Musnad Ahmad

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that once I came to my maternal aunt, Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), and spent the night at her place. I found out that, according to the division of nights, tonight was the turn of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to spend the night with her. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the house after performing the ‘Isha prayer and lay down, resting his head on a leather pillow filled with palm fibers. I also came and placed my head on one corner of that pillow. After a short while, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) woke up and saw that much of the night still remained, so he returned to bed, recited tasbih and takbir, and went back to sleep. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) woke up again, one or two thirds of the night had passed. Now the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, relieved himself, and came to the water skin hanging in the pillar room, which contained water. He rinsed his mouth three times, put water into his nose three times, washed his face three times, washed both arms three times each, then wiped his head and ears once, then washed both his feet three times each, and went to his prayer place and stood up. I also stood up and did exactly what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had done, and came and stood on his left side, intending to join him in prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did nothing for a short while, but when he realized that I intended to join him in prayer, he extended his right hand, took hold of my ear, and turned me to his right side. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) continued to pray two rak‘ahs at a time as long as he felt there was still time left in the night. When he sensed that the time for Fajr was near, he prayed six rak‘ahs and made the intention for witr in the seventh. When it became light, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed two rak‘ahs and then lay down and slept until I heard the sound of his snoring. After a short while, Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived and informed him of the prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out and led the prayer in the same state and did not touch water. The narrator says: I asked Hazrat Sa‘id bin Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him), “Is this a good deed?” Hazrat Sa‘id (may Allah have mercy on him) replied, “By Allah! I also asked Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) the same thing, and he said: Beware! This ruling is not for you or your companions; this ruling is specific to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) because even in sleep, he was protected.”