5/1. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1251 — The Prophet's Voluntary Prayers
Chapters Regarding The Voluntary And Sunnah Prayers
Sunnah Prayers Hadith: Aishah Describes the Prophet’s Routine
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1251
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1251
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا خَالِدٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، - الْمَعْنَى - عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ صَلاَةِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ التَّطَوُّعِ فَقَالَتْ كَانَ يُصَلِّي قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ أَرْبَعًا فِي بَيْتِي ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ فَيُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى بَيْتِي فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ الْمَغْرِبَ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى بَيْتِي فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمُ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ يَدْخُلُ بَيْتِي فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ فِيهِنَّ الْوِتْرُ وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي لَيْلاً طَوِيلاً قَائِمًا وَلَيْلاً طَوِيلاً جَالِسًا فَإِذَا قَرَأَ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ رَكَعَ وَسَجَدَ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ وَإِذَا قَرَأَ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ رَكَعَ وَسَجَدَ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَكَانَ إِذَا طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ فَيُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ صَلاَةَ الْفَجْرِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Narrated Abd Allah b. Shaqiq: I asked A'ishah about the voluntary prayers offered by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She replied: Before the noon prayer he would pray four rak'ahs in my house, then go out and lead the people in prayer, then return to my house and pray two rak'ahs. He would lead the people in the sunset prayer, then return to my house and pray two rak'ahs. Then he would lead the people in the night prayer, and enter my house and pray two rak'ahs. He would pray nine rak'ahs during the night, including witr (prayer). At night he would pray for a long time standing and for a long time sitting. When he recited the Qur'an while standing, he would bow and prostrate himself from the standing position, and when he recited while sitting, he would bow and prostrate himself from the sitting position, and when dawn came he prayed two rak'ahs, then he would come out and lead the people in the dawn prayer.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1251In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 2English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1246
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1251
This sunnah prayers hadith gives a broad picture of the voluntary prayers of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم as described by Aishah. She mentions four rak'ahs before the noon prayer in her house, then two after he returned. She also mentions two after Maghrib, two after Isha, nine rak'ahs at night including witr, and two rak'ahs when dawn came before leading Fajr. The report also says he prayed at night for a long time standing and for a long time sitting. When he recited standing, he bowed and prostrated from standing. When he recited sitting, he bowed and prostrated from sitting. The main point is a clear, simple record of his voluntary prayer pattern.
What we learn from this hadith
- Aishah described several voluntary prayers linked to the daily prayers.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prayed night prayer, including witr, in this report.
- He prayed at night both standing and sitting.
- He prayed two rak'ahs after dawn before leading Fajr.
