Sunan Abu Dawud #1353
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 ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، قَالَ : قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقُلْتُ : أَخْبِرِينِي عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَتْ : إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ، ثُمَّ يَأْوِي إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَيَنَامُ، فَإِذَا كَانَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ قَامَ إِلَى حَاجَتِهِ وَإِلَى طَهُورِهِ فَتَوَضَّأَ، ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَصَلَّى ثَمَانِ رَكَعَاتٍ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ يُسَوِّي بَيْنَهُنَّ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ وَالرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ، ثُمَّ يُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ، ثُمَّ يَضَعُ جَنْبَهُ، فَرُبَّمَا جَاءَ بِلاَلٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ، ثُمَّ يُغْفِي، وَرُبَّمَا شَكَكْتُ أَغَفَى أَوْ لاَ، حَتَّى يُؤْذِنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ، فَكَانَتْ تِلْكَ صَلاَتَهُ حَتَّى أَسَنَّ وَلَحُمَ، فَذَكَرَتْ مِنْ لَحْمِهِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ .
Sa'd ibn Hisham said: I came to Medina and called upon Aisha, and said to her: Tell me about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to lead the people in the night prayer, and then go to his bed and sleep. When midnight came he got up, went to answer the call of nature and to perform ablution with water. Having performed ablution, he entered the mosque and prayed eight rak'ahs.
To my mind he performed the recitation of the Qur'an, bowing and prostrating equally. He then observed witr with one rak'ah and prayed two rak'ahs sitting. Then he lay down on the ground. Sometimes Bilal came to him and called him for prayer. He then dozed, and sometimes I doubted whether he dozed or not, till he (Bilal) called him for prayer.
This is the prayer he offered till he grew old or put on weight. She then mentioned how he put on weight as Allah wished.
Narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
Context
In this hadith, Aisha describes the prayer routine of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), detailing how he would lead the night prayer after sleeping and then rise for additional prayers. His balanced approach to worship illustrates the importance of both communal and individual prayer in a Muslim's life.
Modern Application
Today, many Muslims strive to incorporate voluntary prayers into their daily routines, especially during the night. This practice not only enhances their spiritual connection but also allows for personal reflection and growth in faith.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer because it emphasizes the significance of night prayers and the Prophet's consistent practice of engaging in voluntary worship.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
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.
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 النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَإِذَا قَضَيْتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِكُمْ ۚ فَإِذَا ٱطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَٰبًۭا مَّوْقُوتًۭا
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
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 مَرۡيَمَ
Maryam (Mary)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا۟ بُكْرَةًۭ وَعَشِيًّۭا
So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allah] in the morning and afternoon.
Common Words
128 total96 unique15 repeated
ٱلله7x
من6x
ٱلصلوة5x
ٱليل4x
إن4x
أن3x
ٱلفجر2x
علم2x
فٱقرءوا2x
ما2x
تيسر2x
وءاخرون2x
فى2x
فإذا2x
على2x
أقم1x
لدلوك1x
ٱلشمس1x
إلى1x
غسق1x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #1353 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Voluntary Prayers and narrated by Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:.