13/35. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1159e — Consistent Night Prayer
Prohibition of Fasting for a lifetime for the one who will be harmed by that or who will neglect other duties, or does not break his fast on the two 'Ids or during the days of At-Tashriq; It is better to fast alternate days
Do Not Abandon Night Prayer Hadith
Sahih Muslim : 1159e
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1159e
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ الأَزْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، قِرَاءَةً قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ ثَوْبَانَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، - رضى الله عنهما - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لاَ تَكُنْ بِمِثْلِ فُلاَنٍ كَانَ يَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ فَتَرَكَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ " .
Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'as Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Abdullah, don't be like so and so who observed prayer during the whole night and then abandoned it (altogether).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1159eIn-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 239USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 6, Hadith 2590
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1159e
This short Hadith is about consistency in night prayer. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم told Abdullah b. Amr not to be like a person who used to stand in prayer at night and then left it altogether. The report does not give a number of units, a time length, or a promise of reward. Its message is simple and practical: do not take on a worship habit in a way that ends with total abandonment. For someone searching for do not abandon night prayer Hadith, this narration teaches that a steady practice is better than a burst of worship that later disappears. It also fits the wider theme of balanced worship found in the surrounding reports.
What we learn from this hadith
- A worship habit should be kept in a way that can last.
- Leaving a good practice altogether is warned against in this report.
- Night prayer should not be taken on with a pattern that leads to burnout.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught Abdullah through a simple example.
