65/3.20. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4572 — The Prophet’s Night Worship Routine
"Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (i.e., Muḥammad pbuh) calling to Faith..." (V.3:193)
Hadith About the Prophet’s Night Prayer Routine Before Fajr
Sahih Bukhari : 4572
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4572
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، بَاتَ عِنْدَ مَيْمُونَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْىَ خَالَتُهُ قَالَ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ فِي عَرْضِ الْوِسَادَةِ، وَاضْطَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَهْلُهُ فِي طُولِهَا، فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى إِذَا انْتَصَفَ اللَّيْلُ، أَوْ قَبْلَهُ بِقَلِيلٍ، أَوْ بَعْدَهُ بِقَلِيلٍ، اسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَلَسَ يَمْسَحُ النَّوْمَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ بِيَدِهِ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ الْعَشْرَ الآيَاتِ الْخَوَاتِمَ مِنْ سُورَةِ آلِ عِمْرَانَ، ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى شَنٍّ مُعَلَّقَةٍ فَتَوَضَّأَ مِنْهَا، فَأَحْسَنَ وُضُوءَهُ، ثُمَّ قَامَ يُصَلِّي. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقُمْتُ فَصَنَعْتُ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ، ثُمَّ ذَهَبْتُ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ، فَوَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى رَأْسِي، وَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِي الْيُمْنَى يَفْتِلُهَا، فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ ثُمَّ، اضْطَجَعَ حَتَّى جَاءَهُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ، فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى الصُّبْحَ.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
Once he stayed overnight in the house of his aunt, the wife of the Prophet. He added: I lay on the cushion transversely while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) lay along with his wife in the lengthwise direction of cushion. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) slept till the middle of the night, either a bit before or a bit after it, and then woke up rubbing the traces of sleep off his face with his hands, and then recited the last ten Verses of Suratal-`Imran.Then he got up and went to a hanging water skin, performed ablution from it ---- and performed it perfectly. Then he stood up to perform the prayer. I also did the same as he had done and then went to stand beside him. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) put his right hand on my head and held and twisted my right ear. He then offered two rak`at, then two rak`at then two rak`at, then two then two rak`at, then two rak`at, and finally, one rak`a witr.Then lay down again till the Muadhdhin (i.e. the call-maker) came to him, whereupon he got up and offered a light two rak`at prayer and went out (to the Mosque) and offered the (compulsory congregational) Fajr prayer.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4572In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 94USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 96
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4572
This Hadith about night prayer repeats the detailed account of Ibn Abbas staying in the house of his aunt, the wife of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم slept until around the middle of the night, then woke and sat, wiping sleep from his face. He recited the last ten verses of Surah Ali Imran, then used water from a hanging skin to make a good ablution. After that, he stood for prayer. Ibn Abbas copied him and stood beside him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed his right hand on Ibn Abbas’s head and held his right ear. He prayed two rak'at again and again, then ended with one rak'ah Witr. Later, when the Muadhdhin came, he prayed two light rak'at and then went for Fajr. The Hadith is useful for searches about Tahajjud, Witr, and the Prophet’s practice before Fajr.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم began his night worship after waking around midnight.
- He recited the last ten verses of Surah Ali Imran.
- He made a careful ablution before praying.
- He ended the night prayer with Witr and later prayed two light rak'at before Fajr.
