5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1366 — Long and Gradual Night Prayer
On The Night Prayer
Hadith About the Prophet's Long Night Prayer in Thirteen Rak'ahs
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1366
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1366
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ قَيْسِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، أَنَّهُ - قَالَ - لأَرْمُقَنَّ صَلاَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اللَّيْلَةَ، قَالَ : فَتَوَسَّدْتُ عَتَبَتَهُ أَوْ فُسْطَاطَهُ، فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ طَوِيلَتَيْنِ طَوِيلَتَيْنِ طَوِيلَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُمَا دُونَ اللَّتَيْنِ قَبْلَهُمَا، ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ دُونَ اللَّتَيْنِ قَبْلَهُمَا، ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ دُونَ اللَّتَيْنِ قَبْلَهُمَا، ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ دُونَ اللَّتَيْنِ قَبْلَهُمَا، ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ، فَذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً .
Khalid Al-Juhani Narrated from:
I shall watch the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at night. I slept at the threshold of his door or of his tent. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed two light rak'ahs, and then prayed two long, long, long rak'ahs. He then prayed two rak'ahs that were not so long as the two rak'ahs before them; he then prayed two rak'ahs that were less in duration, than the rak'ahs before them; again he prayed two rak'ahs that were less in length then the preceding rak'ahs; he then prayed two rak'ahs that were less in length than the previous rak'ahs. This made altogether thirteen rak'ahs.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1366In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 117English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1361
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1366
This hadith about night prayer comes from Khalid al-Juhani, who wanted to watch the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) at night. He slept near the threshold of the Prophet's door or tent and observed the prayer. The Prophet began with two light rak'ahs. Then he prayed two very long rak'ahs. After that, he prayed pairs of two rak'ahs that became shorter than the pair before them. Finally, he observed witr. The report says the total was thirteen rak'ahs. The main idea is the structure of the night prayer as seen by the narrator: a light opening, long standing, then shorter pairs, ending with witr. For searches like Prophet night prayer thirteen rak'ahs, tahajjud hadith, and witr at the end of night prayer, this narration gives a clear and vivid description from the text.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) began this night prayer with two light rak'ahs.
- The report describes a long prayer followed by shorter pairs of rak'ahs.
- Witr came at the end of the prayer in this narration.
- The total number reported here is thirteen rak'ahs.
