Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 593

Sayyiduna Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in Makkah in the early days of his mission, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) was in hiding. I asked: "Who are you?" He said: "I am a Prophet." I asked: "What is a Prophet?" He said: "The Messenger of Allah." I asked: "Has Allah sent you?" He said: "Yes." I asked: "With what has He sent you?" He said: "That Allah alone be worshipped, that idols be broken, and that ties of kinship be maintained." I said: "How excellent is that with which He has sent you!" I asked: "Who has followed you in this?" He said: "A free man and a slave" (meaning Abu Bakr and Bilal, may Allah be pleased with them both). Amr used to say: "I saw myself as a quarter of Islam (or: the fourth in Islam)." He said: So I accepted Islam and said: "Shall I follow you, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "No, but join your people, and when you are told that I have come out, then follow me." So I joined my people and kept waiting for news of him and of his emigration, until a group of riders came from Yathrib. I met them and asked them for news, and they said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has left Makkah for Madinah." I asked: "Has he reached it?" They said: "Yes." So I set out until I came to him and said: "Do you recognise me, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Yes, you are the man who came to me in Makkah." I kept waiting for a moment when he would be alone, and when he was alone I said: "O Messenger of Allah, teach me some of what Allah has taught you and of which I am ignorant." He said: "Ask about whatever you wish." I asked: "Which part of the night is most readily heard?" He said: "The last part of the depth of the night. So pray as much as you wish, for the prayer is witnessed and recorded until you pray the dawn prayer. Then refrain until the sun rises and ascends the height of a spear or two, for it rises between the two horns of Satan and the disbelievers pray to it. Then pray as much as you wish, for the prayer is witnessed and recorded until the spear's shadow equals it. Then refrain, for Hell is stoked and its gates are opened. When the sun has passed its zenith, pray as much as you wish, for the prayer is witnessed and recorded; then pray until you pray the Asr prayer. Then refrain until the sun sets, for it sets between the two horns of Satan and the disbelievers pray to it. When you perform ablution and wash your hands, your sins come out from the tips of your fingernails; when you wash your face, your sins come out from your face; when you rinse your mouth and nose, your sins come out from your nostrils; when you wash your forearms, your sins come out from your forearms; when you wipe your head, your sins come out from the ends of your hair; and when you wash your feet, your sins come out from your feet. If you remain seated in your place, that is your share from your ablution; and if you stand, remember your Lord, praise Him and pray two rak'ahs to Him with your heart devoted to them, you become free of your sins as on the day your mother gave birth to you." (Abu Umamah) said: I said: "O Amr, be mindful of what you are saying, for you are saying something tremendous." He said: "By Allah, I have grown old and my appointed time has drawn near, and I have no need to lie. Had I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) only once or twice, I would not have narrated it, but I have heard it more often than that."
Imam Muslim has narrated parts of it, but this complete narration is more satisfying and more complete.