5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1361 — Night Prayer and Two Steady Rak'ahs
On The Night Prayer
Hadith About Night Prayer and the Two Rak'ahs Before Fajr
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1361
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1361
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، وَجَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُسَافِرٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ يَزِيدَ الْمُقْرِئَ، أَخْبَرَهُمَا عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، عَنْ عِرَاكِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، : أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ قَائِمًا، وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ بَيْنَ الأَذَانَيْنِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَدَعُهُمَا . قَالَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُسَافِرٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ : وَرَكْعَتَيْنِ جَالِسًا بَيْنَ الأَذَانَيْنِ، زَادَ : جَالِسًا .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) offered the night prayer and then prayed eight rak'ahs standing, and two rak'ahs between the two adhans (i.e. the adhan for the dawn prayer and the iqamah). He never left them. Jaf'ar b. Musafir said in his version: (He prayed) the two rak'ahs sitting between the two adhans. He added the word "sitting".
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1361In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 112English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1356
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1361
This hadith about night prayer shows a clear pattern from the practice of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Aishah reports that after the night prayer, he prayed eight rak'ahs standing, then prayed two rak'ahs between the two adhans, meaning between the adhan for Fajr and the iqamah. The main lesson is steady worship. The text says he never left those two rak'ahs. Another narrator adds that in his version, these two rak'ahs were prayed sitting. So the focus is not on making extra claims, but on what is stated: the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) kept a regular night prayer routine and gave special care to the two rak'ahs before dawn. For anyone searching for the sunnah before Fajr, this hadith highlights consistency, prayer at night, and the habit of not leaving a known act of worship.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had a regular practice of praying at night.
- The two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer were something he did not leave.
- The narration records both standing night prayer and a version mentioning two rak'ahs sitting.
- A steady act of worship can hold a clear place in a believer's daily routine.
