Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
bayhaqi:4681ʿAlī b. Aḥmad b. ʿAbdān > Aḥmad b. ʿUbayd al-Ṣaffār > Ibn Milḥān > Yaḥyá b. Bukayr > al-Layth > Khālid / Ibn Yazīd > Saʿīd b. Abū Hilāl > Makhramah b. Sulaymān > Kurayb > Saʾalt Ibn ʿAbbās

[Machine] About the night prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , he mentioned in a narration: "Then he stood up and I stood on his left side, and he placed me on his right side. He then placed his hands on my head and touched my ears as if he was waking me up. He then performed two light rak'ahs (units of prayer). I said, 'In each of them, he recited Surah Al-Qasas (Chapter 28) from the beginning to the end.' Then he said the tasleem (ending of the prayer) and performed two more rak'ahs. He repeated this until he prayed eleven rak'ahs of Witr prayer. Then he went to sleep until the time for Fajr (dawn) prayer came. I saw him blowing and Bilal came to him, saying, 'O Messenger of Allah, it is time for prayer.' So he stood up and performed two rak'ahs and prayed for the people without performing ablution." Aisha said: "There is no prophet whose eyes sleep but his heart is awake, and if his heart sleeps, his eyes awaken."  

البيهقي:٤٦٨١وَأَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدَانَ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الصَّفَّارُ ثنا ابْنُ مِلْحَانَ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ ثنا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ خَالِدٍ يَعْنِي ابْنَ يَزِيدَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِلَالٍ عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَنَّ كُرَيْبًا أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ

عَنْ صَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِاللَّيْلِ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ قَالَ فِيهِ ثُمَّ قَامَ وَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَجَعَلَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رَأْسِي فَجَعَلَ يَمَسُّ أُذُنِي كَأَنَّهُ يُوقِظُنِي فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ قُلْتُ قَرَأَ فِيهِمَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ حَتَّى صَلَّى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً بِالْوِتْرِ ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى اسْتَقْبَلَ وَرَأَيْتُهُ يَنْفُخُ فَأَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ فَقَالَ الصَّلَاةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَصَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لَيْسَ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ نَامَ عَيْنُهُ إِلَّا اسْتَنْبَهَ قَلْبُهُ وَإِنْ نَامَ قَلْبُهُ اسْتَيْقَظَتْ عَيْنَاهُ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Abū Dāwūd, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
abudawud:1364ʿAbd al-Malik b. Shuʿayb b. al-Layth from my father from my father > Khālid b. Yazīd > Saʿīd b. Abū Hilāl > Makhramah b. Sulaymān > Kurayb a freed slave of Ibn ʿAbbās

How would the Messenger of Allah ﷺ pray during the night ? He replied: I spent a night with him when he was with Maimunah. He slept and awoke when half the night or one-third of it had passed. He stood up and went to a leather bad containing water. He performed ablution and I also performed ablution with him. He then stood up and I also stood at his left side. He made me stand at his right side. He then put his hand upon my head, as he was touching my ear and awakening me. He then prayed two light rak'ahs and recited Surah al-Fatihah in each of them, and uttered the salutation. He then prayed eleven rak'ahs observing the witr and slept. Then Bilal came to him and said: Prayer, Messenger of Allah. He got up and prayed two rak'ahs, and then led the people in the prayer.  

أبو داود:١٣٦٤حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ جَدِّي عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِلاَلٍ عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَنَّ كُرَيْبًا مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِاللَّيْلِ قَالَ بِتُّ عِنْدَهُ لَيْلَةً وَهُوَ عِنْدَ مَيْمُونَةَ فَنَامَ حَتَّى إِذَا ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفُهُ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَقَامَ إِلَى شَنٍّ فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَتَوَضَّأْتُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ عَلَى يَسَارِهِ فَجَعَلَنِي عَلَى يَمِينِهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِي كَأَنَّهُ يَمَسُّ أُذُنِي كَأَنَّهُ يُوقِظُنِي فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ قُلْتُ فَقَرَأَ فِيهِمَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى حَتَّى صَلَّى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً بِالْوِتْرِ ثُمَّ نَامَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلاَلٌ فَقَالَ الصَّلاَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَامَ فَرَكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ صَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ  

nasai-kubra:1340Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbd al-Ḥakam > Shuʿayb > al-Layth > Khālid > Ibn Abū Hilāl > Makhramah b. Sulaymān > Kurayb a freed slave of Ibn ʿAbbās

How would the Messenger of Allah ﷺ pray during the night ? He replied: I spent a night with him when he was with Maimunah. He slept and awoke when half the night or one-third of it had passed. He stood up and went to a leather bad containing water. He performed ablution and I also performed ablution with him. He then stood up and I also stood at his left side. He made me stand at his right side. He then put his hand upon my head, as he was touching my ear and awakening me. He then prayed two light rak'ahs and recited Surah al-Fatihah in each of them, and uttered the salutation. He then prayed eleven rak'ahs observing the witr and slept. Then Bilal came to him and said: Prayer, Messenger of Allah. He got up and prayed two rak'ahs, and then led the people in the prayer. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1364)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١٣٤٠أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي هِلَالٍ عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَنَّ كُرَيْبًا مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلَاةُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِاللَّيْلِ؟ قَالَ كَانَ يُقْرَأُ فِي بَعْضِ حُجُرِهِ فَيَسْمَعُ قِرَاءَتَهُ مَنْ كَانَ خَلْفَهُ وَقَالَ بِتُّ عِنْدَهُ لَيْلَةً وَهُوَ عِنْدَ مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ فَاضْطَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَمَيْمُونَةُ عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ مِنْ أَدَمٍ مَحْشُوَّةٍ لِيفًا فَنَامَ حَتَّى إِذَا ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفُهُ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَقَامَ إِلَى شَنٍّ فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَتَوَضَّأَ فَتَوَضَّأْتُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ عَلَى يَسَارِهِ فَجَعَلَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِي فَجَعَلَ يَمْسَحُ أُذُنَيَّ كَأَنَّهُ يُوقِظُنِي فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ قُلْتُ قَرَأَ فِيهِمَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ حَتَّى صَلَّى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً بِالْوِتْرِ ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى اسْتَثْقَلَ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يَنْفُخُ فَأَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ فَقَالَ الصَّلَاةَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ  

nasai-kubra:398Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbd al-Ḥakam b. Aʿyan > Shuʿayb > al-Layth > Khālid > Ibn Abū Hilāl > Makhramah b. Sulaymān > Kurayb a freed slave of Ibn ʿAbbās

How would the Messenger of Allah ﷺ pray during the night ? He replied: I spent a night with him when he was with Maimunah. He slept and awoke when half the night or one-third of it had passed. He stood up and went to a leather bad containing water. He performed ablution and I also performed ablution with him. He then stood up and I also stood at his left side. He made me stand at his right side. He then put his hand upon my head, as he was touching my ear and awakening me. He then prayed two light rak'ahs and recited Surah al-Fatihah in each of them, and uttered the salutation. He then prayed eleven rak'ahs observing the witr and slept. Then Bilal came to him and said: Prayer, Messenger of Allah. He got up and prayed two rak'ahs, and then led the people in the prayer. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1364)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٣٩٨أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي هِلَالٍ عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَنَّ كُرَيبًا مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلَاةُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ بِاللَّيْلِ؟ قَالَ كَانَ يُقْرَأُ فِي حُجَرِهِ فَيَسْمَعُ قِرَاءَتَهُ مَنْ كَانَ خَلْفَهُ وَقَالَ بِتُّ عِنْدَهُ لَيْلَةً وَهُوَ عِنْدَ مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ فَاضْطَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَمَيْمُونَةُ عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ مِنْ أَدَمٍ مَحْشُوَّةٍ لِيفًا فَاضَّطَجَعَا عَلَى طُولِهَا وَاضْطَجَعْتُ عَلَى عَرْضِهَا فَنَامَا حَتَّى إِذَا ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفَهُ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَقَامَ إِلَى شَنٍّ فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَتَوَضَّأَتُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ عَلَى يَسَارِهِ فَجَعَلَنِي عَلَى يَمِينِهِ وَوُضِعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِي فَجَعَلَ يَمْسَحُ أُذُنَيَّ كَأَنَّهُ يُوقِظُنِي فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ قُلْتُ قَرَأَ فِيهِمَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ ثُمَّ سَلِمَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلِمَ حَتَّى صَلَّى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً بِالْوِتْرِ ثُمَّ نَامَ حَتَّى اسْتَثْقَلَ فَرَأَيْتُهُ يَنْفُخُ فَأَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ فَقَالَ الصَّلَاةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَصَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ