The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out and saw that the people were praying during (the night of) Ramadan in the corner of the mosque. He asked: Who are these people ? It was said to him that those were people who had not learnt Quran. But Ubayy b. Ka'b is praying and they would pray behind him. The Prophet ﷺ said: They did right and it is good what they did. Abu Dawud said: This tradition is not strong, the narrator Muslim b. Khalid is weak. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1377)   

خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا النَّاسُ فِي رَمَضَانَ يُصَلُّونَ فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ ﷺ «مَا هَؤُلَاءِ؟ » فَقِيلَ نَاسٌ لَيْسَ مَعَهُمْ قُرْآنٌ وَأُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «أَصَابُوا أَوْ نِعْمَ مَا صَنَعُوا»  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed in the masjid one night, and some people followed his prayer. Then he prayed the following night and more people came. Then they gathered on the third or fourth night and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come out to them. When morning came he said: "I saw what you did, and nothing prevented me from coming out to you but the fact that I feared that this would be made obligatory for you," and that was in Ramadan. (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1604)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَصَلَّى بِصَلَاتِهِ نَاسٌ ثُمَّ صَلَّى مِنَ الْقَابِلَةِ فَكَثُرَ النَّاسُ ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعُوا مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ أَوِ الرَّابِعَةِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ «قَدْ رَأَيْتُ الَّذِي صَنَعْتُمْ فَلَمْ يَمْنَعْنِي مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ إِلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا أَنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ» وَذَلِكَ فِي رَمَضَانَ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque. The people followed him and prayed as well. In the morning, people were talking about it, so more people came the next night and the Messenger of Allah went out and prayed, and the people prayed with him. This continued for the third night, and the people talked about it so much that the mosque became crowded and unable to accommodate everyone. The Messenger of Allah did not come out to them anymore, so the people became upset and said that they missed the prayer. He then came out for the Fajr prayer and after finishing it, he faced the people and testified to the correctness of their intentions. He said, "What prevented me from coming out to you was my fear that the night prayer would become obligatory for you, and you would have difficulty fulfilling it." He always encouraged them to observe the nights of Ramadan without explicitly commanding them to do so. He used to say, "Whoever stands in prayer on Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree) out of faith and seeking reward, Allah will forgive his previous sins." The Messenger of Allah passed away while this tradition was still practiced during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and the early years of Umar's caliphate. Umar eventually gathered the people behind a single reciter during the month of Ramadan, and this was the first time people congregated for one reciter during Ramadan.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى النَّاسُ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ النَّاسُ فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمُ اللَّيْلَةَ الثَّانِيَةَ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ حَتَّى كَثُرَ النَّاسُ فَخَرَجَ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ النَّاسُ حَتَّى عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَطَفِقَ النَّاسُ يَقُولُونَ الصَّلَاةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى صَلَاةَ الْفَجْرِ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْ ذَلِكَ» وَكَانَ يُرَغِّبُهُمْ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُمْ بِعَزِيمَةٍ يَقُولُ «مَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ» قَالَ فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ فِي خِلَافَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَصَدْرٍ مِنْ خِلَافَةِ عُمَرَ حَتَّى جَمَعَهُمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ عَلَى أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ فَقَامَ بِهِمْ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ أَوَّلَ اجْتِمَاعِ النَّاسِ عَلَى قَارِئٍ وَاحِدٍ فِي رَمَضَانَ»  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out during the night and observed prayer in the mosque and some of the people prayed along with him. When it was morning the people talked about this and so a large number of people gathered there. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out for the second night, and they (the people) prayed along with him. When it was morning the people began to talk about it. So the mosque thronged with people on the third night. He (the Holy Prophet) came out and they prayed along with him. When it was the fourth night, the mosque was filled to its utmost capacity but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come out. Some persons among then cried:" Prayer." But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come to them till he came out for the morning prayer. When he had completed the morning prayer, he turned his face to the people and recited Tashahhud (I bear testi- mony that there is no god but Allah and I bear testimony that Muhammad is His Messen- ger) and then said: Your affair was not hidden from me in the night, but I was afraid that (my observing prayer continuously) might make the night prayer obligatory for you and you might be unable to perform it. (Using translation from Muslim 761b)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَذَاكَرُونَ ذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَطَفِقَ رِجَالٌ مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الصَّلَاةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدَ فَقَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا»  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out during the night and observed prayer in the mosque and some of the people prayed along with him. When it was morning the people talked about this and so a large number of people gathered there. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out for the second night, and they (the people) prayed along with him. When it was morning the people began to talk about it. So the mosque thronged with people on the third night. He (the Holy Prophet) came out and they prayed along with him. When it was the fourth night, the mosque was filled to its utmost capacity but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come out. Some persons among then cried:" Prayer." But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come to them till he came out for the morning prayer. When he had completed the morning prayer, he turned his face to the people and recited Tashahhud (I bear testi- mony that there is no god but Allah and I bear testimony that Muhammad is His Messen- ger) and then said: Your affair was not hidden from me in the night, but I was afraid that (my observing prayer continuously) might make the night prayer obligatory for you and you might be unable to perform it. (Using translation from Muslim 761b)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَذَاكَرُونَ ذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدَ فَقَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا»  

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say concerning Ramadan: 'Whoever spends its night in prayer (Qiyam) out of faith and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins."' ' (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2194)  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لِرَمَضَانَ «مَنْ قَامَهُ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ»  

"We fasted with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Ramadan and he did not lead us in praying Qiyam until there were seven days left in the month, when he led us in praying Qiyam until one-third of the night had passed. Then he did not lead us in praying Qiyam when there were six days left. Then he led us praying Qiyam when there were five days left until one-half of the night had passed. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! What if we spend the rest of this night praying Nafl?" He said: "Whoever prays Qiyam with the Imam until he finishes, Allah (SWT) will record for him the Qiyam of a (whole) night." Then he did not lead us in prayer or pray Qiyam until there were three days of the month left. Then he led us in praying Qiyam when there were three days left. He gathered his family and wives (and led us in prayer) until we feared that we would miss Al-Falah. I (one of the narrators) said: "What is Al-Falah?" He said: "The suhur". (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1605)   

صُمْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ رَمَضَانَ فَلَمْ يَقُمْ بِنَا فِي السَّادِسَةِ وَقَامَ بِنَا فِي الْخَامِسَةِ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ يَنْتَظِرُ اللَّيْلَ فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ نَفَّلْتَنَا بَقِيَّةَ لَيْلَتِنَا هَذِهِ فَقَالَ «إِنَّهُ مَنْ قَامَ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ حَتَّى يَنْصَرِفَ كُتِبَ لَهُ قِيَامُ لَيْلَةٍ» ثُمَّ لَمْ يُصَلِّ بِنَا حَتَّى بَقِيَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ فَقَامَ بِنَا فِي الثَّالِثَةِ وَجَمَعَ أَهْلَهُ وَنِسَاءَهُ فَقَامَ بِنَا حَتَّى تَخَوَّفْنَا أَنْ يَفُوتَنَا الْفَلَاحُ قُلْتُ وَمَا الْفَلَاحُ؟ قَالَ «السَّحُورُ»  

[Machine] We mentioned the Night of Qadr in the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked, "How many days have passed from the month?" We replied, "Twenty-two days have passed and there are eight (days) remaining." He ﷺ said, "No, rather twenty-two days have passed and there are seven (days) left. So, seek it on this night."  

ذَكَرْنَا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «كَمْ مَضَى مِنَ الشَّهْرِ؟ » فَقُلْنَا مَضَى اثْنَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ يَوْمًا وَبَقِيَ ثَمَانٌ فَقَالَ ﷺ «لَا بَلْ مَضَى اثْنَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ يَوْمًا وَبَقِيَ سَبْعٌ الشَّهْرُ تِسْعٌ وَعِشْرُونَ يَوْمًا فَالْتَمِسُوهَا اللَّيْلَةَ»  

[Machine] Ubayy ibn Ka'b came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, something happened to me tonight in Ramadan." The Prophet asked, "What is it, Ubayy?" He replied, "There were some women in my house who said that they do not recite the Quran, so can we pray with your prayer (meaning, should I lead them in prayer)?" The Prophet said, "I prayed eight units of prayer with them, and then I performed Witr." The Prophet said, "It was almost similar to being satisfied (i.e., it was almost equivalent to the reward of performing Tahajjud), and he did not say anything more."  

جَاءَ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَانَ مِنِّي اللَّيْلَةَ شَيْءٌ فِي رَمَضَانَ قَالَ «وَمَا ذَاكَ يَا أُبَيُّ؟ » قَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِي دَارِي قُلْنَ إِنَّا لَا نَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَنُصَلِّي بِصَلَاتِكَ قَالَ فَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِنَّ ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ ثُمَّ أَوْتَرْتُ قَالَ فَكَانَ شِبْهُ الرِّضَا وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا  

[Machine] 'Ubayy ibn Ka'b came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, something happened to me tonight in Ramadan." The Prophet asked, "What is it, O 'Ubayy?" He replied, "There were some women in my house who said that they do not recite the Quran, so I prayed your prayer for them." The Prophet said, "So I prayed eight cycles of prayer with them, and then I performed the Witr prayer." 'Ubayy said, "It brought about a sense of satisfaction, and they did not say anything."  

جَاءَ أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنِّي اللَّيْلَةَ شَيْءٌ يَعْنِي فِي رَمَضَانَ قَالَ «وَمَا ذَاكَ يَا أُبَيُّ؟ قَالَ نِسْوَةٌ فِي دَارِي قُلْنَ إِنَّا لَا نَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَنُصَلِّي بِصَلَاتِكَ قَالَ فَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِنَّ ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ ثُمَّ أَوْتَرْتُ قَالَ فَكَانَ شِبْهُ الرِّضَا وَلَمْ يَقُلْ شَيْئًا