Allah, exalted is He, said:
رياض الصالحينAbū Zakariyyā Muḥyī al-Dīn Yaḥyā ibn Sharaf al-Nawawī٢١٢ - باب فضل قيام الليل
٢١٢ - باب فضل قيام الليل
And from [part of] the night, pray1 with it [i.e., recitation of the Qur’ān] as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that2 your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.3
And He, exalted is He, said:
تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
Their sides part [i.e., they arise] from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.1
الآية، وقال تَعَالَى:
…the verse. And He, exalted is He, said:
كَانُوا۟ قَلِيلًا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ
They used to sleep but little of the night,1
وعن عائشة ﵂، قالت: كَانَ النبيُّ - ﷺ - يَقومُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ حَتَّى تَتَفطَّرَ قَدَمَاهُ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: لِمَ تَصْنَعُ هَذَا، يَا رَسُولَ الله، وَقَدْ غُفِرَ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأخَّرَ؟ قَالَ: «أفَلاَ أكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا!». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ. وَعَن المُغِيرَةِ بن شُعبة نَحْوهُ متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
On the authority of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand [in prayer] at night until his feet became cracked and swollen. So I said to him: Why do you do this, O Messenger of Allah, when Allah has already forgiven you your former and latter sins? He said: «Should I not be a thankful servant!» Agreed upon. And from al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah the like of it; agreed upon.
وعن علي - ﵁: أنَّ النبيَّ - ﷺ - طَرَقَهُ وَفَاطِمَةَ لَيْلًا، فَقَالَ: «أَلاَ تُصَلِّيَانِ؟». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ. «طَرَقَهُ»: أتَاهُ لَيْلًا.
On the authority of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to him and Fatimah by night and said: «Will the two of you not pray?» Agreed upon. [The word] «ṭaraqahu» means: he came to him by night.
وعن سالم بن عبدِ الله بن عمر بن الخطاب - ﵃ - عن أبيِهِ: أنَّ رسول الله - ﷺ - قَالَ: «نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ عَبْدُ اللهِ، لَوْ كَانَ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيلِ» قَالَ سالِم: فَكَانَ عَبدُ اللهِ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لاَ يَنامُ مِنَ اللَّيلِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلًا. متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
On the authority of Salim ibn Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with them), from his father: that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «What an excellent man Abdullah is, if only he would pray during the night!» Salim said: After that, Abdullah would not sleep during the night except a little. Agreed upon.
وعن عبد الله بن عَمرو بن العاصِ ﵄، قَالَ: قَالَ رسول الله - ﷺ: «يَا عَبدَ اللهِ، لاَ تَكُنْ مِثْلَ فُلانٍ؛ كَانَ يَقُومُ اللَّيلَ فَتَرَكَ قِيَامَ اللَّيلِ». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with them), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «O Abdullah, do not be like so-and-so; he used to stand [in prayer] at night and then abandoned standing at night.» Agreed upon.
وعن ابن مسعودٍ - ﵁ - قَالَ: ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ النَّبيِّ - ﷺ - رَجُلٌ نَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى أصْبَحَ، قَالَ: «ذَاكَ رَجُلٌ بَالَ الشَّيطَانُ في أُذُنَيْهِ - أَوْ قَالَ: في أُذُنِهِ». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
On the authority of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: A man was mentioned in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who had slept through the night until morning. He said: «That is a man in whose ears Satan urinated» — or he said: «in his ear.» Agreed upon.
وعن أَبي هريرة - ﵁: أنَّ رسول الله - ﷺ - قَالَ: «يَعْقِدُ الشَّيطَانُ عَلَى قَافِيَةِ رَأسِ أحَدِكُمْ، إِذَا هُوَ نَامَ، ثَلاَثَ عُقَدٍ، يَضْرِبُ عَلَى كُلِّ عُقْدَةٍ: عَلَيْكَ لَيْلٌ طَويلٌ فَارْقُدْ، فَإن اسْتَيقَظَ، فَذَكَرَ اللهَ تَعَالَى انحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ، فَإنْ تَوَضّأ، انْحَلّتْ عُقدَةٌ، فَإنْ صَلَّى، انْحَلَّتْ عُقَدُهُ كُلُّهَا، فَأصْبَحَ نَشِيطًا طَيِّبَ النَّفْسِ، وَإلاَّ أصْبحَ خَبيثَ النَّفْسِ كَسْلاَنَ». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ. «قافية الرَّأس»: آخِرُهُ.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «Satan ties three knots at the back of the head of each of you when he sleeps, striking upon each knot [the words]: ‘You have a long night ahead, so sleep on.' Then if he wakes and remembers Allah, exalted is He, one knot is undone; and if he performs ablution, [another] knot is undone; and if he prays, all his knots are undone, and he rises in the morning energetic and in good spirits; otherwise he rises ill-natured and sluggish.» Agreed upon. [The phrase] «qāfiyat al-ra's» means: the hindmost part of it.
وعن عبد الله بن سلام - ﵁: أنَّ النبيَّ - ﷺ - قَالَ: «أيُّهَا النَّاسُ: أفْشُوا السَّلامَ، وَأطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ، وَصَلُّوا بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ، تَدْخُلُوا الجَنَّةَ بِسَلاَمٍ». رواه الترمذي، وقال: «حديث حسن صحيح».
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Salam (may Allah be pleased with him): that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «O people: spread the greeting of peace, feed [others] food, and pray at night while people are asleep — you will enter Paradise in peace.» Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who said: «a good and sound hadith.»
وعن أَبي هريرة - ﵁ - قَالَ: قَالَ رسولُ اللهِ - ﷺ: «أفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ بَعْدَ رَمَضَانَ: شَهْرُ اللهِ المُحَرَّمُ، وَأفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الفَرِيضَةِ: صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ». رواه مسلم.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «The best of fasting after Ramadan is [in] the month of Allah, al-Muharram; and the best of prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer.» Narrated by Muslim.
وعن ابن عمر ﵄: أنَّ النبيَّ - ﷺ - قَالَ: «صَلاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى، فَإذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
On the authority of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them): that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: «The night prayer is two [rak'ahs] by two; so when you fear [the approach of] dawn, conclude with a single [rak'ah] as witr.» Agreed upon.
وعنه، قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبيُّ - ﷺ - يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى، وَيُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ. متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
And from him (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray during the night two rakʿahs at a time, and he would perform witr with a single rakʿah. Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
وعن أنس - ﵁ - قَالَ: كَانَ رسولُ اللهِ - ﷺ - يُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لاَ يَصُومَ مِنْهُ، وَيَصُومُ حَتَّى نَظُنَّ أَنْ لاَ يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا، وَكَانَ لاَ تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلاَّ رَأيْتَهُ، وَلاَ نَائِمًا إِلاَّ رَأيْتَهُ. رواه البخاري.
And from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would refrain from fasting during a month until we thought he would not fast any of it, and he would fast until we thought he would not leave any of it without fasting. And it was so that you would not wish to see him praying during the night but you saw him, nor sleeping but you saw him. Narrated by al-Bukhari.
وعن عائشة ﵂: أنَّ رسول الله - ﷺ - كَانَ يُصَلِّي إحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً - تَعْنِي في اللَّيلِ - يَسْجُدُ السَّجْدَةَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَدْرَ مَا يَقْرَأُ أحَدُكُمْ خَمْسِينَ آيَةً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ رَأسَهُ، وَيَرْكَعُ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ صَلاَةِ الفَجْرِ، ثُمَّ يَضْطَجِعُ عَلَى شِقِّهِ الأيْمَنِ حَتَّى يَأتِيَهُ المُنَادِي للصَلاَةِ. رواه البخاري.
And from ʿA'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray eleven rakʿahs — she means during the night — prolonging a single prostration of that for as long as one of you would recite fifty verses before he raised his head; and he would pray two rakʿahs before the dawn prayer, then lie down on his right side until the caller to prayer came to him. Narrated by al-Bukhari.
وعنها، قالت: مَا كَانَ رسول الله - ﷺ - يَزيدُ - في رَمَضَانَ وَلاَ في غَيْرِهِ - عَلَى إحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً: يُصَلِّي أرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسْألْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وَطُولِهِنَّ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي أرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسْألْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وطُولِهِنَّ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي ثَلاثًا. فَقُلتُ: يَا رسولَ اللهِ، أتَنَامُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُوتِرَ؟ فَقَالَ: «يَا عَائِشَة، إنَّ عَيْنَيَّ تَنَامَانِ وَلاَ يَنَامُ قَلْبِي ». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
And from her, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would not exceed eleven rakʿahs — neither in Ramadan nor outside it. He would pray four — do not ask about their beauty and their length — then he would pray four — do not ask about their beauty and their length — then he would pray three. So I said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before you perform witr?" He said: "O ʿA'ishah, my two eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
وعنها: أنَّ النبيَّ - ﷺ - كَانَ يَنَامُ أوّلَ اللَّيلِ، وَيَقُومُ آخِرَهُ فَيُصَلِّي. متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
And from her: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sleep at the beginning of the night and rise at its end and pray. Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
وعن ابن مسعود - ﵁ - قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبيِّ - ﷺ - لَيْلَةً، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ قائِمًا حَتَّى هَمَمْتُ بِأَمْر سوءٍ! قيلَ: مَا هَمَمْتَ؟ قَالَ: هَمَمْتُ أَنْ أجِلْسَ وَأدَعَهُ. متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
And from Ibn Masʿud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one night, and he kept standing until I resolved upon an evil deed! It was said: "What did you resolve upon?" He said: "I resolved to sit down and leave him standing." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
وعن حذيفة - ﵁ - قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبيِّ - ﷺ - ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَافْتَتَحَ البَقرَةَ، فَقُلْتُ: يَرْكَعُ عِنْدَ المائَةِ، ثُمَّ مَضَى، فقلتُ: يُصَلِّي بِهَا في رَكْعَةٍ فَمَضَى، فقلتُ: يَرْكَعُ بِهَا، ثُمَّ افْتَتَحَ النِّسَاءَ فَقَرَأَهَا، ثُمَّ افْتَتَحَ آلَ عِمْرَانَ فَقَرَأَهَا، يَقرَأُ مُتَرَسِّلًا: إِذَا مَرَّ بآيةٍ فِيهَا تَسبيحٌ سَبَّحَ، وَإذَا مَرَّ بسُؤَالٍ سَأَلَ، وَإذَا مَرَّ بتَعَوُّذٍ تَعَوَّذَ، ثُمَّ رَكَعَ، فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ: «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ العَظِيمِ» فَكَانَ رُكُوعُهُ نَحوًا مِنْ قِيَامِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا لَكَ الحَمْدُ» ثُمَّ قَامَ طَويلًا قَريبًا مِمَّا رَكَعَ، ثُمَّ سَجَدَ، فَقَالَ: «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى» فَكَانَ سجُودُهُ قَريبًا مِنْ قِيَامِهِ. رواه مسلم.
And from Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one night, and he began with [Surah] al-Baqarah. I thought: He will bow at the hundredth [verse]; then he carried on. I thought: He will pray the whole of it in one rakʿah; but he carried on. I thought: He will bow with it [at its end]; but then he began [Surah] al-Nisaʾ and recited it, then he began [Surah] Al ʿImran and recited it — reciting unhurriedly: whenever he passed a verse containing glorification he glorified [Allah], whenever he passed a [verse of] asking he asked [of Allah], and whenever he passed a [verse of] seeking refuge he sought refuge. Then he bowed, and he began to say, "Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent," and his bowing was about as long as his standing. Then he said, "Allah hears the one who praises Him; our Lord, to You is all praise," then he stood for a long time, close to what he had bowed. Then he prostrated and said, "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High," and his prostration was close to his standing. Narrated by Muslim.
وعن جابر - ﵁ - قَالَ: سُئِلَ رسولُ الله - ﷺ - أيُّ الصَّلاَةِ أفْضَلُ؟ قَالَ: «طُولُ القُنُوتِ». رواه مسلم. المراد بـ «القنوتِ»: القِيام.
And from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: "Which prayer is most excellent?" He said: "Long standing (qunut)." Narrated by Muslim. What is meant by "qunut" is the standing [in prayer].
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص ﵄: أنَّ رسول الله - ﷺ - قَالَ: «أحَبُّ الصَّلاةِ إِلَى اللهِ صَلاةُ دَاوُدَ، وَأحَبُّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ، كَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيلِ وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ وَيَصُومُ يَومًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
And from ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs (may Allah be pleased with them both): that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud, and the most beloved fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud. He used to sleep half the night, rise for a third of it, and sleep a sixth of it; and he would fast one day and break fast one day." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
وعن جابر - ﵁ - قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رسولَ اللهِ - ﷺ - يقول: «إنَّ في اللَّيْلِ لَسَاعَةً، لاَ يُوَافِقُهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ يَسْألُ الله تَعَالَى خَيْرًا مِنْ أمْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ، إِلاَّ أعْطَاهُ إيَّاهُ، وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ». رواه مسلم.
And from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "Indeed, in the night there is an hour which no Muslim man coincides with, asking Allah the Exalted for some good of the affairs of this world and the Hereafter, but He grants it to him; and that is every night." Narrated by Muslim.
وعن أَبي هريرة - ﵁: أنَّ النبيَّ - ﷺ - قَالَ: «إِذَا قَامَ أحَدُكُمْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيَفْتَتِحِ الصَّلاَةَ بركْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ». رواه مسلم.
And from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you rises [to pray] in the night, let him begin the prayer with two light rakʿahs." Narrated by Muslim.
وعن عائشة ﵂، قالت: كَانَ رسولُ الله - ﷺ - إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ افْتَتَحَ صَلاَتَهُ بِرَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ. رواه مسلم.
And from ʿA'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) rose [to pray] in the night, he would begin his prayer with two light rakʿahs. Narrated by Muslim.
وعنها ﵂، قالت: كَانَ رسول الله - ﷺ - إِذَا فَاتَتْهُ الصَّلاةُ مِن اللَّيْلِ مِنْ وَجَعٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ، صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَيْ عَشرَةَ ركْعَةً. رواه مسلم.
On her authority (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) missed his night prayer because of pain or some other reason, he would pray twelve rakʿahs during the day. Narrated by Muslim.
وعن عمر بن الخطاب - ﵁ - قَالَ: قَالَ رسولُ الله - ﷺ: «مَنْ نَامَ عَنْ حِزْبِهِ، أَوْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِنْهُ، فَقَرَأَهُ فيما بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الفَجْرِ وصلاة الظُّهْرِ، كُتِبَ لَهُ كَأنَّمَا قَرَأهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ». رواه مسلم.
On the authority of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever sleeps through his portion [of nightly devotion], or part of it, and then recites it between the Fajr prayer and the Zuhr prayer, it is recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night." Narrated by Muslim.
وعن أَبي هريرة - ﵁ - قَالَ: قَالَ رسول الله - ﷺ: «رَحِمَ اللهُ رَجُلًا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، فَصَلَّى وَأيْقَظَ امْرَأَتَهُ، فَإنْ أبَتْ نَضَحَ في وَجْهِهَا المَاءَ، رَحِمَ اللهُ امْرَأَةً قَامَتْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، فَصَلَّتْ وَأيْقَظَتْ زَوْجَهَا، فَإن أبَى نَضَحَتْ فِي وَجْهِهِ المَاءَ». رواه أَبُو داود بإسناد صحيح.
On the authority of Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy on a man who rises in the night and prays, and wakes his wife; and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. May Allah have mercy on a woman who rises in the night and prays, and wakes her husband; and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face." Narrated by Abū Dāwūd with a sound chain of transmission.
وعنه وعن أَبي سعيدٍ ﵄، قالا: قَالَ رسولُ اللهِ - ﷺ: «إِذَا أَيْقَظَ الرَّجُلُ أهْلَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّيَا - أَوْ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ جَمِيعًا، كُتِبَا في الذَّاكِرِينَ وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ». رواه أَبُو داود بإسناد صحيح .
On his authority and on the authority of Abū Saʿīd (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a man wakes his wife in the night and they both pray—or he prays two rakʿahs together—they are recorded among the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember Allah much." Narrated by Abū Dāwūd with a sound chain of transmission.
وعن عائشة ﵂: أنَّ النبيَّ - ﷺ - قَالَ: «إِذَا نَعَسَ أحَدُكُمْ في الصَّلاَةِ، فَلْيَرْقُدْ حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ عَنْهُ النَّوْمُ، فَإنَّ أحَدَكُمْ إِذَا صَلَّى وَهُوَ نَاعِسٌ، لَعَلَّهُ يَذْهَبُ يَسْتَغْفِرُ فَيَسُبَّ نَفْسَهُ». متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
On the authority of ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her): that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you becomes drowsy during the prayer, let him lie down to sleep until the drowsiness leaves him; for when one of you prays while drowsy, he may—intending to seek forgiveness—end up reviling himself instead." Agreed upon (al-Bukhārī and Muslim).
وعن أَبي هريرة - ﵁ - قَالَ: قَالَ رسولُ الله - ﷺ: «إِذَا قَامَ أحَدُكُمْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، فَاسْتَعْجَمَ القُرْآنَ عَلَى لِسَانِهِ، فَلَمْ يَدْرِ مَا يَقُولُ، فَلْيَضْطَجِع». رواه مسلم.
On the authority of Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you rises in the night and the Qurʾān becomes hard to articulate upon his tongue, so that he does not know what he is saying, let him lie down." Narrated by Muslim.