Once in the middle of the night Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed with him. The next morning the people spoke about it and so more people gathered and prayed with him (in the second night). They circulated the news in the morning, and so, on the third night the number of people increased greatly. Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out and they prayed behind him. On the fourth night the mosque was overwhelmed by the people till it could not accommodate them. Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out only for the Fajr prayer and when he finished the prayer, he faced the people and recited "Tashah-hud" (I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle), and then said, "Amma ba'du. Verily your presence (in the mosque at night) was not hidden from me, but I was afraid that this prayer (Prayer of Tahajjud) might be made compulsory and you might not be able to carry it out."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلاَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَىَّ مَكَانُكُمْ لَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا  

That he was informed by ʿAisha, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, the people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). In the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the mosque was full with a large number of people. Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out and the people prayed behind him. On the fourth night the Mosque was overwhelmed with people and could not accommodate them, but the Prophet ﷺ came out (only) for the morning prayer. When the morning prayer was finished he recited Tashah-hud and (addressing the people) said, "Amma ba'du, your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer (Qiyam) should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on." So, Allah's Apostle died and the situation remained like that (i.e. people prayed individually). "  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلاَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَىَّ مَكَانُكُمْ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْتَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ  

[Machine] "Aisha narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out one night during the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque. Some men joined him in his prayer. When the people talked about it in the morning, saying that the Prophet ﷺ had gone out and prayed in the mosque during the middle of the night, the next night more people gathered than the previous night. Aisha said: The Prophet ﷺ went out during the middle of the night and prayed, and they prayed with him. Then it was morning, and they talked about it. The third night, a large number of people gathered, to the point where the mosque could not accommodate them all. Aisha said: The Prophet ﷺ went out during the middle of the night and prayed, and they prayed with him. When the fourth night came, the people gathered until the mosque could not accommodate its people. The Prophet ﷺ sat, but did not go out to them. Aisha said: I heard some of them saying that the prayer had started, but the Prophet ﷺ did not come out to join them. When he finished the Fajr prayer and gave the salam, he stood amongst the people, recited the Tashahhud and then said: 'Now, it was not that I missed out on your matter last night, but I feared that it may become obligatory upon you and you would be unable to fulfill it.'"  

عَائِشَةُ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةً مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَثَابَ رِجَالٌ فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ تَحَدَّثُوا أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَدْ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَاجْتَمَعَ اللَّيْلَةَ الْمُقْبِلَةَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ قَالَتْ فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى وَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ بِصَلَاتِهِ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحَ فَتَحَدَّثُوا بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ اللَّيْلَةَ الثَّالِثَةَ نَاسٌ كَثِيرٌ حَتَّى كَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ قَالَتْ فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ حَتَّى كَادَ الْمَسْجِدُ يَعْجَزُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَجَلَسَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ قَالَتْ حَتَّى سَمِعْتُ نَاسًا مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الصَّلَاةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى صَلَاةَ الْفَجْرِ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فِي النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَكِنِّيخَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَعْجَزُوا عَنْهَا  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out one night in Ramadan and prayed in the mosque. Some men prayed behind him. The people spoke about it and more of them gathered. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out again and they prayed behind him. The people talked about it again. The people of the mosque gathered on the third night. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out and they prayed behind him. On the fourth night, the mosque was crowded, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not go out to them except for the Fajr prayer. After the Fajr prayer, he faced the people and made the testimony of faith, then he said, "It was not hidden from me your presence, but I feared that it would be made obligatory upon you, and you would be unable to fulfill it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ encouraged them to stand in prayer during the month of Ramadan without imposing it on them. He said, "Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out, and this practice continued during the caliphates of Abu Bakr, Umar, and thereafter.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ لَيْلَةً فِي رَمَضَانَ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ وَرَاءَهُ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرَهُمْ مِنْهُمْ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الثَّانِيَةَ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ لَيْلَةَ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَّا لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قُضِيَتْ صَلَاةُ الْفَجْرِ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ مَكَانُكُمْ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَقْعُدُوا عَنْهَا» وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرَغِّبُهُمْ فِي قِيَامِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُمْ بِقَضَاءِ أَمْرٍ فِيهِ يَقُولُ «مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ» فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ كَانَ الْأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فِي خِلَافَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَصَدْرًا مِنْ خِلَافَةِ عُمَرَ رِضْوُانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ  

[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»