6/16. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 731a — Sitting in Night Prayer
It is permissible to offer voluntary prayers standing or sitting, and to stand and sit in the same rak`ah
Sitting in Night Prayer Hadith: Recitation Before Standing to Bow
Sahih Muslim : 731a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 731a
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَيْدٍ، ح قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَهْدِيُّ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ جَالِسًا حَتَّى إِذَا كَبِرَ قَرَأَ جَالِسًا حَتَّى إِذَا بَقِيَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السُّورَةِ ثَلاَثُونَ أَوْ أَرْبَعُونَ آيَةً قَامَ فَقَرَأَهُنَّ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ .
A'isha Narrated from:
I did not see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reciting (the Qur'an) in the night prayer in a sitting position, till he grew old and then he recited (it) in a sitting position, but when thirty or forty verses were left out of the Surah, he would then stand up, recite them and then bowed.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 731aIn-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 134USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1589
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 731a
This sitting in night prayer hadith gives a careful description from ‘A’isha. She said she did not see the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم reciting in night prayer while sitting until he grew old. Then he would recite while sitting, and when thirty or forty verses were left from the Surah, he would stand, recite them, and then bow. The core topic is the Prophet’s night prayer in a sitting position during his later years. The report also shows that he stood before bowing after completing the remaining recitation. For users searching for Tahajjud sitting hadith or Prophet praying sitting when old, this narration gives a clear and specific description.
What we learn from this hadith
- ‘A’isha observed the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم reciting sitting in night prayer when he grew old.
- He would stand when thirty or forty verses remained.
- After standing and reciting the remaining verses, he would bow.
