The night prayer

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: At first the (voluntary) night prayer was made binding upon us (Allah, the Exalted, says): "O you wrapped in garments! Stand (in prayer) at night, not just for a small part of it." So we would stand in prayer until our feet became swollen. Then Allah Almighty revealed the concession (saying): "He knows that there will be among you those who are ill" to the end of the surah.
Al-Bazzar recorded it; its chain contains Ali bin Zayd, who has been criticized but has also been declared trustworthy.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The superiority of the night prayer over the day prayer is like the superiority of giving charity secretly over giving charity openly."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Hold fast to standing (in prayer) at night (that is, offering voluntary prayers), for it was the habit of the righteous before you; it is a means of nearness to your Lord, it wipes out sins, and it restrains from wrongdoing."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains Abdullah bin Salih, the scribe of al-Layth. Abd al-Malik bin Shu'ayb bin al-Layth said: He is thiqah (trustworthy) and reliable, while a group of the Imams declared this narrator da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hold fast to offering voluntary prayers at night, for it was the habit of the righteous before you; it is a means of your nearness to Allah Almighty, it wipes out evil deeds, it restrains from wrongdoing, and it drives away envy."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains Abd al-Rahman bin Sulayman bin Abi al-Jawn, whom Duhaym, Ibn Hibban and Ibn Adi declared thiqah (trustworthy), while Abu Dawud and Abu Hatim declared him da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) liked a person's manner, he would command him to pray.
Al-Bazzar recorded it; its chain contains Yahya bin Uthman al-Qurashi al-Basri, whom I do not know; he narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him). The rest of its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih. I say: Ibn Hibban mentioned Yahya bin Uthman al-Qurashi in his book al-Thiqat, but he mentioned him in the third generation (tabaqah).

Sayyiduna Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to pray (voluntary) prayer at night, whether little or much, and to make the last of it Witr.
Al-Bazzar, al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat and al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and Abu Ya'la recorded it; al-Bazzar also has, in one narration, these words: "the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would command us to pray (voluntary) prayer every night after the obligatory prayer," followed by the hadith as before; and its chain is weak.

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Never abandon the (voluntary) night prayer, even if it is only for as long as it takes to milk a goat."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains Baqiyyah bin al-Walid, who has been criticized a great deal.

Sayyiduna Jundab bin Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) loved to pray tahajjud at night: "Half of it, a third of it, a quarter of it, the time it takes to milk a she-camel, the time it takes to milk a goat."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat and al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains Abu Bilal al-Ash'ari, whom al-Daraqutni (may Allah have mercy on him) declared da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Iyas bin Mu'awiyah al-Muzani (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Praying (voluntary) prayer at night is a must, even if it is only for the length of time it takes to milk a goat; and whatever (voluntary) prayer is prayed after the Isha prayer counts as night prayer."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains Muhammad bin Ishaq, who is a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain), and the rest of its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: Once I was discussing voluntary prayers at night, and someone said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Half of it (the night), or a third of it, or a quarter of it, or the time it takes to milk a she-camel, or the time it takes to milk a goat (one should spend in voluntary prayer)."
Abu Ya'la recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded voluntary prayer at night and encouraged it, until he said: "Hold fast to the (voluntary) night prayer, even if it is only one rak'ah." Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out and a man was offering voluntary prayer after the congregational prayer had begun, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: "Will you not desist? Are two prayers to be prayed together?"
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains Husayn bin Abdullah, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Ubaydah al-Mulayki (may Allah be pleased with him) reported this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "O people of the Qur'an! Do not make the Qur'an a pillow. Recite it as it deserves to be recited in the hours of the night and the day, and remember what is mentioned in it (or take admonition from it) so that you may be successful. And do not hasten its reward, for it does have a reward."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains Abu Bakr bin Abi Maryam, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Sayyiduna Jibril (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Live as long as you wish, but (one day) you will die. Do whatever deeds you wish, you will be recompensed for them. Love whatever you wish, but you will have to part from it. And know that the honour of the believer lies in offering voluntary prayers at night, and his dignity lies in being independent of people."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains Zafir bin Sulayman, whom Ahmad, Yahya bin Ma'in and Abu Dawud declared thiqah (trustworthy). Ibn Adi and Ibn Hibban criticized him in a way that is not harmful.

Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever among you prays (voluntary) prayer at night should recite aloud, for the angels pray following his prayer and listen to his recitation. The believers among the jinn who dwell in the air, and those who live alongside him in his dwelling, also pray following his prayer and listen to his recitation. By reciting aloud, such a person drives away the sinful jinn and the rebellious devils from his house and from the houses around it. The house in which the Qur'an is recited has a tent made of light over it, by which the inhabitants of the heavens find their way just as one finds one's way by a brilliant star at sea and in a barren land. When the companion of the Qur'an dies, that tent is lifted. The angels look from the heavens and do not see that light. Then the angels receive him (his soul) from one heaven to the next, and the angels send mercy upon his soul among all the souls. Then the guardian angels who used to be with him come before him, and then the angels keep seeking forgiveness for him until the day he is resurrected. Whoever acquires knowledge of the Book of Allah Almighty and then prays (voluntary) prayer for an hour of the night, the passing night enjoins the coming night concerning him, that it should wake him at his particular hour and that it should be light upon him. When that person dies and his family are preparing him for burial, the Qur'an comes in a handsome and beautiful form and stands at his head until it comes within his shroud; the Qur'an is upon his chest beneath the shroud. When he is placed in his grave, the earth is levelled over him, and his companions leave him, Munkar and Nakir come to him and sit him up in his grave. Then the Qur'an comes and places itself between him and the two angels. The two angels say to the Qur'an: 'Move aside so that we may question him.' The Qur'an says: 'No! By the Lord of the Ka'bah, he is my companion and my friend, and I will not forsake him in any situation. If you two have been commanded to do something, then carry out what you have been commanded, but leave me in my place, for I will not part from him until I have admitted him into Paradise.' Then the Qur'an looks at its companion and says: 'I am the Qur'an that you used to recite aloud and recite quietly, and you loved me, so I am your beloved; and whomever I love, Allah Almighty also loves. After the questioning of Munkar and Nakir, there will be no worry or grief upon you.' Munkar and Nakir question him and then ascend, and the person and the Qur'an remain (in the grave). The Qur'an says: 'I will have a soft bed spread for you and will provide you with a fine covering, because you stayed awake at night and toiled during the day.'" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then the Qur'an ascends to the heaven faster than the blink of an eye and asks Allah Almighty, and Allah Almighty grants it these things. Then a thousand thousand (that is, a million) angels from among the angels brought near of the sixth heaven descend with it. The Qur'an comes, greets the person and asks: 'Did you feel lonely? Since I parted from you, I have done nothing but speak to Allah Almighty, until Allah Almighty granted you a bed, a covering and a key. I have brought them to you; now get up, so that the angels may spread your bed.'" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The angels raise him gently. Then his grave is widened to the distance of a journey of four hundred years. Then a bed is spread for him whose lining is of green silk and which is filled with fragrant musk (misk adhfar). Cushions of green sundus and istabraq (fine and heavy silk) are placed at his feet and at his head. Two lamps lit from the light of Paradise are lit for him, one at his head and one at his feet; they (the lamps) will keep shining until the Day of Resurrection. Then the angels lay him on his right side, facing the qiblah. Then jasmine of Paradise is brought, and the angels leave him and ascend, and the person and the Qur'an remain. The Qur'an takes the jasmine and places it on the person's nose, and he will keep smelling it until he is resurrected. Then the Qur'an goes to his family and gives them news every day. It looks after him just as a kind father looks after his child with goodness. If any of the person's children acquires knowledge of the Qur'an, the Qur'an congratulates him on that; and if his descendants have fallen into corruption, the Qur'an supplicates for them to be reformed and set right," or as he mentioned it.
Al-Bazzar recorded it and said: Khalid bin Ma'dan did not hear from Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him). Its meaning is that the reward of the Qur'an comes, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A single morsel will come on the Day of Resurrection like Mount Uhud," meaning that its reward will come.
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Its chain contains a narrator for whom I have not found anyone who has written a biography.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty does not disgrace a person who stands (in prayer) in the middle of the night and recites Surat al-Baqarah and Surah Al Imran."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains Layth bin Abi Sulaym, who has been criticized; he is thiqah (trustworthy) and a mudallis (one who conceals defects in the chain).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "In Paradise there are chambers whose outside can be seen from the inside and whose inside can be seen from the outside." Sayyiduna Abu Malik al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! For whom will they be?" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "For the one who speaks good words, feeds others, and spends the night standing (that is, offering voluntary prayers) while people are asleep."
Ahmad and al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir recorded it, and its chain is hasan (good); the wording is his (al-Tabarani's). In Ahmad's narration the words are: "Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) asked."

Sayyiduna Abu Malik al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "In Paradise there are chambers whose inside can be seen from the outside and whose outside can be seen from the inside. Allah Almighty has prepared them for those (that is, for the one) who feeds others, speaks gently, fasts continuously, and offers voluntary prayers at night while people are asleep."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Abu Mu'aniq al-Ash'ari reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "In Paradise there are chambers whose outside can be seen from the inside and whose inside can be seen from the outside. Allah Almighty has prepared them for the one who feeds others, fasts constantly, and prays at night while people are asleep."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except that Abu Mu'aniq does not have the honour of being a Companion. Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the trustworthy Tabi'in, and al-Daraqutni (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about him and said: He is majhul (unknown), worth nothing.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever spends the night light in food and drink, praying, the wide-eyed maidens of Paradise (hur al-'in) keep circling around him until morning."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains Asram bin Hawshab, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "There are three people whom Allah Almighty loves, at whom He smiles and in whom He rejoices: the one who, when a company (of Muslims) is routed, stays behind it and fights with his own self for the sake of Allah Almighty, and either he is killed or Allah Almighty helps him and suffices him; Allah Almighty then says: 'Look at this servant of Mine, how he has shown patience with his own self for My sake!' And the one who has a beautiful wife and a soft, fine bed, and he stands (in voluntary prayer) at night; Allah says: 'He has abandoned his desire and is remembering Me; had he wished, he would have slept.' And the one who is on a journey with other riders with him, and they go to sleep, while he keeps offering voluntary prayers at the time before dawn, in every state, in hardship or in ease."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this as a "marfu'" hadith: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are three people whom Allah Almighty loves: a man who stands at night reciting the Book of Allah Almighty; a man who gives charity in such a way that he conceals it even from his left hand; and a man who is in an expedition, his companions retreat, and he goes forward to face the enemy."
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Imam Abu Dawud recorded only the part of this narration that concerns the military expedition.
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani, and its narrators are the narrators of the "Sahih".

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Our Lord is pleased with two people: one is a man who leaves his bed, his quilt, his family and what he loves and goes to his prayer. Our Lord says: 'O My angels! Look at My servant, who has left his bed, his quilt, what he loves and his family, and has come to his prayer, out of longing for what is with Me and out of fear of what is with Me.'" After this, the narrator mentioned the hadith as before, in which the mention of giving charity is given briefly.
This narration was recorded by Imam Ahmad, Imam Abu Ya'la and Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its chain is hasan (good).

On the authority of this Companion, Imam al-Tabarani recorded in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir a similar narration as "mawquf" (stopping at the Companion);
however, in it are these words: "And the man who stands at night without anyone knowing about him: he performs ablution well, sends blessings upon Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), praises Allah Almighty and begins the recitation. Then Allah Almighty is pleased with this man and says: 'Look at this servant of Mine! No one sees him except Me.'"
In the chain of this narration is a narrator, Abu Ubaydah, and he did not hear from his father (Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Behold! Allah Almighty is pleased upon seeing two men. One is a man who, on a cold night, leaves his bed, his quilt and his cloak and gets up, performs ablution and then goes to the prayer. Allah Almighty says to His angels: 'What drove this servant of Mine to do this?' They say: 'O our Lord! The hope of what is with You and the fear of what is with You.' So the Lord says: 'I grant him what he has hoped for, and I give him safety from what he fears.'"
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its chain is hasan (good).

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty is pleased with three men: one is a man who gets up in the middle of the night, performs ablution well and prays; and a man who falls asleep while in prostration." The narrator says: I think the narration has these words: "and a man who is in a military expedition, and the expedition retreats, while he is mounted on a horse (and goes towards the enemy), although had he wished to go, he too could have gone (fleeing)." (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say:
This narration was recorded by Imam Ibn Majah without this wording.
This narration was recorded by Imam al-Bazzar; its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad bin Abi Layla, about whom much has been said because of his poor memory, not because of lying (that is, he is not a liar).