Description of the lengthy night prayer of the Prophet ﷺ

I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ one night. He began reciting Sūrat al-Baqarah, and I thought he would bow at the hundredth verse, but he continued. Then I thought he would recite it in one rakʿah, but he continued. Then I thought he would bow after finishing it; then he began Sūrat al-Nisāʾ and recited it, then began Āl ʿImrān and recited it. He recited in a measured, unhurried manner:

When he passed a verse containing glorification, he would glorify Allah; when he passed a verse containing a supplication, he would ask; and when he passed a verse seeking refuge, he would seek refuge.

Then he bowed and began saying, “Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent,” and his bowing was about as long as his standing. Then he said, “Allah hears whoever praises Him,” then he stood for a long time, nearly as long as his bowing. Then he prostrated and said, “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High,” and his prostration was nearly as long as his standing.

صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَافْتَتَحَ الْبَقَرَةَ فَقُلْتُ يَرْكَعُ عِنْدَ الْمِائَةِ ثُمَّ مَضَى فَقُلْتُ يُصَلِّي بِهَا فِي رَكْعَةٍ فَمَضَى فَقُلْتُ يَرْكَعُ بِهَا ثُمَّ افْتَتَحَ النِّسَاءَ فَقَرَأَهَا ثُمَّ افْتَتَحَ آلَ عِمْرَانَ فَقَرَأَهَا يَقْرَأُ مُتَرَسِّلاً

إِذَا مَرَّ بِآيَةٍ فِيهَا تَسْبِيحٌ سَبَّحَ وَإِذَا مَرَّ بِسُؤَالٍ سَأَلَ وَإِذَا مَرَّ بِتَعَوُّذٍ تَعَوَّذَ

ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ فَكَانَ رُكُوعُهُ نَحْوًا مِنْ قِيَامِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» ثُمَّ قَامَ طَوِيلاً قَرِيبًا مِمَّا رَكَعَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَقَالَ: «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى» فَكَانَ سُجُودُهُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ قِيَامِهِ

I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he lengthened it till I entertained an evil thought. It was said to him what that thought was. He said: I thought that I should sit down and forsake him.

عَبْدُ اللَّهِ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَطَالَ حَتَّى هَمَمْتُ بِأَمْرِ سَوْءٍ قَالَ قِيلَ وَمَا هَمَمْتَ بِهِ قَالَ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَجْلِسَ وَأَدَعَهُ

A hadith like this has been narrated by A'mash with the same chain of transmitters.

عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ