort from it. When the Messenger of Allah (saws) offered the night prayer, he called me and said: What is the position of that which you had with you (i.e. property)?

I said: I still have it, no one came to me. The Messenger of Allah (saws) passed the night in the mosque.

He then narrated the rest of the tradition. Next day when he offered the night prayer, he called me and asked: What is the position of that which you had (i.e. the rest of the property)?

I replied: Allah has given you comfort from it, Messenger of Allah. He said: Allah is Most Great, and praised Allah, fearing lest he should die while it was with him. I then followed him until he came to his wives and greeted each one of them and finally he came to his place where he had to pass the night. This is all for which you asked me.

Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az-Zubayr that Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abd al-Qari said, "I went out with Umar ibn alKhattab in Ramadan to the mosque and the people there were spread out in groups. Some men were praying by themselves, whilst others were praying in small groups. Umar said, 'By Allah! It would be better in my opinion if these people gathered behind one reciter.' So he gathered them behind Ubayy ibn Kab. Then I went out with him another night and the people were praying behind their Qur'an reciter. Umar said, 'How excellent this new way is, but what you miss while you are asleep is better than what you watch in prayer.' He meant the end of the night, and people used to watch the beginning of the night in prayer."

Zurarah ibn Awfa said that Aisha was asked about the midnight prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

She said: He used to offer his night prayer in congregation and then return to his family (in his house) and pray four rak'ahs. Then he would go to his bed and sleep, but the water for his ablution was placed covered near his head and his tooth-stick was also kept there until Allah awakened him at night.

He then used the tooth-stick, performed ablution perfectly then came to the place of prayer and would pray eight rak'ahs, in which he would recite Surah al-Fatihah, and a surah from the Qur'an as Allah willed. He would not sit during any of them but sit after the eighth rak'ah, and would not utter the salutation, but recite (the Qur'an) during the ninth rak'ah. Then he would sit and supplicate as long as Allah willed, and beg Him and devote his attention to Him; He would utter the salutation once in such a loud voice that the inmates of the house were almost awakened by his loud salutation. He would then recite Surah al-Fatihah while sitting, bow while sitting, and then recite the Qur'an during the second rak'ah, and would bow and prostrate while sitting. He would supplicate Allah as long as He willed, then utter the salutation and turn away.

This amount of prayer of the Messenger of Allah (saws) continued till he put a weight. During that period he retrenched two rak'ahs from nine and began to pray six and seven rak'ahs standing and two rak'ahs sitting. This continued till he died.

We came upon the Messenger of Allah (saws) in a deputation of Thaqif. The signatories of the pact came to al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah as his guests. The Messenger of Allah (saws) made Banu-Malik stay in a tent of his.

Musaddad's version says: He was in the deputation of Thaqif which came to the Messenger of Allah (saws). He used to visit and have a talk with us every day after the night prayer.

The version of AbuSa'id says: He remained standing for such a long time (talking to us) that he put his weight sometimes on one leg and sometimes on the other due to his long stay. He mostly told us how his people, the Quraysh, behaved with him.

He would say: We were not equal; we were weak and degraded at Mecca (according to Musaddad's version). When we came over to Medina the fighting began between us; sometimes we overcome them and at other times they overcome us. One night he came late and did not come at the time he used to come.

We asked him: You came late tonight? He said: I could not recite the fixed part of the Qur'an that I used to recite every day. I disliked to come till I had completed it.

Aws said: I asked the companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws): How do you divide the Qur'an for daily recitation? They said: Three surahs, five surahs, eleven surahs, thirteen surahs' mufassal surahs.

Abu Dawud said: The version of Abu Sa'id is complete.

When the Prophet got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to say: Allahumma lakal-hamd. Anta qaiyyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, Laka mulkus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard. Wa lakal-hamd, anta-l-haq wa wa'duka-lhaq, wa liqa'uka Haq, wa qauluka Haq, wal-jannatu Han wan-naru Haq wannabiyuna Haq. Wa Muhammadun, sallal-lahu'alaihi wasallam, Haq, was-sa'atu Haq. Allahumma aslamtu Laka wabika amantu, wa 'Alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu faghfir li ma qaddamtu wama akh-khartu wama as-rartu wama'a lantu, anta-l-muqaddim wa anta-l-mu akh-khir, la ilaha illa anta (or la ilaha ghairuka). (O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; And all the praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allah ! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. And repent to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) And I take You as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous And future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed And You are the One who make (some people) forward And (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but you . Sufyan said that `Abdul Karim Abu Umaiya added to the above, 'Wala haula Wala quwata illa billah' (There is neither might nor power except with Allah).

I spent a night with the Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam). When he woke up from his sleep (in the latter part of the night for prayer) he came to his ablution water. He took the tooth-stick and used it. He then recited the verse: "Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are tokens (of His Sovereignty) for men of understanding" (iii-190). He recited these verses up to the end of the chapter or he finished the whole chapter. He then performed ablution and came to the place of prayer. He then said two rak'ahs of prayer. He then lay down on the bed and slept as much as Allaah wished. He then got up and did the same. He then lay down and slept. He then got up and did the same. Every time he used the tooth-stick and offered two rak'ah of prayer. He then offered the prayer known as witr.

Abu Dawud said: Fudail on the authority if Husain reported the wording: He then used the tooth-stick and performed ablution while he was reciting the verses: "Verily in the creation of the heaves and the earth..." until he finished the chapter.

Hamnah said my menstruation was great in quantity and severe. So I came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) for a decision and told him. I found him in the house of my sister, Zaynab, daughter of Jahsh.

I said: Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who menstruates in great quantity and it is severe, so what do you think about it? It has prevented me from praying and fasting.

He said: I suggest that you should use cotton, for it absorbs the blood. She replied: It is too copious for that. He said: Then take a cloth. She replied: It is too copious for that, for my blood keeps flowing. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: I shall give you two commands; whichever of them you follow, that will be sufficient for you without the other, but you know best whether you are strong enough to follow both of them.

He added: This is a stroke of the Devil, so observe your menses for six or seven days, Allah alone knows which it should be; then wash. And when you see that you are purified and quite clean, pray during twenty-three or twenty-four days and nights and fast, for that will be enough for you, and do so every month, just as women menstruate and are purified at the time of their menstruation and their purification.

But if you are strong enough to delay the noon (Zuhr) prayer and advance the afternoon ('Asr) prayer, to wash, and then combine the noon and the afternoon prayer; to delay the sunset prayer and advance the night prayer, to wash, and then combine the two prayers, do so: and to wash at dawn, do so: and fast if you are able to do so if possible.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: Of the two commands this is more to my liking.¹

Abu Dawud said: 'Amr b. Thabit narrated from Ibn 'Aqil: Hamnah said: Of the two commands this is the one which is more to my liking.² In this version these words were not quoted as the statement of the Prophet (saws); it gives it as a statement of Hamnah.

Abu Dawud said: 'Amr b. Thabit was a Rafidi. This has been said by Yahya b. Ma'in.

Abu Dawud said: I heard Ahmad (b. Hanbal) say: I am doubtful about the tradition transmitted by Ibn 'Aqil.

Allah's Apostle used to offer the Zuhr and `Asr prayers together on journeys, and also used to offer the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together. Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet used to offer the Maghrib and the `Isha' prayers together on journeys.

The Prophet used to offer night prayers till his feet became swollen. Somebody said, to him," "Allah has forgiven you, your faults of the past and those to follow." On that, he said, "Shouldn't I be a thankful slave of Allah)?"

Ibn 'Umar rep rte that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) combined the sunset and 'Isha ' prayers at Muzdalifa. He observed three rak'ahs of the sunset prayer and two rak'ahs of the 'Isha' prayer with one Iqama.

Nafi' reported that when Ibn 'Umar was in a state of hurry on a journey, he combined the sunset and 'Isha' prayers after the twilight had disappeared, and he would say that when the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was in a state of hurry on a journey, he combined the sunset and 'Isha' prayers.

Allah's Apostle once delayed the `Isha' prayer and that was during the days when Islam still had not spread. The Prophet did not come out till `Umar informed him that the women and children had slept. Then he came out and said to the people of the mosque: "None amongst the dwellers of the earth has been waiting for it (`Isha prayer) except you."

Once Allah's Apostle delayed the `Isha' prayer till `Umar informed him that the women and children had slept. The Prophet came out and said, "None except you from amongst the dwellers of earth is waiting for this prayer." In those days, there was no prayer except in Medina and they used to pray the `Isha' prayer between the disappearance of the twilight and the first third of the night.

Allah's Apostle disliked to sleep before the `Isha' prayer and to talk after it.

Allah's Apostle offered the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together at Al-Muzdalifa.

The Prophet said, "If the Iqama for (`Isha') prayer is proclaimed and supper is served, take your supper first."

The Prophet used to offer the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together whenever he was in a hurry on a journey.

A man came to the Prophet while he was delivering the sermon and asked him how to offer the night prayers. The Prophet replied, 'Pray two rak`at at a time and then two and then two and so on and if you are afraid of 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 prayed." Narrated 'Ubaidullah bin `Abdullah bin `Umar: A man called the Prophet while he was in the mosque.

One night the Prophet delayed the `Isha' prayer whereupon `Umar went to him and said, "The prayer, O Allah's Apostle! The women and children had slept." The Prophet came out with water dropping from his head, and said, "Were I not afraid that it would be hard for my followers (or for the people), I would order them to pray `Isha prayer at this time." (Various versions of this Hadith are given by the narrators with slight differences in expression but not in content).

I used to pray the `Isha prayer with the Prophet and then go to lead my people in the prayer.

The Prophet said, If supper is served and the Iqama for (Isha) prayer is proclaimed, start with you supper first."

Once Ibn Umar was taking his supper while he was listening to the recitation of (Quran by) the Imam (in the Isha prayer).

`Aisha said, "Once Allah's Apostle delayed the `Isha' prayer till `Umar reminded him by saying, "The prayer!" The women and children have slept. Then the Prophet came out and said, 'None amongst the dwellers of the earth has been waiting for it (the prayer) except you." `Urwa said, "Nowhere except in Medina the prayer used to be offered (in those days)." He further said, "The Prophet used to offer the `Isha' prayer in the period between the disappearance of the twilight and the end of the first third of the night."

I was with Ibn `Umar on the way to Mecca, and he got the news that Safiya bint Abu Ubaid was seriously ill. So, he hastened his pace, and when the twilight disappeared, he dismounted and offered the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together. Then he said, "I saw that whenever the Prophet had to hasten when traveling, he would delay the Maghrib prayer and join them together (i.e. offer the Maghrib and the `Isha prayers together).

Jabir b. Samura reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) postponed the last 'Isha' prayer.

`Abdullah;- performed the Hajj and we reached Al-Muzdalifa at or about the time of the `Isha' prayer. He ordered a man to pronounce the Adhan and Iqama and then he offered the Maghrib prayer and offered two rak`at after it. Then he asked for his supper and took it, and then, I think, he ordered a man to pronounce the Adhan and Iqama (for the `Isha' prayer). (`Amr, a sub-narrator said: The intervening statement 'I think', was said by the sub-narrator Zuhair) (i.e. not by `Abdur-Rahman). Then `Abdullah offered two rak`at of `Isha' prayer. When the day dawned, `Abdullah said, "The Prophet never offered any prayer at this hour except this prayer at this time and at this place and on this day." `Abdullah added, "These two prayers are shifted from their actual times -- the Maghrib prayer (is offered) when the people reached Al-Muzdalifa and the Fajr (morning) prayer at the early dawn." `Abdullah added, "I saw the Prophet doing that."

The Prophet was on a journey and recited in one of the first two rak`at of the `Isha' prayer "Wa t-teeni wa z-zaitun." (95)

Allah's Apostle offered witr prayer at different nights at various hours extending (from the `Isha' prayer) up to the last hour of the night.

While the Prophet was on a journey, he recited Surat at-Tini waz-Zaituni (95) in one of the first two rak`at of the `Isha prayer.

Ubaidullah b. 'Abdullah b. 'Umar reported on the authority of his father (Allah be pleased with them) that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) combined the sunset and 'Isha', prayers at Muzdalifa and there was no prostration (i. e. any rak'ahs of Sunan or Nawafil prayers) in between them. He observed three rak'ahs of the sunset prayer and two rak'ahs of the 'Isha' prayer, and 'Abdullah (b. 'Umar) observed the prayers in this very manner (at Muzdalifa) until he met his Lord.

That Abu Aiyub informed him that he offered the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together with the Prophet during Hajjat-ul-Wada`.

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) observed the sunset and 'Isha' prayers together at Muzdalifa.

The Prophet offered the Zuhr, `Asr, Maghrib and the `Isha' prayers and slept for a while at a place called Al-Muhassab and then rode to the Ka`ba and performed Tawaf round it .