Question
What is the authenticity of the narration that the Prophet ﷺ spent the whole night in prayer reciting a single verse?
The Narration
It is reported from Sayyidunā Abū Dharr (رضي الله عنه):
قام النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم حتى إذا أصبح بآية، والآية ﴿إِنْ تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ، وَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ﴾
“The Prophet (ﷺ) stood (in prayer) and continued reciting a single verse until morning, and that verse was:
﴿إِنْ تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ، وَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ﴾
‘If You punish them, they are Your servants; but if You forgive them, indeed You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.’”
(Sunan al-Nasāʾī 1010; Sunan Ibn Mājah 1350)
Ruling on the Chain
The chain is weak (ḍaʿīf).
- Qudāmah ibn ʿAbdullāh is majhūl al-ḥāl (unknown in status).
Conclusion:This narration about the Prophet ﷺ standing the entire night reciting one verse is not authentic due to weakness in its chain.
