Praying the night prayer as a display of gratitude to Allah

that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ would stand in prayer at night until his feet became cracked, so Aishah said: “Why do you do this, O Messenger of Allah, when Allah has forgiven you what came before of your sins and what came after?” He said: “Should I not love to be a grateful servant?”

Then, when his flesh increased (i.e., he became heavier), he prayed sitting; and when he wanted to bow, he would stand, recite, then bow.

أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَقُومُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ حَتَّى تَتَفَطَّرَ قَدَمَاهُ، فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: لِمَ تَصْنَعُ هَذَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ قَالَ: «أَفَلاَ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَكُونَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا؟».

فَلَمَّا كَثُرَ لَحْمُهُ صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ قَامَ فَقَرَأَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ