Sunan Abu Dawud #1347
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Voluntary Prayers
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ الدِّرْهَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ بَهْزِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زُرَارَةُ بْنُ أَوْفَى، : أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - سُئِلَتْ عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ، فَقَالَتْ : كَانَ يُصَلِّي صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ، ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَيَرْكَعُ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ يَأْوِي إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ وَيَنَامُ وَطَهُورُهُ مُغَطًّى عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ، وَسِوَاكُهُ مَوْضُوعٌ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَهُ اللَّهُ سَاعَتَهُ الَّتِي يَبْعَثُهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيُسْبِغُ الْوُضُوءَ، ثُمَّ يَقُومُ إِلَى مُصَلاَّهُ فَيُصَلِّي ثَمَانِ رَكَعَاتٍ يَقْرَأُ فِيهِنَّ بِأُمِّ الْكِتَابِ وَسُورَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَمَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، وَلاَ يَقْعُدُ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْهَا حَتَّى يَقْعُدَ فِي الثَّامِنَةِ، وَلاَ يُسَلِّمُ، وَيَقْرَأُ فِي التَّاسِعَةِ، ثُمَّ يَقْعُدُ فَيَدْعُو بِمَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَدْعُوَهُ، وَيَسْأَلُهُ وَيَرْغَبُ إِلَيْهِ وَيُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمَةً وَاحِدَةً شَدِيدَةً، يَكَادُ يُوقِظُ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ تَسْلِيمِهِ، ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ بِأُمِّ الْكِتَابِ، وَيَرْكَعُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ، ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَيَرْكَعُ وَيَسْجُدُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ، ثُمَّ يَدْعُو مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ، ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ وَيَنْصَرِفُ، فَلَمْ تَزَلْ تِلْكَ صَلاَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى بَدَّنَ فَنَقَصَ مِنَ التِّسْعِ ثِنْتَيْنِ، فَجَعَلَهَا إِلَى السِّتِّ وَالسَّبْعِ وَرَكْعَتَيْهِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ حَتَّى قُبِضَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Zurarah ibn Awfa said that Aisha was asked about the midnight prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
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 (ﷺ) 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.
Narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
Context
In this hadith, Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), provides a detailed account of his nighttime prayers, emphasizing his dedication to worship and the structure of his prayer routine. The Prophet (ﷺ) would pray in congregation, then return home to offer additional rak'ahs before resting. This routine reflects the importance of maintaining a balance between communal and personal worship.
Modern Application
For those engaging in voluntary prayers today, this hadith serves as a reminder to incorporate additional prayers into their daily routine. It highlights the value of personal devotion and the significance of maintaining a connection with Allah, especially during the quiet hours of the night.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Night Prayer (Tahajjud) because it details the Prophet's (ﷺ) specific practices regarding voluntary night prayers.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًۭا
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.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةًۭ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًۭا مَّحْمُودًۭا
And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.
سُورَةُ المُزَّمِّلِ
Al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَىِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًۭا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍۢ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًۭا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًۭا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۢ
Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
سُورَةُ قٓ
Qaaf (The letter Qaaf)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَأَدْبَٰرَ ٱلسُّجُودِ
And [in part] of the night exalt Him and after prostration.
سُورَةُ الإِنسَانِ
Al-Insaan (Man)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَٱسْجُدْ لَهُۥ وَسَبِّحْهُ لَيْلًۭا طَوِيلًا
And during the night prostrate to Him and exalt Him a long [part of the] night.
Common Words
116 total87 unique15 repeated
ٱليل6x
ٱلله6x
من5x
إن3x
أن3x
ومن3x
ٱلصلوة2x
ٱلفجر2x
ربك2x
علم2x
فٱقرءوا2x
ما2x
تيسر2x
وءاخرون2x
فى2x
أقم1x
لدلوك1x
ٱلشمس1x
إلى1x
غسق1x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #1347 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Voluntary Prayers. It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:.