6. The Book of Prayer - Travellers
٦۔ كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
I asked ʿAisha, "How is the prayer of Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the month of Ramadan." She said, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ never exceeded eleven rakʿat in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four rakʿat-- do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four rakʿat, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three rakʿat." Aisha further said, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Do you sleep before offering the witr prayer?' He replied, 'O ʿAisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake'!"
أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ ؓ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَتْ مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَزِيدُ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَلاَ فِي غَيْرِهِ عَلَى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسَلْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وَطُولِهِنَّ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسَلْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وَطُولِهِنَّ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي ثَلاَثًا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتَنَامُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُوتِرَ فَقَالَ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ عَيْنَىَّ تَنَامَانِ وَلاَ يَنَامُ قَلْبِي
The Prophet ﷺ used to offer thirteen rakʿat of the night prayer and that included the witr and two rakʿat (Sunna) of the Fajr prayer.
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً مِنْهَا الْوِتْرُ وَرَكْعَتَا الْفَجْرِ
I asked ʿAisha "How is the night prayer of the Prophet?" She replied, "He used to sleep early at night, and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed. When the Mu'adh-dhin pronounced the Adhan, he would get up. If he was in need of a bath he would take it; otherwise he would perform ablution and then go out (for the prayer)."
سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ ؓ كَيْفَ صَلاَةُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِاللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ كَانَ يَنَامُ أَوَّلَهُ وَيَقُومُ آخِرَهُ فَيُصَلِّي ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَإِذَا أَذَّنَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ وَثَبَ فَإِنْ كَانَ بِهِ حَاجَةٌ اغْتَسَلَ وَإِلاَّ تَوَضَّأَ وَخَرَجَ
I asked ʿAisha which deed was most loved by the Prophet. She said, "A deed done continuously." I further asked, "When did he used to get up (in the night for the prayer)." She said, "He used to get up on hearing the crowing of a cock."
سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ ؓ أَىُّ الْعَمَلِ كَانَ أَحَبَّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتِ الدَّائِمُ قُلْتُ مَتَى كَانَ يَقُومُ قَالَتْ يَقُومُ إِذَا سَمِعَ الصَّارِخَ
In my house he (Prophet ﷺ ) never passed the last hours of the night but sleeping.
مَا أَلْفَاهُ السَّحَرُ عِنْدِي إِلاَّ نَائِمًا تَعْنِي النَّبِيَّ ﷺ
Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered witr prayer at different nights at various hours extending (from the ʿIsha' prayer) up to the last hour of the night.
كُلَّ اللَّيْلِ أَوْتَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَانْتَهَى وِتْرُهُ إِلَى السَّحَرِ