I spent the night in the house of my mother's sister, Maimuna, and observed how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed (at night). He got up and relieved himself. He then washed his face and hands and then went to sleep. He again got up and went near the water-skin and loosened its straps and then poured some water in a bowl and inclined it with his hands (towards himself). He then performed a good ablution between the two extremes and then stood up to pray. I also came and stood by his left side. He took hold of me and made me stand on his right side. It was in thirteen rakʿahs that the (night) prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was completed. He then slept till he began to snore, and we knew that he had gone to sleep by his snoring. He then went out (for the dawn prayer), and said while praying or prostrating himself: "O Allah! place light in my heart, light in my hearing, light in my sight, light on my right, light on my left, light in front of me, light behind me, light above me, light below me, make light for me," or he said: "Make me light."

بِتُّ فِي بَيْتِ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ فَبَقَيْتُ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَقَامَ فَبَالَ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ وَكَفَّيْهِ ثُمَّ نَامَ ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى الْقِرْبَةِ فَأَطْلَقَ شِنَاقَهَا ثُمَّ صَبَّ فِي الْجَفْنَةِ أَوِ الْقَصْعَةِ فَأَكَبَّهُ بِيَدِهِ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا حَسَنًا بَيْنَ الْوُضُوءَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَامَ يُصَلِّي فَجِئْتُ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ قَالَ فَأَخَذَنِي فَأَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَتَكَامَلَتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ وَكُنَّا نَعْرِفُهُ إِذَا نَامَ بِنَفْخِهِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَصَلَّى فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ فِي صَلاَتِهِ أَوْ فِي سُجُودِهِ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ شِمَالِي نُورًا وَأَمَامِي نُورًا وَخَلْفِي نُورًا وَفَوْقِي نُورًا وَتَحْتِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ لِي نُورًا أَوْ قَالَ وَاجْعَلْنِي نُورًا

He spent (one night) in the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He (the Holy Prophet) got up, brushed his teeth and performed ablution and said: "In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, there are indeed signs for people of understanding" (al-Qur'an, iii. 190), to the end of the Surah. He then stood up and prayed two rakʿahs, standing, bowing and prostrating himself at length in them. Then he finished, went to sleep and snored. He did that three times, six rakʿahs altogether, each time cleaning his teeth, performing ablution, and reciting these verses. Then he observed three rakʿahs of Witr. The Mu'adhdhin then pronounced the Adhan and he went out for prayer and was saying: "O Allah! place light in my heart, light in my tongue, place light in my hearing, place light in my eyesight, place light behind me, and light in front of me, and place light above me, and light below me. O Allah! grant me light."

أَنَّهُ رَقَدَ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ فَتَسَوَّكَ وَتَوَضَّأَ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ { إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لآيَاتٍ لأُولِي الأَلْبَابِ} فَقَرَأَ هَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ حَتَّى خَتَمَ السُّورَةَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَأَطَالَ فِيهِمَا الْقِيَامَ وَالرُّكُوعَ وَالسُّجُودَ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَنَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ ثُمَّ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ كُلَّ ذَلِكَ يَسْتَاكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ وَيَقْرَأُ هَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ بِثَلاَثٍ فَأَذَّنَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ فَخَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي لِسَانِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ خَلْفِي نُورًا وَمِنْ أَمَامِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِنِي نُورًا

"In the creation of the heavens and earth" [3:190] to the end of the surah. Then he stood up and prayed two rak'ahs in which he prolonged the standing, bowing, and prostrations. He then uttered turned away and slept till he bagan to snore. This he did three times. This made six rak'ahs in all. He would use tooth-stick, then perform ablution, and recite those verses. He then observed the witr prayer. The version of 'Uthman has: with three rak'ahs. The mu'adhdhin then came to him and he went out for prayer. The version of Ibn 'Isa adds: He then observed witr prayer ; then Bilal came to him and called him for prayer when the dawn broke. He then prayed the two rak'ahs of the dawn prayer. He then went out for prayer. Then both the narrators were agreed: He beagan to supplicate saying: O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light in my eyesight, light on my right hand, light on my left hand, light in front of me, light behing me, light below me, O Allah, give me abundant light.

أَنَّهُ رَقَدَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَرَآهُ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَتَسَوَّكَ وَتَوَضَّأَ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ { إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ } حَتَّى خَتَمَ السُّورَةَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ أَطَالَ فِيهِمَا الْقِيَامَ وَالرُّكُوعَ وَالسُّجُودَ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ انْصَرَفَ فَنَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ ثُمَّ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ بِسِتِّ رَكَعَاتٍ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَسْتَاكُ ثُمَّ يَتَوَضَّأُ وَيَقْرَأُ هَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ قَالَ عُثْمَانُ بِثَلاَثِ رَكَعَاتٍ فَأَتَاهُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ فَخَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ وَقَالَ ابْنُ عِيسَى ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلاَلٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ حِينَ طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ ثُمَّ اتَّفَقَا وَهُوَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي لِسَانِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ خَلْفِي نُورًا وَأَمَامِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا اللَّهُمَّ وَأَعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا

"I stayed overnight with my maternal aunt Maimunah bin Al-Harith, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed overnight with her. I saw him get up to relieve himself and he went to the waterskin and undid its string, then he performed wudu and that was moderate (in the amount of water used). Then he went to his bed and slept. Then he got up again and went to the waterskin and undid its string, and performed wudu again, like the first time. Then he stood and prayed, and when he prostrated he said: 'Allahummaj'al fi qalbi nuran waj'al fi sami' nuran waj'al fi basri nuran, waj'al min tahti nuran waj'al min fawqi nuran, wa 'an yamii nuran wa 'an yasari nuran waj'al amami nuran, waj'al khalfi nuran wa a'zimli nura (O Allah, place light in my heart, and place light in my hearing, and place light in my seeing, and place light beneath me, and place light above me, and light on my right, and light on my left, and place light behind me, and make the light greater for me.') Then he slept until he started to snore, then Bilal came and woke him up for the prayer."

بِتُّ عِنْدَ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ وَبَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَهَا فَرَأَيْتُهُ قَامَ لِحَاجَتِهِ فَأَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَحَلَّ شِنَاقَهَا ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا بَيْنَ الْوُضُوءَيْنِ ثُمَّ أَتَى فِرَاشَهُ فَنَامَ ثُمَّ قَامَ قَوْمَةً أُخْرَى فَأَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَحَلَّ شِنَاقَهَا ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا هُوَ الْوُضُوءُ ثُمَّ قَامَ يُصَلِّي وَكَانَ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ أَمَامِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ خَلْفِي نُورًا وَأَعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلاَلٌ فَأَيْقَظَهُ لِلصَّلاَةِ

[AI] I stayed at my aunt Maymuna bint al-Harith, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad. I saw him get up in the middle of the night and fulfill his needs. He then went to the Qirbah (a water container) and untied its rope. He performed ablution (wudu) between the two ablutions, and then went back to his bed and slept. He then went to the Qirbah again, untied the rope, and performed ablution. He prayed and I got up and did as he did. I approached him from his left, but he turned and made room for me on his right. He prayed either eleven or thirteen units (rak'ahs), and then fell asleep until he snored. I heard him say in his prostration, "O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my hearing, light in my vision, light behind me, light in front of me, light on my right, light on my left, light above me, light below me, and grant me the greatest light". He then slept until he snored, and Bilal came to him and called him for prayer, so he got up.

بِتُّ عِنْدَ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَرَأَيْتُهُ قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَوْمَةً فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَحَلَّ شِنَاقَهَا فَتَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا بَيْنَ الْوُضُوءَيْنِ ثُمَّ آوَى إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَنَامَ ثُمَّ أَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَحَلَّ شِنَاقَهَا فَتَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا هُوَ الْوُضُوءُ فَصَلَّى فَقُمْتُ فَصَنَعْتُ كَمَا صَنَعَ ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَلَفِتَني فَأَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَصَلَّى إِمَّا إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَإِمَّا ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ «اللهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ خَلْفِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ عَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ عَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا وَأَعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا» ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَخَرَجَ

One night I slept at the house of Maimuna. The Prophet ﷺ woke up, answered the call of nature, washed his face and hands, and then slept. He got up (late at night), went to a water skin, opened the mouth thereof and performed ablution not using much water, yet he washed all the parts properly and then offered the prayer. I got up and straightened my back in order that the Prophet ﷺ might not feel that I was watching him, and then I performed the ablution, and when he got up to offer the prayer, I stood on his left. He caught hold of my ear and brought me over to his right side. He offered thirteen rakʿat in all and then lay down and slept till he started blowing out his breath as he used to do when he slept. In the meantime Bilal informed the Prophet ﷺ of the approaching time for the (Fajr) prayer, and the Prophet offered the Fajr (Morning) prayer without performing new ablution. He used to say in his invocation, Allahumma ijʿal fi qalbi nuran wa fi basari nuran, wa fi samʿi nuran, waʿan yamini nuran, waʿan yasari nuran, wa fawqi nuran, wa tahti nuran, wa amami nuran, wa khalfi nuran, wajʿal li nuran." Kuraib (a sub narrator) said, "I have forgotten seven other words, (which the Prophet ﷺ mentioned in this invocation). I met a man from the offspring of Al-ʿAbbas and he narrated those seven things to me, mentioning, '(Let there be light in) my nerves, my flesh, my blood, my hair and my body,' and he also mentioned two other things." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6316)

بِتُّ عِنْدَ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَأَتَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ وَيَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ نَامَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَأَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَأَطْلَقَ شِنَاقَهَا ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا بَيْنَ الْوُضُوءَيْنِ لَمْ يُكْثِرْ وَقَدْ أَبْلَغَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى فَقُمْتُ فَتَوَضَّأْتُ فَقَامَ يُصَلِّي فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِي فَأَدَارَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَتَتَامَّتْ صَلَاةُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ اضْطَجَعَ فَنَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ وَكَانَ إِذَا نَامَ نَفَخَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ فِي دُعَائِهِ «اللهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ شِمَالِي نُورًا وَفَوْقِي نُورًا وَتَحْتِي نُورًا وَأَمَامِي نُورًا وَخَلْفِي نُورًا وَأَعْظَمْ لِي نُورًا»

"I stayed overnight with my maternal aunt Maimunah bin Al-Harith, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed overnight with her. I saw him get up to relieve himself and he went to the waterskin and undid its string, then he performed wudu and that was moderate (in the amount of water used). Then he went to his bed and slept. Then he got up again and went to the waterskin and undid its string, and performed wudu again, like the first time. Then he stood and prayed, and when he prostrated he said: 'Allahummaj'al fi qalbi nuran waj'al fi sami' nuran waj'al fi basri nuran, waj'al min tahti nuran waj'al min fawqi nuran, wa 'an yamii nuran wa 'an yasari nuran waj'al amami nuran, waj'al khalfi nuran wa a'zimli nura (O Allah, place light in my heart, and place light in my hearing, and place light in my seeing, and place light beneath me, and place light above me, and light on my right, and light on my left, and place light behind me, and make the light greater for me.') Then he slept until he started to snore, then Bilal came and woke him up for the prayer." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1121)

بِتُّ عِنْدَ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ وَبَاتَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عِنْدَهَا فَرَأَيْتُهُ قَامَ لِحَاجَتِهِ فَأَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَحَلَّ شِنَاقَهَا فَتَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا بَيْنَ الْوُضُوءَيْنِ ثُمَّ أَتَى فِرَاشَهُ فَنَامَ ثُمَّ قَامَ قَوْمَةً أُخْرَى فَأَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَحَلَّ شِنَاقَهَا ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا هُوَ الْوُضُوءُ ثُمَّ قَامَ يُصَلِّي وَكَانَ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ «اللهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ فِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا وَمِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ أَمَامِي نُورًا وَاجْعَلْ خَلْفِي نُورًا وَأَعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا» ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ فَأَيْقَظَهُ لِلصَّلَاةِ