5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1355 — Watching the Prophet's Night Prayer
On The Night Prayer
Night Prayer Hadith: Fadl ibn Abbas Observes Wudu, Siwak, and Witr
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1355
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1355
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ شَرِيكِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي نَمِرٍ، عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ : بِتُّ لَيْلَةً عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَقَامَ فَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ قِيَامُهُ مِثْلُ رُكُوعِهِ، وَرُكُوعُهُ مِثْلُ سُجُودِهِ، ثُمَّ نَامَ، ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَاسْتَنَّ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ بِخَمْسِ آيَاتٍ مِنْ آلِ عِمْرَانَ { إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ } فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَفْعَلُ هَذَا حَتَّى صَلَّى عَشْرَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى سَجْدَةً وَاحِدَةً فَأَوْتَرَ بِهَا، وَنَادَى الْمُنَادِي عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدَ مَا سَكَتَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ فَصَلَّى سَجْدَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ حَتَّى صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ : خَفِيَ عَلَىَّ مِنِ ابْنِ بَشَّارٍ بَعْضُهُ .
Narrated Fadl b. 'Abbas: I spent a night with the Prophet (ﷺ) to see how he prayed. He got up, performed ablution and prayed two rak'ahs. His standing was like his bowing (i.e. equal in duration), and his bowing was like his prostration (equal in length). Then he slept. Afterwards he awoke, performed ablution, and used tooth-stick. He then recited five verses from Surah Al-'Imran : "In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day". He went on doing so till he prayed ten rak'ahs. He then stood up and prayed one rak'ah observing witr with it. In the meantime the mu'adhdhin called to prayer. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up after the mu'adhdhin had kept silent. He prayed two light rak'ahs and remained sitting till he offered the dawn prayer. Abu Dawud said: A part of the tradition transmitted by Ibn Bashshar remained hidden from me.
[1] Āl-'Imrān 3:190.[2] That is, the one who narrated it to him, Muḥammad bin Bash-shār , he did not hear all of the exact wording of it from him.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1355In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 106English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1350
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1355
This Hadith records Fadl b. Abbas spending a night with the Prophet to see how he prayed. The Prophet got up, performed ablution, and prayed two rak'ahs. His standing, bowing, and prostration are described as equal in length. He then slept, woke again, performed ablution, used the tooth-stick, and recited five verses from Surah Aal Imran about the creation of the heavens and earth and the change of night and day. He continued this pattern until he prayed ten rak'ahs, then prayed one rak'ah as witr. When the caller finished the adhan, he prayed two light rak'ahs and remained sitting until the dawn prayer.
What we learn from this hadith
- Fadl b. Abbas watched the Prophet's night prayer to learn how he prayed.
- The report mentions ablution, siwak, and recitation from Aal Imran.
- The standing, bowing, and prostration are described as equal in the two rak'ahs.
- The Prophet prayed ten rak'ahs, then one witr, then two light rak'ahs before dawn prayer.
