Musnad Abi Ya'la 2545 — Sayyiduna Abbas said to me: Spend the night

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me: "Spend the night with the household of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and memorise the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) (by watching it carefully), and resolve beforehand that you will not sleep until you have fully memorised the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led the Isha prayer and left the mosque, until no one other than me remained there. He looked at me and said: "Who is this? Is it Abdullah?" I said: Yes. He asked: "What is the matter with you (why are you here)?" I said that Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) had ordered me to spend tonight with you. He said: "Then come along." Then he said: "Abdullah, spread it (the bed)." I brought a pillow of coarse hair-cloth stuffed with palm fibre. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went forward and prayed two rak'ahs that were neither very long nor very short. Then he came to his bed, until I heard the sound of his snoring or his breathing. Then he woke up and recited "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day" until the end of the surah. Then he wiped (his face) three times, then got up and relieved himself, then used the siwak and performed ablution. Then he stood and prayed two rak'ahs that were neither very long nor very short. Then he went back to his bed and slept, until I heard the sound of his snoring or his breathing. Then he woke up, sat up straight on his bed and did as he had done the first time. Then he wiped three times and recited the last verses of Surah Al Imran, "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day", until the end of the surah. Then he got up, used the siwak and performed ablution, then prayed two rak'ahs that were neither long nor short. Then he came back to his bed and slept, until I heard the sound of his snoring or breathing. Then he woke up and did as he had done the first two times. So he prayed six rak'ahs (of tahajjud), then prayed three rak'ahs of witr, then prayed the two rak'ahs (sunnah) before Fajr. When he finished his prayer, he made this supplication: 'Allahumma ij'al li fi basari nuran, wa fi sam'i nuran, wa fi qalbi nuran, wa min amami nuran, wa min khalfi nuran, wa min fawqi nuran, wa min tahti nuran, wa 'an yamini nuran, wa 'an yasari nuran, waj'al li yawm al-qiyamati nuran, wa a'zim li nuran' "O Allah, place light in my sight, place light in my hearing, place light in my heart, place light in front of me, place light behind me, place light above me, place light beneath me, place light on my right, place light on my left, make light for me on the Day of Resurrection, and make light great for me."