Prayer at Night (Tahajjud)

The Tahajjud Prayer at night

Allah Almighty said:

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَكَ

And pray in the small watches of the morning: (it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for thee:(73:20)

Hadith # 1120

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to say:

اللهم لك الحمد أنت قيم السموات والأرض ومن فيهن

O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them.

ولك الحمد،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ لك ملك السموات والأرض ومن فيهن،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏

All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them.

ولك الحمد أنت نور السموات والأرض،ولك الحمد أنت الحق،

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 Truth

‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ ووعدك الحق،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ ولقاؤك حق،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ وقولك حق،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ والجنة حق،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ والنار حق،‏‏‏‏

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

‏‏‏‏ والنبيون حق،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ ومحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم حق،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ والساعة حق،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏

And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true.

اللهم لك أسلمت،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ وبك آمنت وعليك توكلت،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏

O Allah ! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You.

وإليك أنبت،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ وبك خاصمت،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ وإليك حاكمت،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏

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).

فاغفر لي ما قدمت وما أخرت،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ وما أسررت وما أعلنت،

Please forgive me my previous And future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed

‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏ أنت المقدم وأنت المؤخر،‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏لا إله إلا أنت، لا إله غيرك

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, '

لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله

There is neither might nor power except with Allah).

The superiority of Tahajjud prayer

Hadith # 1121, 1122

Narrated Salim's father:

In the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) whosoever saw a dream would narrate it to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I had a wish of seeing a dream to narrate it to Allah's Messenger (pbuh). I was a grown up boy and used to sleep in the Mosque in the lifetime of the Prophet.

I saw in the dream that two angels caught hold of me and took me to the Fire which was built all round like a built well and had two poles in it and the people in it were known to me. I started saying, "I seek refuge with Allah from the Fire."

Then I met another angel who told me not to be afraid. I narrated the dream to Hafsa who told it to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).

The Prophet said, "Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed Tahajjud." After that `Abdullah (i.e. Salim's father) used to sleep but a little at night.

To perform a long prostration in the Tahajjud

Hadith # 1123

Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to offer eleven rak`at and that was his prayer. He used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Qur'an) before he would lift his head. He used to pray two rak`at (Sunna) before the Fajr prayer and then used to lie down on his right side till the call-maker came and informed him about the prayer.

Leaving the night prayer by a patient

Hadith # 1124

Narrated Jundab:

The Prophet (ﷺ) became sick and did not get up (for Tahajjud prayer) for a night or two.

Hadith # 1125

Narrated Jundab bin `Abdullah:

Gabriel did not come to the Prophet (for some time) and so one of the Quraish women said, "His Satan has deserted him." So came the Divine Revelation:

وَالضُّحَى  ـ  وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى  ـ  مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى

"By the forenoon And by the night When it is still! Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither Forsaken you Nor hated you." (93.1-3)

The Prophet's (pbuh) exhorting to Tahajjud and Nawafil without making them compulsory

Hadith # 1126

Narrated Um Salama:

One night the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and said,

"Subhan Allah! How many afflictions Allah has revealed tonight and how many treasures have been sent down (disclosed). Go and wake the sleeping lady occupants of these dwellings up (for prayers), perhaps a well dressed in this world may be naked in the Hereafter."

Hadith # 1127

Narrated `Ali bin Abi Talib:

One night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked, "Won't you pray (at night)?"

I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Our souls are in the hands of Allah and if He wants us to get up He will make us get up." When I said that, he left us without saying anything and I heard that he was hitting his thigh and saying,

وَكَانَ الْإِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا

"But man is more quarrelsome than anything." (18.54)

Hadith # 1128

Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to give up a good deed, although he loved to do it, for fear that people might act on it and it might be made compulsory for them. The Prophet (ﷺ) never prayed the Duha prayer, but I offer it.

Hadith # 1129

Narrated `Aisha:

One night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered the prayer in the Mosque and the people followed him. The next night he also offered the prayer and too many people gathered. On the third and the fourth nights more people gathered, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not come out to them. In the morning he said,

"I saw what you were doing and nothing but the fear that it (i.e. the prayer) might be enjoined on you, stopped me from coming to you."

And that happened in the month of Ramadan.

Standing of the Prophet (pbuh) at night

Hadith # 1130

Narrated Al-Mughira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to stand (in the prayer) or pray till both his feet or legs swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable prayer) and he said,

"should I not be a thankful slave."

Sleeping in the last hours of the night

Hadith # 1131

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) told me,

"The most beloved prayer to Allah is that of David and the most beloved fasts to Allah are those of David. He used to sleep for half of the night and then pray for one third of the night and again sleep for its sixth part and used to fast on alternate days."

Hadith # 1132

Narrated Masruq:

I asked `Aisha which deed was most loved by the Prophet. She said, "A deed done continuously."

I further asked, "When did he used to get up (in the night for the prayer)." She said, "He used to get up on hearing the crowing of a cock."

Hadith # 1132b

Narrated Al-Ashath:

He (the Prophet (pbuh) ) used to get up for the prayer on hearing the crowing of a cock.

Hadith # 1133

Narrated `Aisha:

In my house he (Prophet (pbuh) ) never passed the last hours of the night but sleeping.

Hadith # 1134

Narrated Qatada:

Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet (pbuh) and Zaid bin Thabit took their Suhur together. When they finished it, the Prophet (ﷺ) stood for the (Fajr) prayer and offered it."

We asked Anas, "What was the interval between their finishing the Suhur and the starting of the morning prayer?"

Anas replied, "It was equal to the time taken by a person in reciting fifty verses of the Qur'an."

To prolong the standing posture in the Tahajjud

Hadith # 1135

Narrated Abu-Wail:

`Abdullah said, "One night I offered the Tahajjud prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and he kept on standing till an ill-thought came to me." We said, "What was the ill-thought?" He said, "It was to sit down and leave the Prophet (standing)."

Hadith # 1136

Narrated Hudhaifa:

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) got up for Tahajjud prayer he used to clean his mouth (and teeth) with Siwak.

Salat of the Prophet (pbuh) and Rak'a he used to offer at night?

Hadith # 1137

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:

A man said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! How is the prayer of the night?"

He said, "Two rak`at followed by two rak`at and so on, and when you apprehend the approaching dawn, offer one rak`a as witr."

Hadith # 1138

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

The prayer of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to be of thirteen rak`at, i.e. of the night prayer.

Hadith # 1139

Narrated Masruq:

I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven rak`at besides the two rak`at of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna). "

Hadith # 1140

Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (pbuh) used to offer thirteen rak`at of the night prayer and that included the witr and two rak`at (Sunna) of the Fajr prayer.

The Prophet (pbuh) used to offer thirteen rak`at that included witr and two rak`at of Fajr prayer.

Hadith # 1141

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Sometimes Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would not fast (for so many days) that we thought that he would not fast that month and he sometimes used to fast (for so many days) that we thought he would not leave fasting throughout that month and (as regards his prayer and sleep at night), if you wanted to see him praying at night, you could see him praying and if you wanted to see him sleeping, you could see him sleeping.

Satan's tying of knots at the back of the head if one does not offer the night prayer

Hadith # 1142

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said,

"Satan puts three knots at the back of the head of any of you if he is asleep. On every knot he reads and exhales the following words, 'The night is long, so stay asleep.'

When one wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets up energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up lazy and with a mischievous heart."

Hadith # 1143

Narrated Samura bin Jundab:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said in his narration of a dream that he saw,

"He whose head was being crushed with a stone was one who learnt the Qur'an but never acted on it, and slept ignoring the compulsory prayers."

If one sleeps and does not offer the night prayer

Hadith # 1144

Narrated `Abdullah:

A person was mentioned before the Prophet (pbuh) and he was told that he had kept on sleeping till morning and had not got up for the prayer.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Satan urinated in his ears."

Offering prayer and invoking Allah in the last hours of the night

Hadith # 1145

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (pbuh) said,

"Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying:

"Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation?

Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request?

Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"

Sleeping in the first part of the night and getting up in its last part

Hadith # 1146

Narrated Al-Aswad:

I asked `Aisha "How is the night prayer of the Prophet?"

She replied, "He used to sleep early at night, and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed. When the Mu'adh-dhin pronounced the Adhan, he would get up. If he was in need of a bath he would take it; otherwise he would perform ablution and then go out (for the prayer)."

The prayer of the Prophet (pbuh) at night in Ramadan and other months

Hadith # 1147

Narrated Abu Salma bin `Abdur Rahman:

I asked `Aisha, "How is the prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) during the month of Ramadan."

She said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) never exceeded elevenrak`at in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four rak`at-- do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four rak`at, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three rak`at."

Aisha further said, "I said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you sleep before offering the witr prayer?'

He replied, 'O `Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake'!"

Hadith # 1148

Narrated `Aisha:

I did not see the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting (the Qur'an) in the night prayer while sitting except when he became old; when he used to recite while sitting, and when thirty or forty verses remained from the Sura, he would get up and recite them and then bow.

The Superiority of remaining with ablution during the day and night

Hadith # 1149

Narrated Abu Huraira:

At the time of the Fajr prayer the Prophet (ﷺ) asked Bilal, "Tell me of the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise."

Bilal replied, "I did not do anything worth mentioning except that whenever I performed ablution during the day or night, I prayed after that ablution as much as was written for me."

It is disliked to exaggerate in matters of worship

Hadith # 1150

Narrated Anas bin Malik

Once the Prophet (pbuh) entered the Mosque and saw a rope hanging in between its two pillars. He said, "What is this rope?" The people said, "This rope is for Zainab who, when she feels tired, holds it (to keep standing for the prayer.)"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Don't use it. Remove the rope. You should pray as long as you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down."

Hadith # 1151

Narrated 'Aisha:

A woman from the tribe of Bani Asad was sitting with me and Allah's Apostle (pbuh) came to my house and said, "Who is this?" I said, "(She is) So and so. She does not sleep at night because she is engaged in prayer."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said disapprovingly: Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity as Allah never gets tired of giving rewards till you get tired of doing good deeds."

It is disliked for a person to leave the night Salat

Hadith # 1152

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "O `Abdullah! Do not be like so and so who used to pray at night and then stopped the night prayer."

Hadith # 1153

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:

Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "I have been informed that you offer prayer all the night and observe Saum (fast) during the day." I said, "(Yes) I do so."

He said, "If you do so, your eye sight will become weak and you will become weak. No doubt, your body has right on you, and your family has right on you, so observe Saum (for some days) and do not observe it (for some days), offer Salat (for sometime) and then sleep."

The superiority of one who wakes up at night and offers the Salat with a loud voice

Hadith # 1154

Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:

The Prophet (ﷺ) "Whoever gets up at night and says: --

لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له،‏‏‏‏ له الملك،‏‏‏‏ وله الحمد،‏‏‏‏ وهو على كل شىء قدير‏

None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. He is the Only One and has no partners . For Him is the Kingdom and all the praises are due for Him. He is Omnipotent.

‏ الحمد لله،‏‏‏‏ وسبحان الله،‏‏‏‏ ولا إله إلا الله،‏‏‏‏ والله أكبر،‏‏‏‏ ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله‏

All the praises are for Allah. All the glories are for Allah. And none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, And Allah is Great

And there is neither Might nor Power Except with Allah).

And then says: --

اللهم اغفر لي‏

O Allah! Forgive me

Or invokes (Allah), he will be responded to and if he performs ablution (and prays), his prayer will be accepted."

Hadith # 1155

Narrated Abu Huraira:

That once Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said,

"Your brother, i.e. `Abdullah bin Rawaha does not say obscene (referring to his verses): Amongst us is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), who recites His Book when it dawns. He showed us the guidance, after we were blind. We believe that whatever he says will come true. And he spends his nights in such a way as his sides do not touch his bed. While the pagans were deeply asleep."

Hadith # 1156, 1157, 1158

Narrated Nafi`:

Ibn `Umar said, "In the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) I dreamt that a piece of silk cloth was in my hand and it flew with me to whichever part of Paradise I wanted. I also saw as if two persons (i.e. angels) came to me and wanted to take me to Hell. Then an angel met us and told me not to be afraid. He then told them to leave me.

Hafsa narrated one of my dreams to the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Abdullah is a good man. Would that he offer the night prayer (Tahajjud)!"

So after that day `Abdullah (bin `Umar) started offering Tahajjud.

The companions of the Prophet (pbuh) used to tell him their dreams that (Laila-tul-Qadr) was on the 27th of the month of Ramadan. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

"I see that your dreams agree on the last ten nights of Ramadan and so whoever is in search of it should seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadan."

Regularity of two Rak'a (Sunna) of the Fajr

Hadith # 1159

Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered the `Isha' prayer (and then got up at the Tahajjud time) and offered eight rak`at and then offered two rak`at while sitting. He then offered two rak`at in between the Adhan and Iqama (of the Fajr prayer) and he never missed them.

 lie down on the right side after offering twoRak'a of the Fajr prayer

Hadith # 1160

Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to lie down on his right side, after offering two rak`at (Sunna) of the Fajr prayer.

Whoever talks after offering two Rak'a of the Fajr prayer

Hadith # 1161

Narrated `Aisha:

After offering the Sunna of the Fajr prayer, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to talk to me, if I happen to be awake; otherwise he would lie down till the Iqama call was proclaimed (for the Fajr prayer).

Nawafil being offered as two Rak'a followed by two and so on

Hadith # 1162

Narrated `Aisha:

After offering the two rak`at (Sunna) the Prophet (pbuh) used to talk to me, if I happen to be awake; otherwise he would lie down.

To talk after offering two Rak'a Sunna of the Fajr prayer

Hadith # 1163

Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) was never more regular and particular in offering any Nawafil than the two rak`at (Sunna) of the Fajr prayer.

To offer two Rak'at before the Fajr prayer

Hadith # 1164

Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to offer thirteen rak`at in the night prayer and on hearing the Adhan for the morning prayer, he used to offer two light rak`at.

Hadith # 1165

Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (pbuh) used to make the two rak`at before the Fajr prayer so light that I would wonder whether he recited Al-Fatiha (or not).

What is recited in the two Rak'a (Sunna) of the Fajr

Hadith # 1166

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:

The Prophet (pbuh) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara (Istikhara means to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning any job or a deed), in all matters as he taught us the Suras of the Qur'an.

He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a tworak`at prayer other than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): --

اللهم إني أستخيرك بعلمك وأستقدرك بقدرتك،

O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, And Power from Your Might

‏‏‏‏ وأسألك من فضلك العظيم،‏‏‏‏ فإنك تقدر ولا أقدر وتعلم ولا أعلم وأنت علام الغيوب،‏‏‏‏

and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not and You know the unseen.

اللهم إن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر خير لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري

O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter--

أو قال عاجل أمري وآجله فاقدره لي ويسره لي ثم بارك لي فيه،

or said: If it is better for my present and later needs)--Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it,

وإن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر شر لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري

and if You know that this job is harmful to me In my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter--

أو قال في عاجل أمري وآجله فاصرفه عني واصرفني عنه واقدر لي الخير

or said: If it is worse for my present and later needs--Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it.

And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me satisfied with it).

The Prophet (pbuh) added that then the person shoud name (mention) his need.

Hadith # 1167

Narrated Abu Qatada bin Rabi Al-Ansari:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

"If anyone of you enters a Mosque, he should not sit until he has offered a two rak` at prayer."

Hadith # 1168

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) led us and offered a two rak`at prayer and then went away.

Hadith # 1169

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar Abu:

I offered with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a two rak`at prayer before the Zuhr prayer and two rak`at after the Zuhr prayer, two rak`at after Jumua, Maghrib and `Isha' prayers.

Hadith # 1170

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:

While delivering a sermon, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said,

"If anyone of you comes while the Imam is delivering the sermon or has come out for it, he should offer a two rak`at prayer."

Hadith # 1171

Narrated Mujahid:

Somebody came to the house of Ibn `Umar and told him that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had entered the Ka`ba.

Ibn `Umar said, "I went in front of the Ka`ba and found that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had come out of the Ka`ba and I saw Bilal standing by the side of the gate of the Ka`ba. I said, 'O Bilal! Has Allah's Apostle (pbuh) prayed inside the Ka`ba?' Bilal replied in the affirmative.

I said, 'Where (did he pray)?' He replied, '(He prayed) Between these two pillars and then he came out and offered a two rak`at prayer in front of the Ka`ba.' "

Abu `Abdullah said: Abu Huraira said, "The Prophet (pbuh) advised me to offer two rak`at of Duha prayer (prayer to be offered after sunrise and before midday). "

 Itban (bin Malik) said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (pbuh) and Abu Bakr, came to me after sunrise and we aligned behind the Prophet (pbuh) and offered two rak`at."

To offer the Nawafil after the compulsory (congregational) prayers

Hadith # 1172, 1173

Narrated Ibn `Umar:

I offered with the Prophet (ﷺ) two rak`at before the Zuhr and two rak`at after the Zuhr prayer; two rak`at after Maghrib, `Isha' and the Jumua prayers. Those of the Maghrib and `Isha' were offered in his house.

My sister Hafsa told me that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer two light rak`at after dawn and it was the time when I never went to the Prophet."

Who did not offer the Salat after the compulsory (congregational) prayers

Hadith # 1174

Narrated `Amr:

I heard Abu Ash-sha'tha' Jabir saying, "I heard Ibn `Abbas saying, 'I offered with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) eight rak`at (of Zuhr and `Asr prayers) together and seven rak`at (the Maghrib and the `Isha' prayers) together.' "

I said, "O Abu Ash-shatha! I think he must have prayed the Zuhr late and the `Asr early; the `Isha early and the Maghrib late." Abu Ash-sha'tha' said, "I also think so."

To offer the Salat-ud-Duha in journey

Hadith # 1175

Narrated Muwarriq:

I asked Ibn `Umar "Do you offer the Duha prayer?" He replied in the negative.

I further asked, "Did `Umar use to pray it?" He (Ibn `Umar) replied in the negative.

I again asked, "Did Abu Bakr use to pray it?" He replied in the negative.

I again asked, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) use to pray it?" Ibn `Umar replied, "I don't think he did."

Hadith # 1176

Narrated `Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila:

Only Um Hani narrated to me that she had seen the Prophet (ﷺ) offering the Duha prayer. She said, "On the day of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) entered my house, took a bath and offered eight rak`at of Duha prayers. I had never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) offering such a light prayer but he performed bowing and prostrations perfectly .

Who did not offer the Duha prayer and thought it permissible

Hadith # 1177

Narrated `Aisha:

I never saw the Prophet (ﷺ) offering the Duha prayer but I always offer it.

To offer Salat-ud-Duha when not traveling

Hadith # 1178

Narrated Abu Huraira:

My friend (the Prophet) advised me to do three things and I shall not leave them till I die, these are:

- To fast three days every month,

- to offer the Duha prayer, and

- to offer witr before sleeping.

Hadith # 1179

Narrated Anas bin Sirin:

I heard Anas bin Malik al-Ansari saying,

"An Ansari man, who was very fat, said to the Prophet, 'I am unable to present myself for the prayer with you.' He prepared a meal for the Prophet (ﷺ) and invited him to his house. He washed one side of a mat with water and the Prophet (ﷺ) offered two Rakat on it."

So and so, the son of so and so, the son of Al-Jarud asked Anas, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) use to offer the Duha prayer?" Anas replied, "I never saw him praying (the Duha prayer) except on that day."

To offer two Rak'a before the Zuhr prayer

Hadith # 1180, 1181

Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

I remember ten Rakat of Nawafil from the Prophet, two Rakat before the Zuhr prayer and two after it; two Rakat after Maghrib prayer in his house, and two Rakat after 'Isha' prayer in his house, and two Rakat before the Fajr prayer and at that time nobody would enter the house of the Prophet.

Hafsa told me that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer two Rakat after the call maker had made the Adhan and the day had dawned.

Hadith # 1182

Narrated Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) never missed four rak`at before the Zuhr prayer and two rak`at before the Fajr prayer.

The (optional) salat before the Maghrib prayers

Hadith # 1183

Narrated `Abdullah Al-Muzni:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Pray before the Maghrib (compulsory) prayer."

He (said it thrice) and in the third time, he said, "Whoever wants to offer it can do so." He said so because he did not like the people to take it as a tradition.

Hadith # 1184

Narrated Marthad bin `Abdullah Al-Yazani:

I went to `Uqba bin 'Amir Al-Juhani and said, "Is it not surprising that Abi Tamim offers two rak`at before the Maghrib prayer?" `

Uqba said, "We used to do so in the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)."

I asked him, "What prevents you from offering it now?" He replied, "Business."

To offer Nawafil in congregation

Hadith # 1185, 1186

Narrated Mahmud bin Ar-rabi' Al-Ansari:

That he remembered Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he also remembered a mouthful of water which he had thrown on his face, after taking it from a well that was in their house.

Mahmud said that he had heard `Itban bin Malik, who was present with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the battle of Badr saying, "I used to lead my people at Bani Salim in the prayer and there was a valley between me and those people. Whenever it rained it used to be difficult for me to cross it to go to their mosque. So I went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, 'I have weak eyesight and the valley between me and my people flows during the rainy season and it becomes difficult for me to cross it; I wish you would come to my house and pray at a place so that I could take that place as a praying place.' Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'I will do so.'

So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr came to my house in the (next) morning after the sun had risen high. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked my permission to let him in and I admitted him. He did not sit before saying, 'Where do you want us to offer the prayer in your house?' I pointed to the place where I wanted him to pray. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stood up for the prayer and started the prayer with Takbir and we aligned in rows behind him; and he offered two rak`at, and finished them with Taslim, and we also performed Taslim with him. I detained him for a meal called "Khazir" which I had prepared for him.--("Khazir" is a special type of dish prepared from barley flour and meat soup)--

When the neighbors got the news that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was in my house, they poured it till there were a great number of men in the house. One of them said, 'What is wrong with Malik, for I do not see him?' One of them replied, 'He is a hypocrite and does not love Allah and His Apostle.' On that Allah's Apostle said, 'Don't say this. Haven't you seen that he said, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah for Allah's sake only.' The man replied, 'Allah and His Apostle know better; but by Allah, we never saw him but helping and talking with the hypocrites.'

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, 'No doubt, whoever says. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and by that he wants the pleasures of Allah, then Allah will save him from Hell."

Mahmud added, "I told the above narration to some people, one of whom was Abu Aiyub, the companion of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the battle in which he (Abu Aiyub) died and Yazid bin Mu'awiya was their leader in Roman Territory. Abu Aiyub denounced the narration and said, 'I doubt that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ever said what you have said.' I felt that too much, and I vowed to Allah that if I remained alive in that holy battle, I would (go to Medina and) ask `Itban bin Malik if he was still living in the mosque of his people.

So when he returned, I assumed Ihram for Hajj or `Umra and then I proceeded on till I reached Medina. I went to Bani Salim and `Itban bin Malik, who was by then an old blind man, was leading his people in the prayer. When he finished the prayer, I greeted him and introduced myself to him and then asked him about that narration. He told that narration again in the same manner as he had narrated it the first time."

To offer the Nawafil prayers at home

Hadith # 1187

Narrated Ibn `Umar:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Offer some of your prayers in your houses and do not make them graves."