When Abu Dhar received the news of the Advent of the Prophet ﷺ he said to his brother, "Ride to this valley (of Mecca) and try to find out the truth of the person who claims to be a prophet who is informed of the news of Heaven. Listen to what he says and come back to me." So his brother set out and came to the Prophet ﷺ and listened to some of his talks, and returned to Abu Dhar and said to him. "I have seen him enjoining virtuous behavior and saying something that is not poetry." Abu Dhar said, "You have not satisfied me as to what I wanted." He then took his journey-food and carried a waterskin of his, containing some water till be reached Mecca. He went to the Mosque and searched for the Prophet and though he did not know him, he hated to ask anybody about him. When a part of the night had passed away, ʿAli saw him and knew that he was a stranger. So when Abu Dhar saw ʿAli, he followed him, and none of them asked his companion about anything, and when it was dawn, Abu Dhar took his journey food and his water-skin to the Mosque and stayed there all the day long without being perceived by the Prophet, and when it was evening, he came back to his retiring place. ʿAli passed by him and said, "Has the man not known his dwelling place yet?" So ʿAli awakened him and took him with him and none of them spoke to the other about anything. When it was the third day. ʿAli did the same and Abu Dhar stayed with him. Then ʿAli said "Will you tell me what has brought you here?" Abu Dhar said, "If you give me a firm promise that you will guide me, then I will tell you." ʿAli promised him, and he informed ʿAli about the matter. ʿAli said, "It is true, and he is the Messenger of Allah. Next morning when you get up, accompany me, and if I see any danger for you, I will stop as if to pass water, but if I go on, follow me and enter the place which I will enter." Abu Dhar did so, and followed ʿAli till he entered the place of the Prophet, and Abu Dhar went in with him, Abu Dhar listened to some of the Prophet's talks and embraced Islam on the spot. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Go back to your people and inform them (about it) till you receive my order." Abu Dhar said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, I will proclaim my conversion loudly amongst them (i.e. the pagans)." So he went out, and when he reached the Mosque, he said as loudly as possible, "I bear witness that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The People got up and beat him painfully. Then Al-Abbas came and knelt over him ((to protect him) and said (to the people), "Woe to you! Don't you know that this man belongs to the tribe of Ghifar and your trade to Sha'm is through their way?" So he rescued him from them. Abu Dhar again did the same the next day. They beat him and took vengeance on him and again Al-Abbas knelt over him (to protect him).  

لَمَّا بَلَغَ أَبَا ذَرٍّ مَبْعَثُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لأَخِيهِ ارْكَبْ إِلَى هَذَا الْوَادِي فَاعْلَمْ لِي عِلْمَ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ يَأْتِيهِ الْخَبَرُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَاسْمَعْ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ ثُمَّ ائْتِنِي فَانْطَلَقَ الأَخُ حَتَّى قَدِمَهُ وَسَمِعَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى أَبِي ذَرٍّ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَأَيْتُهُ يَأْمُرُ بِمَكَارِمِ الأَخْلاَقِ وَكَلاَمًا مَا هُوَ بِالشِّعْرِ فَقَالَ مَا شَفَيْتَنِي مِمَّا أَرَدْتُ فَتَزَوَّدَ وَحَمَلَ شَنَّةً لَهُ فِيهَا مَاءٌ حَتَّى قَدِمَ مَكَّةَ فَأَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ فَالْتَمَسَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ وَكَرِهَ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ عَنْهُ حَتَّى أَدْرَكَهُ بَعْضُ اللَّيْلِ فَرَآهُ عَلِيٌّ فَعَرَفَ أَنَّهُ غَرِيبٌ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ تَبِعَهُ فَلَمْ يَسْأَلْ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ ثُمَّ احْتَمَلَ قِرْبَتَهُ وَزَادَهُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَظَلَّ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ وَلاَ يَرَاهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ حَتَّى أَمْسَى فَعَادَ إِلَى مَضْجَعِهِ فَمَرَّ بِهِ عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ أَمَا نَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ مَنْزِلَهُ فَأَقَامَهُ فَذَهَبَ بِهِ مَعَهُ لاَ يَسْأَلُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمَ الثَّالِثِ فَعَادَ عَلِيٌّ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَأَقَامَ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَلاَ تُحَدِّثُنِي مَا الَّذِي أَقْدَمَكَ قَالَ إِنْ أَعْطَيْتَنِي عَهْدًا وَمِيثَاقًا لَتُرْشِدَنَّنِي فَعَلْتُ فَفَعَلَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ حَقٌّ وَهُوَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَاتْبَعْنِي فَإِنِّي إِنْ رَأَيْتُ شَيْئًا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ قُمْتُ كَأَنِّي أُرِيقُ الْمَاءَ فَإِنْ مَضَيْتُ فَاتْبَعْنِي حَتَّى تَدْخُلَ مَدْخَلِي فَفَعَلَ فَانْطَلَقَ يَقْفُوهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ فَسَمِعَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ وَأَسْلَمَ مَكَانَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ارْجِعْ إِلَى قَوْمِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ أَمْرِي قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأَصْرُخَنَّ بِهَا بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ فَخَرَجَ حَتَّى أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ فَنَادَى بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَامَ الْقَوْمُ فَضَرَبُوهُ حَتَّى أَضْجَعُوهُ وَأَتَى الْعَبَّاسُ فَأَكَبَّ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ وَيْلَكُمْ أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ غِفَارٍ وَأَنَّ طَرِيقَ تِجَارِكُمْ إِلَى الشَّأْمِ فَأَنْقَذَهُ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ عَادَ مِنَ الْغَدِ لِمِثْلِهَا فَضَرَبُوهُ وَثَارُوا إِلَيْهِ فَأَكَبَّ الْعَبَّاسُ عَلَيْهِ  

Brother, ride in this valley and bring information for me about the person who claims that there comes to him information from the Heavens. Listen to his words and then come to me. So he rode on until he came to Mecca and he heard his words (the sacred words of the Holy Prophet) and then came back to Abu Dharr and said: I have seen him exhorting (people) to develop good morals and his expressions can in no way be termed as poetry. He (Abu Dharr) said: I have not been satisfied with it regarding that which I had in my mind (as I sent you). So he took up provisions for the journey and a small water-skin containing water (and set forth) until he came to Mecca. He came to the mosque (Kaʿbah) and began to look for Allah's Apostle ﷺ and he did not recognize him (the Holy Prophet) and he did not even like that he should ask about him from anyone until it was night, and he slept. ʿAli saw him and found him to be a stranger. So he went with him. He followed him but one did not make any inquiry from the other about anything until it was morning. He then brought the water and his provisions to the mosque and spent a day there, but he did not see Allah's Apostle ﷺ until it was night. He then returned to his bed, and there happened to pass ʿAli and he said: This man has not been able to find his destination until this time. He made him stand and he went with him and no one made an inquiry from his companion about anything. And when it was the third day he did the same. ʿAli made him stand up and brought him along with him. He said: By Him, besides Whom there is no god, why don't you tell me (the reason) which brought you here to this town? He said: (I shall do this) provided you hold me promise and a covenant that you would guide me aright. He then did that. He (ʿAli) said: Verily, he is truthful and he is a Messenger of Allah ﷺ and when it is morning, follow me and if I would say anything from which I would sense fear about you I would stand (in a manner) as if I was throwing water and if I move on, you then follow me until I get in (some house). He did that and I followed him until he came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He entered (the house) of Allah's Apostle ﷺ along with him and listened to his words and embraced Islam at this very place. Allah's Apostle ﷺ said to him: Go to your people and inform them until my command reaches you. Thereupon he said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, I shall say to the people of Mecca this thing at the top of my voice. So he set forth until he came to the mosque and then spoke at the top of his voice (saying): I bear testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The people attacked him and made him fall down when al-ʿAbbas came and he leaned over him and said: Woe be upon you, don't you know that he is from amongst the tribe of Ghifar and your trading route to Syria passes through (the settlements of this tribe), and he rescued him. He (Abu Dharr) did the same on the next day and they (the Meccans) again attacked him and al-ʿAbbas leaned upon him and he rescued him.  

لَمَّا بَلَغَ أَبَا ذَرٍّ مَبْعَثُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِمَكَّةَ قَالَ لأَخِيهِ ارْكَبْ إِلَى هَذَا الْوَادِي فَاعْلَمْ لِي عِلْمَ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ يَأْتِيهِ الْخَبَرُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاسْمَعْ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ ثُمَّ ائْتِنِي فَانْطَلَقَ الآخَرُ حَتَّى قَدِمَ مَكَّةَ وَسَمِعَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى أَبِي ذَرٍّ فَقَالَ رَأَيْتُهُ يَأْمُرُ بِمَكَارِمِ الأَخْلاَقِ وَكَلاَمًا مَا هُوَ بِالشِّعْرِ فَقَالَ مَا شَفَيْتَنِي فِيمَا أَرَدْتُ فَتَزَوَّدَ وَحَمَلَ شَنَّةً لَهُ فِيهَا مَاءٌ حَتَّى قَدِمَ مَكَّةَ فَأَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ فَالْتَمَسَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ وَكَرِهَ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ عَنْهُ حَتَّى أَدْرَكَهُ يَعْنِي اللَّيْلَ فَاضْطَجَعَ فَرَآهُ عَلِيٌّ فَعَرَفَ أَنَّهُ غَرِيبٌ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ تَبِعَهُ فَلَمْ يَسْأَلْ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ ثُمَّ احْتَمَلَ قُرَيْبَتَهُ وَزَادَهُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَظَلَّ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ وَلاَ يَرَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ حَتَّى أَمْسَى فَعَادَ إِلَى مَضْجَعِهِ فَمَرَّ بِهِ عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ مَا أَنَى لِلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ مَنْزِلَهُ فَأَقَامَهُ فَذَهَبَ بِهِ مَعَهُ وَلاَ يَسْأَلُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا صَاحِبَهُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الثَّالِثِ فَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَأَقَامَهُ عَلِيٌّ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَلاَ تُحَدِّثُنِي مَا الَّذِي أَقْدَمَكَ هَذَا الْبَلَدَ قَالَ إِنْ أَعْطَيْتَنِي عَهْدًا وَمِيثَاقًا لَتُرْشِدَنِّي فَعَلْتُ فَفَعَلَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ فَإِنَّهُ حَقٌّ وَهُوَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَاتَّبِعْنِي فَإِنِّي إِنْ رَأَيْتُ شَيْئًا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ قُمْتُ كَأَنِّي أُرِيقُ الْمَاءَ فَإِنْ مَضَيْتُ فَاتَّبِعْنِي حَتَّى تَدْخُلَ مَدْخَلِي فَفَعَلَ فَانْطَلَقَ يَقْفُوهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ فَسَمِعَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ وَأَسْلَمَ مَكَانَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ارْجِعْ إِلَى قَوْمِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ أَمْرِي فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأَصْرُخَنَّ بِهَا بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْهِمْ فَخَرَجَ حَتَّى أَتَى الْمَسْجِدَ فَنَادَى بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَثَارَ الْقَوْمُ فَضَرَبُوهُ حَتَّى أَضْجَعُوهُ فَأَتَى الْعَبَّاسُ فَأَكَبَّ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ وَيْلَكُمْ أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ غِفَارٍ وَأَنَّ طَرِيقَ تُجَّارِكُمْ إِلَى الشَّامِ عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَنْقَذَهُ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ عَادَ مِنَ الْغَدِ بِمِثْلِهَا وَثَارُوا إِلَيْهِ فَضَرَبُوهُ فَأَكَبَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَبَّاسُ فَأَنْقَذَهُ  

Should I not narrate to you (a hadith of the Holy Prophet) on my authority and on the authority of my mother? We thought that he meant the mother who had given him birth. He (Muhammad b. Qais) then reported that it was 'A'isha who had narrated this: Should I not narrate to you about myself and about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? We said: Yes. She said: When it was my turn for Messenger of Allah ﷺ to spend the night with me, he turned his side, put on his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet, and spread the corner of his shawl on his bed and then lay down till he thought that I had gone to sleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on the shoes slowly, and opened the door and went out and then closed it lightly. I covered my head, put on my veil and tightened my waist wrapper, and then went out following his steps till he reached Baqi'. He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran. He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O 'A'isha, that you are out of breath? I said: There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? She said: Whatsoever the people conceal, Allah will know it. He said: Gabriel came to me when you saw me. He called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you (for he did not come to you), as you were not fully dressed. I thought that you had gone to sleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you may be frightened. He (Gabriel) said: Your Lord has commanded you to go to the inhabitants of Baqi' (to those lying in the graves) and beg pardon for them. I said: Messenger of Allah, how should I pray for them (How should I beg forgiveness for them)? He said: Say, Peace be upon the inhabitants of this city (graveyard) from among the Believers and the Muslims, and may Allah have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who come later on, and we shall, God willing, join you.  

أَلاَ أُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِّي وَعَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ قَالَتْ لَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَتِيَ الَّتِي كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِيهَا عِنْدِي انْقَلَبَ فَوَضَعَ رِدَاءَهُ وَخَلَعَ نَعْلَيْهِ فَوَضَعَهُمَا عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَبَسَطَ طَرَفَ إِزَارِهِ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَاضْطَجَعَ فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلاَّ رَيْثَمَا ظَنَّ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتُ فَأَخَذَ رِدَاءَهُ رُوَيْدًا وَانْتَعَلَ رُوَيْدًا وَفَتَحَ الْبَابَ فَخَرَجَ ثُمَّ أَجَافَهُ رُوَيْدًا فَجَعَلْتُ دِرْعِي فِي رَأْسِي وَاخْتَمَرْتُ وَتَقَنَّعْتُ إِزَارِي ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْتُ عَلَى إِثْرِهِ حَتَّى جَاءَ الْبَقِيعَ فَقَامَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ انْحَرَفَ فَانْحَرَفْتُ فَأَسْرَعَ فَأَسْرَعْتُ فَهَرْوَلَ فَهَرْوَلْتُ فَأَحْضَرَ فَأَحْضَرْتُ فَسَبَقْتُهُ فَدَخَلْتُ فَلَيْسَ إِلاَّ أَنِ اضْطَجَعْتُ فَدَخَلَ فَقَالَ مَا لَكِ يَا عَائِشُ حَشْيَا رَابِيَةً قَالَتْ قُلْتُ لاَ شَىْءَ قَالَ لَتُخْبِرِينِي أَوْ لَيُخْبِرَنِّي اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ قَالَ فَأَنْتِ السَّوَادُ الَّذِي رَأَيْتُ أَمَامِي قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي ثُمَّ قَالَ أَظَنَنْتِ أَنْ يَحِيفَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكِ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَتْ مَهْمَا يَكْتُمِ النَّاسُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَإِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ أَتَانِي حِينَ رَأَيْتِ فَنَادَانِي فَأَخْفَاهُ مِنْكِ فَأَجَبْتُهُ فَأَخْفَيْتُهُ مِنْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْكِ وَقَدْ وَضَعْتِ ثِيَابَكِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتِ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُوقِظَكِ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَسْتَوْحِشِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَهْلَ الْبَقِيعِ فَتَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ لَهُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ قُولِي السَّلاَمُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَلاَحِقُونَ  

Is there not for you a model pattern in me? And when they narrated this to him (Sa'd b. Hisham), he returned to his wife, though he had divorced her and made (people) witness to his reconciliation. He then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Ibn 'Abbas said: Should I not lead you to one who knows best amongst the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Who is it? He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: It is 'A'isha. So go to her and ask her (about Witr) and then come to me and inform me about her answer that she would give you. So I came to Hakim b. Aflah and requested him to take me to her. He said: I would not go to her, for I forbade her to speak anything (about the conflict) between the two groupS, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went (to participate in that corflict). I (requested) him (Hakim) with an oath to lead me to her. So we went to 'A'isha and we begged permission to meet her. She granted us permission and we went in. She said: Are you Hakim? (She recognised him.) He replied: Yes. She said: Who is there with you? He said: He is Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Which Hisham? He said: He is Hisham b. 'Amir. She blessed him ('Amir) with mercy from Allah and spoke good of him (Qatada said that he died as a martyr in Uhud). I said: Mother of the Faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Don't you read the Qur'an? I said: Yes. Upon this she said: The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an. He said: I felt inclined to get up and not ask anything (further) till death. But then I changed my mind and said: Inform me about the observance (of the night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Did you not recite:" O thou wrapped up"? He said: Yes. She said: Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, made the observance of the night prayer at the beginning of this Surah obligatory. So the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him and his Companions around him observed this (night prayer) for one year. Allah held back the concluding portion of this Surah for twelve months in the Heaven till (at the end of this period) Allah revealed the concluding verses of this Surah which lightened (the burden of this prayer), and the night prayer became a supererogatory prayer after being an obligatory one. I said: Mother of the Faithful, inform me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: I used to prepare tooth stick for him and water for his ablution, and Allah would rouse him to the extent He wished during the night. He would use the tooth stick, and perform ablution, and would offer nine rak'ahs, and would not sit but in the eighth one and would remember Allah, and praise Him and supplicate Him, then he would get up without uttering the salutation and pray the ninth rak'ah. He would then sit, remember, praise Him and supplicate Him and then utter a salutation loud enough for us to hear. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after uttering the salutation, and that made eleven rak'ahs. O my son, but when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew old and put on flesh, he observed Witr of seven, doing in the two rak'ahs as he had done formerly, and that made nine. O my son, and when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ observed prayer, he liked to keep on observing it, and when sleep or pain overpowered him and made it impossible (for him) to observe prayer in the night, he prayed twelve rak'ahs daring the day. I am not aware of Allah's Prophet ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during one single night, or praying through the night till morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan. He (the narrator) said: I then went to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated to him the hadith (transmitted from her), and he said: She says the truth If I went to her and got into her presence, I would have listened to it orally from her. He said: If I were to know that you do not go to her. I would not have transmitted this hadith to you narrated by her.  

أَنْ يَغْزُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَبِيعَ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي السِّلاَحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ وَيُجَاهِدَ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ لَقِيَ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَنَهَوْهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا ذَلِكَ فِي حَيَاةِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَنَهَاهُمْ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ لَكُمْ فِيَّ أُسْوَةٌ فَلَمَّا حَدَّثُوهُ بِذَلِكَ رَاجَعَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَقَدْ كَانَ طَلَّقَهَا وَأَشْهَدَ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا فَأَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ فَأْتِهَا فَاسْأَلْهَا ثُمَّ ائْتِنِي فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا لأَنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهِمَا إِلاَّ مُضِيًّا قَالَ فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا عَلَيْهَا فَأَذِنَتْ لَنَا فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ أَحَكِيمٌ فَعَرَفَتْهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَتْ مَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ خَيْرًا قَالَ قَتَادَةُ وَكَانَ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ وَلاَ أَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَمُوتَ ثُمَّ بَدَا لِي فَقُلْتُ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ} قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلاً وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي السَّمَاءِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ التَّخْفِيفَ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ فَرِيضَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ وَيُصَلِّي تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهَا إِلاَّ فِي الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلاَ يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ ثُمَّ يَقْعُدُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا يُسَلِّمُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَىَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَنَعَ فِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ مِثْلَ صَنِيعِهِ الأَوَّلِ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ يَا بُنَىَّ وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا غَلَبَهُ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلاَ صَلَّى لَيْلَةً إِلَى الصُّبْحِ وَلاَ صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلاً غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسِ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ لَوْ كُنْتُ أَقْرَبُهَا أَوْ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي بِهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لاَ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا مَا حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَهَا  

He met Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about Witr. He said: "Shall I not lead you to one who knows best among the people of the world about the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He said: "Yes." (Ibn Abbas) said: "It is 'Aishah. So go to her and ask her (about witr) and then come back to me and tell me the answer that she gives you." So I went to Hakim bin Aflah and asked him to go accompany me to her. He said: "I shall not go to her, for I told her not to say anything about these two (conflicting) groups, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went on (to participate in the conflict)." I swore an oath, beseeching him (to take me to her). So he came with me and went unto her. She said to Hakim: "Who is this with you?" He said: "He is Sa'd bin Hisham." She said: "Which Hisham?" He said: "Ibn Amir." She supplicated for mercy for him and said: "What a good man Amir was." He said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah." She said: "Don't you read the Qur'an?" I said: "Yes." She said "The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an." He said: "I wanted to get up (and leave), then I thought of the Qiyam (night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "Tell me about the Qiyam of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." She said: "Do you not recite this surah: "O you wrapped in garments?" I said: "Yes." She said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, made Qiyam Al-Lail obligatory at the beginning of this surah, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions prayed Qiyam Al-Lail for one year. Allah (SWT) withheld the latter part of this surah for twelve months, then he revealed the lessening (of this duty) at the end of this surah, so Qiyam Al-Lail became voluntary after it had been obligatory." I felt inclined to stand up (and not ask anything further), then I thought of the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." She said: "We used to prepare his siwak and water for his ablution, and Allah (SWT) would wake him when He wished during the night. He would use the siwak, perform ablution, and then pray eight rak'ahs in which he would not sit until he reached the eighth one. Then he would sit and remember Allah (SWT) and supplicate, then he would say the taslim that we could hear. Then he would pray two rak'as sitting after uttering the taslim, then he would pray one rak'ah, and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son! When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew older and put on weight, he prayed witr with seven rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down after saying the taslim, and that made nine rak'ahs. O my son, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺoffered a prayer, he liked to continue to offer it, and when sleep, sickness, or pain distracted him from praying Qiyam Al-Lail, he would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. I am not aware of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during a single night, or praying through the whole night until morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan." I went to Ibn 'Abbas and told him what she had said, and he said: "She has spoken the truth. If I could go to her (and meet her face to face) I would so that she could tell me all of that verbally."  

أَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكَ بِأَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ ائْتِهَا فَسَلْهَا ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ إِلَىَّ فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا إِنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهَا إِلاَّ مُضِيًّا فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ مَعِي فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ لِحَكِيمٍ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ قُلْتُ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قُلْتُ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرًا قَالَ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَيْسَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْقُرْآنُ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي قِيَامُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَيْسَ تَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ } قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلاً حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ ﷻ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ فَرِيضَةً فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي وِتْرُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ ﷻ لِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ وَيُصَلِّي ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ يَجْلِسُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ ﷻ وَيَدْعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَ مَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَةً فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَىَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَ مَا سَلَّمَ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعُ رَكَعَاتٍ يَا بُنَىَّ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَدُومَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا شَغَلَهُ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ نَوْمٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ اثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلاَ قَامَ لَيْلَةً كَامِلَةً حَتَّى الصَّبَاحِ وَلاَ صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلاً غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ أَمَا أَنِّي لَوْ كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي مُشَافَهَةً قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ كَذَا وَقَعَ فِي كِتَابِي وَلاَ أَدْرِي مِمَّنِ الْخَطَأُ فِي مَوْضِعِ وِتْرِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ  

I divorced my wife. I then came to Medina to sell my land that was there so that I could buy arms and fight in battle. I met a group of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ. They said: Six persons of us intended to do so (i.e. divorce their wives and purchase weapons), but the Prophet ﷺ prohibited them. He said: For you in the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent model. I then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the witr observed by the Prophet ﷺ. He said: I point to you a person who is most familiar with the witr observed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Go to 'Aishah. While going to her I asked Hakim b. Aflah to accompany me. He refused, but I adjured him. He, therefore, went along with me. We sought permission to enter upon 'Aishah. She said: Who is this ? He said: Hakim b. Aflah. She asked: Who is with you ? He replied: Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Hisham son of 'Amir who was killed in the Battle of Uhud. I said: Yes. She said: What a good man 'Amir was! I said: Mother of faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She asked: Do you not recite the Quran ? The character of Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an. I asked: Tell me about his vigil and prayer at night. She replied: Do you not recite: "O thou folded in garments" (73:1). I said: Why not ? When the opening of this Surah was revealed, the Companions stood praying (most of the night) until their fett swelled, and the concluding verses were not revealed for twelve months from heaven. At last the concluding verses were revealed and the prayer at night became voluntary after it was obligatory. I said: Tell me about the witr of the Prophet ﷺ. She replied: He used to pray eight rak'ahs, sitting only during the eighth of them. Then he would stand up and pray another rak'ahs. He would sit only after the eighth and the ninth rak'ahs. He would utter salutation only after the ninth rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son. But when he grew old and became fleshy he observed a witr of seven, sitting only in sixth and seventh rak'ahs, and would utter salutation only after the seventh rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting, and that made nine rak'ahs, O my son. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not pray through a whole night, or recite the whole Qur'an in a night or fast a complete month except in Ramadan. When he offered prayer, he would do that regularly. When he was overtaken by sleep at night, he would pray twelve rak'ahs. The narrator said: I came to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated all this to him. By Allah, this is really a tradition. Has I been on speaking terms with her, I would have come to her and heard it from her mouth. I said: If I knew that you were not on speaking terms with her, I would have never narrated it to you.  

طَلَّقْتُ امْرَأَتِي فَأَتَيْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ لأَبِيعَ عَقَارًا كَانَ لِي بِهَا فَأَشْتَرِيَ بِهِ السِّلاَحَ وَأَغْزُوَ فَلَقِيتُ نَفَرًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالُوا قَدْ أَرَادَ نَفَرٌ مِنَّا سِتَّةٌ أَنْ يَفْعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَنَهَاهُمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَقَالَ لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ وِتْرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَعْلَمِ النَّاسِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأْتِ عَائِشَةَ ؓ فَأَتَيْتُهَا فَاسْتَتْبَعْتُ حَكِيمَ بْنَ أَفْلَحَ فَأَبَى فَنَاشَدْتُهُ فَانْطَلَقَ مَعِي فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَقَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا قَالَ حَكِيمُ بْنُ أَفْلَحَ قَالَتْ وَمَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ هِشَامُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ الَّذِي قُتِلَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرًا قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَدِّثِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ قُلْتُ حَدِّثِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ { يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ } قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ نَزَلَتْ فَقَامَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَحُبِسَ خَاتِمَتُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ نَزَلَ آخِرُهَا فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ فَرِيضَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ حَدِّثِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتْ كَانَ يُوتِرُ بِثَمَانِ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ إِلاَّ فِي الثَّامِنَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَةً أُخْرَى لاَ يَجْلِسُ إِلاَّ فِي الثَّامِنَةِ وَالتَّاسِعَةِ وَلاَ يُسَلِّمُ إِلاَّ فِي التَّاسِعَةِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَىَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعِ رَكَعَاتٍ لَمْ يَجْلِسْ إِلاَّ فِي السَّادِسَةِ وَالسَّابِعَةِ وَلَمْ يُسَلِّمْ إِلاَّ فِي السَّابِعَةِ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فَتِلْكَ هِيَ تِسْعُ رَكَعَاتٍ يَا بُنَىَّ وَلَمْ يَقُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةً يُتِمُّهَا إِلَى الصَّبَاحِ وَلَمْ يَقْرَإِ الْقُرْآنَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ قَطُّ وَلَمْ يَصُمْ شَهْرًا يُتِمُّهُ غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ وَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا غَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ بِنَوْمٍ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ فَقَالَ هَذَا وَاللَّهِ هُوَ الْحَدِيثُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ أُكَلِّمُهَا لأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى أُشَافِهَهَا بِهِ مُشَافَهَةً قَالَ قُلْتُ لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لاَ تُكَلِّمُهَا مَا حَدَّثْتُكَ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us that he said, "Verily, there is an hour on Friday that no Muslim coincides with while he is in prayer, asking Allah for good, except that He will give it to him." He said, "Abu Hurairah then gestured it with his hand, saying, 'When Abu Hurairah was about to pass away, I said, 'By Allah, if I come to Abu Sa'eed and ask him about this hour, to have knowledge of it, and then I come to him and find him straightening his ankles, I will ask him, 'O Abu Sa'eed, what are these ankles that I see you straightening?' He said, 'These are the ankles that Allah has made blessed for us. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ loved them and would specify them, so we would straighten them and bring them to him.' He then saw spittle on the Qibla of the mosque, and there was dark dung in his hand, so he wiped it and said, 'When one of you is in prayer, let him not spit in front of him, for his Lord is in front of him. Let him spit to his left or beneath his foot. If he does not find a place for spittle, then it is in his garment or in his shoes.' He said, 'Then the sky rained from that night, and when the Prophet ﷺ went out to the last of the 'Isha prayers, there was a flash of lightning, so he saw Qatadah bin Nu'man and said, 'What is this, O Qatadah?' Qatadah replied, 'I knew, O Messenger of Allah, that there are few who attend the prayer, so I desired to attend it.' He said, 'So when you pray, remain steady until I come to you.' So when the Prophet ﷺ finished, he gave him the dung, saying, 'Take this, it will illuminate your path ten steps ahead of you and ten steps behind you. So when you enter your home and see a black spot in a corner of your house, strike it before it speaks, for it is a devil.' He said, 'So he did so. We love these ankles for that reason.' I said, 'O Abu Sa'eed, Abu Hurairah narrated to us about the hour on Friday. Do you have any knowledge of it?' He said, 'I asked the Prophet ﷺ about it and he said, 'I had knowledge of it, then I forgot it, just as I forgot the Night of Decree.' He said, 'Then I left from him and entered upon Abdullah bin Salam.'"  

يُحَدِّثُنَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ إِنَّ فِي الْجُمُعَةِ سَاعَةً لَا يُوَافِقُهَا مُسْلِمٌ وَهُوَ فِي صَلَاةٍ يَسْأَلُ اللهَ خَيْرًا إِلَّا آتَاهُ إِيَّاهُ قَالَ وَقَلَّلَهَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ بِيَدِهِ قَالَ فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ قُلْتُ وَاللهِ لَوْ جِئْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ أَنْ يَكُونَ عِنْدَهُ مِنْهَا عِلْمٌ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَأَجِدُهُ يُقَوِّمُ عَرَاجِينَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ مَا هَذِهِ الْعَرَاجِينُ الَّتِي أَرَاكَ تُقَوِّمُ؟ قَالَ هَذِهِ عَرَاجِينُ جَعَلَ اللهُ لَنَا فِيهَا بَرَكَةً كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّهَا وَيَتَخَصَّرُ بِهَا فَكُنَّا نُقَوِّمُهَا وَنَأْتِيهِ بِهَا فَرَأَى بُصَاقًا فِي قِبْلَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَفِي يَدِهِ عُرْجُونٌ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْعَرَاجِينِ فَحَكَّهُ وَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلَا يَبْصُقْأَمَامَهُ فَإِنَّ رَبَّهُ أَمَامَهُ وَلْيَبْصُقْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ أَوْ تَحْتَ قَدَمِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ قَالَ سُرَيْجٌ لَمْ يَجِدْ مَبْصَقًا فَفِي ثَوْبِهِ أَوْ نَعْلِهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ هَاجَتِ السَّمَاءُ مِنْ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لِصَلَاةِ الْعِشَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ بَرَقَتْ بَرْقَةٌ فَرَأَى قَتَادَةَ بْنَ النُّعْمَانِ فَقَالَ مَا السُّرَى يَا قَتَادَةُ؟ قَالَ عَلِمْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَّ شَاهِدَ الصَّلَاةِ قَلِيلٌ فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَشْهَدَهَا قَالَ فَإِذَا صَلَّيْتَ فَاثْبُتْ حَتَّى أَمُرَّ بِكَ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ أَعْطَاهُ الْعُرْجُونَ وَقَالَ خُذْ هَذَا فَسَيُضِيءُ لك أَمَامَكَ عَشْرًا وَخَلْفَكَ عَشْرًا فَإِذَا دَخَلْتَ الْبَيْتَ وَتَرَاءَيْتَ سَوَادًا فِي زَاوِيَةِ الْبَيْتِ فَاضْرِبْهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ فَإِنَّهُ شَيْطَانٌ قَالَ فَفَعَلَ فَنَحْنُ نُحِبُّ هَذِهِ الْعَرَاجِينَ لِذَلِكَقَالَ قُلْتُ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ إِنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ حَدَّثَنَا عَنِ السَّاعَةِ الَّتِي فِي الْجُمُعَةِ فَهَلْ عِنْدَكَ مِنْهَا عِلْمٌ؟ فَقَالَ سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ قَدْ أُعْلِمْتُهَا ثُمَّ أُنْسِيتُهَا كَمَا أُنْسِيتُ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ قَالَ ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ  

He met Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about Witr. He said: "Shall I not lead you to one who knows best among the people of the world about the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He said: "Yes." (Ibn Abbas) said: "It is 'Aishah. So go to her and ask her (about witr) and then come back to me and tell me the answer that she gives you." So I went to Hakim bin Aflah and asked him to go accompany me to her. He said: "I shall not go to her, for I told her not to say anything about these two (conflicting) groups, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went on (to participate in the conflict)." I swore an oath, beseeching him (to take me to her). So he came with me and went unto her. She said to Hakim: "Who is this with you?" He said: "He is Sa'd bin Hisham." She said: "Which Hisham?" He said: "Ibn Amir." She supplicated for mercy for him and said: "What a good man Amir was." He said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah." She said: "Don't you read the Qur'an?" I said: "Yes." She said "The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an." He said: "I wanted to get up (and leave), then I thought of the Qiyam (night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "Tell me about the Qiyam of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." She said: "Do you not recite this surah: "O you wrapped in garments?" I said: "Yes." She said: "Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, made Qiyam Al-Lail obligatory at the beginning of this surah, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions prayed Qiyam Al-Lail for one year. Allah (SWT) withheld the latter part of this surah for twelve months, then he revealed the lessening (of this duty) at the end of this surah, so Qiyam Al-Lail became voluntary after it had been obligatory." I felt inclined to stand up (and not ask anything further), then I thought of the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said: "O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." She said: "We used to prepare his siwak and water for his ablution, and Allah (SWT) would wake him when He wished during the night. He would use the siwak, perform ablution, and then pray eight rak'ahs in which he would not sit until he reached the eighth one. Then he would sit and remember Allah (SWT) and supplicate, then he would say the taslim that we could hear. Then he would pray two rak'as sitting after uttering the taslim, then he would pray one rak'ah, and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son! When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew older and put on weight, he prayed witr with seven rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs sitting down after saying the taslim, and that made nine rak'ahs. O my son, when the Messenger of Allah ﷺoffered a prayer, he liked to continue to offer it, and when sleep, sickness, or pain distracted him from praying Qiyam Al-Lail, he would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. I am not aware of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during a single night, or praying through the whole night until morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan." I went to Ibn 'Abbas and told him what she had said, and he said: "She has spoken the truth. If I could go to her (and meet her face to face) I would so that she could tell me all of that verbally." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1601)   

أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِيَبِيعَ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا وَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ ثُمَّ يُجَاهِدَ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَلَقِيَ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَحَدَّثُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا ذَلِكَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ لَكُمْ فِيَّ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ؟ فَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا فَأَخْبَرَنَا أَنَّهُ أَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْوَتْرِ؟ فَقَالَ أَلَا أُنَبِّئُكَ بِأَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِوَتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ ائْتِ عَائِشَةَ فَاسْأَلْهَا؟ ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ إِلَيَّ فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا إِنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهِمَا إِلَّا مُضِيًّا فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ مَعِي فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ حَكِيمٌ؟ وَعَرَفَتْهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَوْ بَلَى قَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ؟ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ؟ قَالَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍقَالَ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرٌ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَثُمَّ بَدَا لِي قِيَامُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلًا حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ ﷻ خَاتِمَتَهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ تَطَوُّعًا مِنْ بَعْدِ فَرِيضَتِهِ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَثُمَّ بَدَا لِي وَتْرُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وَتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ ﷻ لِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ ثُمَّ يَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي ثَمَانِي رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلَّا عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَجْلِسُ وَيَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ ﷻ وَيَدْعُو وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ فَيَقْعُدُ فَيَحْمَدُ رَبَّهُ وَيَذْكُرُهُ وَيَدْعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَيَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأُخِذَ اللَّحْمُأَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ يَا بُنَيَّ وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَاةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا شَغَلَهُ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلَا أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلَا قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ وَلَا صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلًا غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقْتَ أَمَا لَوْ كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لَأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي مُشَافَهَةً  

I divorced my wife. I then came to Medina to sell my land that was there so that I could buy arms and fight in battle. I met a group of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ. They said: Six persons of us intended to do so (i.e. divorce their wives and purchase weapons), but the Prophet ﷺ prohibited them. He said: For you in the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent model. I then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the witr observed by the Prophet ﷺ. He said: I point to you a person who is most familiar with the witr observed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Go to 'Aishah. While going to her I asked Hakim b. Aflah to accompany me. He refused, but I adjured him. He, therefore, went along with me. We sought permission to enter upon 'Aishah. She said: Who is this ? He said: Hakim b. Aflah. She asked: Who is with you ? He replied: Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Hisham son of 'Amir who was killed in the Battle of Uhud. I said: Yes. She said: What a good man 'Amir was! I said: Mother of faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She asked: Do you not recite the Quran ? The character of Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an. I asked: Tell me about his vigil and prayer at night. She replied: Do you not recite: "O thou folded in garments" (73:1). I said: Why not ? When the opening of this Surah was revealed, the Companions stood praying (most of the night) until their fett swelled, and the concluding verses were not revealed for twelve months from heaven. At last the concluding verses were revealed and the prayer at night became voluntary after it was obligatory. I said: Tell me about the witr of the Prophet ﷺ. She replied: He used to pray eight rak'ahs, sitting only during the eighth of them. Then he would stand up and pray another rak'ahs. He would sit only after the eighth and the ninth rak'ahs. He would utter salutation only after the ninth rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting and that made eleven rak'ahs, O my son. But when he grew old and became fleshy he observed a witr of seven, sitting only in sixth and seventh rak'ahs, and would utter salutation only after the seventh rak'ah. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting, and that made nine rak'ahs, O my son. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not pray through a whole night, or recite the whole Qur'an in a night or fast a complete month except in Ramadan. When he offered prayer, he would do that regularly. When he was overtaken by sleep at night, he would pray twelve rak'ahs. The narrator said: I came to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated all this to him. By Allah, this is really a tradition. Has I been on speaking terms with her, I would have come to her and heard it from her mouth. I said: If I knew that you were not on speaking terms with her, I would have never narrated it to you. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1342)   

أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَأَتَى الْمَدِينَةَ لِبَيْعِ عَقَارِهِ فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ فَلَقِيَ رَهْطًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالُوا أَرَادَ ذَلِكَ سِتَّةٌ مِنَّا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَنَعَهُمْ وَقَالَ «أَمَا لَكُمْ فِيَّ أُسْوَةٌ؟» ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ قَدِمَ الْبَصْرَةَ فَحَدَّثَنَا أَنَّهُ لَقِيَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ فَقَالَ أَلَا أُحَدِّثُكَ بِأَعْلَمِ النَّاسِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ أُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَائِشَةُ فَأْتِهَا فَاسْأَلْهَا ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ إِلَيَّ فَحَدِّثْنِي بِمَا تُحَدِّثُكَ فَأَتَيْتُ حَكِيمَ بْنَ أَفْلَحَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ انْطَلِقْ مَعِي إِلَى أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَائِشَةَ قَالَ إِنِّي لَا آتِيهَا إِنِّي نَهَيْتُ عَنْ هَذِهِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ فَأَبَتْ إِلَّا مُضِيًّا قُلْتُ أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ لَمَا انْطَلَقْتَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا فَسَلَّمْنَا فَعَرَفَتْ صَوْتَ حَكِيمٍ فَقَالَتْ «مَنْ هَذَا؟» قُلْتُ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ «مَنْ هِشَامٌ؟» قُلْتُ هِشَامُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ قَالَتْ «نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ قُتِلَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ» قُلْتُ أَخْبِرِينَا عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ «أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟» قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ «فَإِنَّهُ خُلُقُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ» فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ وَلَا أَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا عَنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أَلْحَقَ بِاللَّهِ فَعَرَضَ لِي الْقِيَامُ فَقُلْتُ أَخْبِرِينَا عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ «فَإِنَّهَا كَانَتْ قِيَامَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أُنْزِلَ أَوَّلُ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَحُبِسَ آخِرُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ أُنْزِلَ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ فَرِيضَةً» فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ وَلَا أَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا عَنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى أَلْحَقَ بِاللَّهِ فَعَرَضَ لِي الْوِتْرُ فَقُلْتُ أَخْبِرِينَا عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ «كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا نَامَ وَضَعَ سِوَاكَهُ عِنْدِي فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ لِمَا يَشَاءُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ فَيُصَلِّي تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ إِلَّا فِي الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ حَتَّى يَجْلِسَ فِي التَّاسِعَةِ فَيَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ وَيُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمَةً يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً» يَا بُنَيَّ «فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ وَحَمَلَ اللَّحْمَ صَلَّى سَبْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ إِلَّا فِي السَّادِسَةِ فَيَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ فِي السَّابِعَةِ فَيَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمَةً ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ» يَا بُنَيَّ «وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا غَلَبَهُ نَوْمٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا أَخَذَ خُلُقًا أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا قَامَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ وَلَا قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلَا صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلًا غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ» فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ فَقَالَ «صَدَقَتْكَ أَمَا إِنِّي لَوْ كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لَشَافَهْتُهَا مُشَافَهَةً» قَالَ فَقُلْتُ أَمَا إِنِّي لَوْ شَعَرْتُ أَنَّكَ لَا تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا مَا حَدَّثْتُكَ  

Is there not for you a model pattern in me? And when they narrated this to him (Sa'd b. Hisham), he returned to his wife, though he had divorced her and made (people) witness to his reconciliation. He then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Ibn 'Abbas said: Should I not lead you to one who knows best amongst the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Who is it? He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: It is 'A'isha. So go to her and ask her (about Witr) and then come to me and inform me about her answer that she would give you. So I came to Hakim b. Aflah and requested him to take me to her. He said: I would not go to her, for I forbade her to speak anything (about the conflict) between the two groupS, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went (to participate in that corflict). I (requested) him (Hakim) with an oath to lead me to her. So we went to 'A'isha and we begged permission to meet her. She granted us permission and we went in. She said: Are you Hakim? (She recognised him.) He replied: Yes. She said: Who is there with you? He said: He is Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Which Hisham? He said: He is Hisham b. 'Amir. She blessed him ('Amir) with mercy from Allah and spoke good of him (Qatada said that he died as a martyr in Uhud). I said: Mother of the Faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Don't you read the Qur'an? I said: Yes. Upon this she said: The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an. He said: I felt inclined to get up and not ask anything (further) till death. But then I changed my mind and said: Inform me about the observance (of the night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Did you not recite:" O thou wrapped up"? He said: Yes. She said: Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, made the observance of the night prayer at the beginning of this Surah obligatory. So the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him and his Companions around him observed this (night prayer) for one year. Allah held back the concluding portion of this Surah for twelve months in the Heaven till (at the end of this period) Allah revealed the concluding verses of this Surah which lightened (the burden of this prayer), and the night prayer became a supererogatory prayer after being an obligatory one. I said: Mother of the Faithful, inform me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: I used to prepare tooth stick for him and water for his ablution, and Allah would rouse him to the extent He wished during the night. He would use the tooth stick, and perform ablution, and would offer nine rak'ahs, and would not sit but in the eighth one and would remember Allah, and praise Him and supplicate Him, then he would get up without uttering the salutation and pray the ninth rak'ah. He would then sit, remember, praise Him and supplicate Him and then utter a salutation loud enough for us to hear. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after uttering the salutation, and that made eleven rak'ahs. O my son, but when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew old and put on flesh, he observed Witr of seven, doing in the two rak'ahs as he had done formerly, and that made nine. O my son, and when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ observed prayer, he liked to keep on observing it, and when sleep or pain overpowered him and made it impossible (for him) to observe prayer in the night, he prayed twelve rak'ahs daring the day. I am not aware of Allah's Prophet ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during one single night, or praying through the night till morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan. He (the narrator) said: I then went to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated to him the hadith (transmitted from her), and he said: She says the truth If I went to her and got into her presence, I would have listened to it orally from her. He said: If I were to know that you do not go to her. I would not have transmitted this hadith to you narrated by her. (Using translation from Muslim 746a)   

أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ مَنْ؟ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ ؓ فَأْتِهَا فَسَلْهَا ثُمَّ أَعْلِمْنِي مَا تَرُدُّ عَلَيْكَ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَصْحَبْتُهُ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا فَدَخَلْنَا فَقَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالَ حَكِيمُ بْنُ أَفْلَحَ فَقَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ؟ قُلْتُ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ وَمَنْ هِشَامٌ؟ قُلْتُ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ قَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرٌ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي فَقُلْتُ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ؟ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى افْتَرَضَ الْقِيَامَ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلًا حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ فَرِيضَةٍ قَالَ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي وِتْرُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلَّا عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ وَيُصَلِّي عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ فَيَقْعُدُ ثُمَّ يَحْمَدُ رَبَّهُ وَيُصَلِّي عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ وَيَدَعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمَةً يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنِيَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ يَا بُنِيَّ وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَاةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا غَلَبَهُ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلَا أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلَا قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى الصَّبَّاحِ وَلَا صَامَ شَهْرًا قَطُّ كَامِلًا غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقْتَ وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ أَمْرِ سَعْدٍ قَالَ ابْنُ بِشْرٍ يَعْنِي أَوَّلُ أَمْرِهِ أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَةً ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ يَبِيعُ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا وَيَجْعَلُهُ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ ثُمَّ يُجَاهِدُ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَبَلَغَ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْهُمْ سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا وَذَلِكَ فِي حَيَاةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَفَّانَ وَرَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ  

Is there not for you a model pattern in me? And when they narrated this to him (Sa'd b. Hisham), he returned to his wife, though he had divorced her and made (people) witness to his reconciliation. He then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Ibn 'Abbas said: Should I not lead you to one who knows best amongst the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: Who is it? He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: It is 'A'isha. So go to her and ask her (about Witr) and then come to me and inform me about her answer that she would give you. So I came to Hakim b. Aflah and requested him to take me to her. He said: I would not go to her, for I forbade her to speak anything (about the conflict) between the two groupS, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went (to participate in that corflict). I (requested) him (Hakim) with an oath to lead me to her. So we went to 'A'isha and we begged permission to meet her. She granted us permission and we went in. She said: Are you Hakim? (She recognised him.) He replied: Yes. She said: Who is there with you? He said: He is Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Which Hisham? He said: He is Hisham b. 'Amir. She blessed him ('Amir) with mercy from Allah and spoke good of him (Qatada said that he died as a martyr in Uhud). I said: Mother of the Faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Don't you read the Qur'an? I said: Yes. Upon this she said: The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Qur'an. He said: I felt inclined to get up and not ask anything (further) till death. But then I changed my mind and said: Inform me about the observance (of the night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: Did you not recite:" O thou wrapped up"? He said: Yes. She said: Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, made the observance of the night prayer at the beginning of this Surah obligatory. So the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him and his Companions around him observed this (night prayer) for one year. Allah held back the concluding portion of this Surah for twelve months in the Heaven till (at the end of this period) Allah revealed the concluding verses of this Surah which lightened (the burden of this prayer), and the night prayer became a supererogatory prayer after being an obligatory one. I said: Mother of the Faithful, inform me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said: I used to prepare tooth stick for him and water for his ablution, and Allah would rouse him to the extent He wished during the night. He would use the tooth stick, and perform ablution, and would offer nine rak'ahs, and would not sit but in the eighth one and would remember Allah, and praise Him and supplicate Him, then he would get up without uttering the salutation and pray the ninth rak'ah. He would then sit, remember, praise Him and supplicate Him and then utter a salutation loud enough for us to hear. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after uttering the salutation, and that made eleven rak'ahs. O my son, but when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew old and put on flesh, he observed Witr of seven, doing in the two rak'ahs as he had done formerly, and that made nine. O my son, and when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ observed prayer, he liked to keep on observing it, and when sleep or pain overpowered him and made it impossible (for him) to observe prayer in the night, he prayed twelve rak'ahs daring the day. I am not aware of Allah's Prophet ﷺ having recited the whole Qur'an during one single night, or praying through the night till morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan. He (the narrator) said: I then went to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated to him the hadith (transmitted from her), and he said: She says the truth If I went to her and got into her presence, I would have listened to it orally from her. He said: If I were to know that you do not go to her. I would not have transmitted this hadith to you narrated by her. (Using translation from Muslim 746a)   

أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِيَبِيعَ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا وَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي السِّلَاحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ ثُمَّ يُجَاهِدُ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَلَقِيَ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَحَدَّثُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا ذَلِكَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ فِيكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ؟ فَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا فَأَخْبَرَنَا أَنَّهُ أَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ فَقَالَ أَلَا أُنَبِّئُكَ بِأَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ إِيتِ عَائِشَةَ فَسَلْهَا ثُمَّ ارْجِعْ إِلَيَّ فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ حَكِيمَ بْنَ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا إِنِّي نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الْبَيْعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهِمَا إِلَّا مُضِيًّا فَأَقْسَمْتُ فَجَاءَ مَعِي فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَتْ حَكِيمٌ؟ وَعَرَفَتْهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَوْ بَلَى قَالَتْ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ؟ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ قَالَتْ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ؟ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ فَبَدَا لِي قِيَامُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ؟ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِي أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلًا حَتَّى انْتَفَخَتْ أَقْدَامُهُمْ وَأَمْسَكَ اللهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ التَّخْفِيفَ فِي آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا مِنْ بَعْدِ فَرِيضَةٍ فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ ثُمَّ بَدَا لِي وِتْرُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نَعُدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ بِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ ثُمَّ يَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي ثَمَانِ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلَّا عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَجْلِسُ وَيُذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ ﷻ وَيَدْعُو وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلَا يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ فَيَقْعُدُ فَيَحْمَدُ رَبَّهُ وَيَذْكُرُهُ وَيَدْعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَيَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ بَعْدَمَا يُسَلِّمُ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ يَا بُنَيَّ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَاةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَدُومَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا شَغَلَهُ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلَا أَعْلَمُ نَبِيَّ اللهِ ﷺ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ وَلَا قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ وَمَا صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلًا غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ أَمَا لَوْ كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لَأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِي مُشَافَهَةً  

[Machine] I was sent by Ibn Ayyash bin Abi Rabia to Umar bin Abdul Aziz for his needs. I entered upon him and there was a scribe with him who was writing. I greeted him and he replied with greetings. Then, I said, "Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful, and the mercy of Allah." He said, "O son of Ziyad, we do not deny the first thing you said." The scribe was reading to him the grievances that came from Basra. Then, he told me to sit, so I sat on a step near the door while he listened to the scribe reading. Umar was sighing heavily. When he finished, he dismissed everyone in the room until only I and him were present. He sat in front of me and placed his hands on my knees. Then, he said, "O son of Abi Ziyad, have you worn this armor?" I said, "Yes, I have a padded armor made of wool and I have rested from what we were in." Then, he asked me about the righteous men and women of Madinah, and he asked me about the matters he had commanded them in Madinah, and I informed him. Then, he said, "O son of Abi Ziyad, don't you see what has happened to me?" I said, "Rejoice, O Commander of the Faithful, for I hope good for you." He said, "Never, never." Then, he cried until I also mourned for him. I said, "O Commander of the Faithful, some of your actions are praiseworthy, for I hope good for you." He said, "Never, never. I neither insult nor am I insulted, I neither strike nor am I struck, I neither harm nor am I harmed." He said, and then he cried until I also mourned for him. So, I stayed until he fulfilled my needs, and he wrote to my master asking him to sell me, but he refused and then freed me.  

أَرْسَلَنِي ابْنُ عَيَّاشِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ فِي حَوَائِجَ لَهُ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَعِنْدَهُ كَاتِبٌ يَكْتُبُ فَقُلْتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَقَالَ وَعَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامُ ثُمَّ انْتَهَيْتُ فَقُلْتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ زِيَادٍ إِنَّا لَسْنَا نُنْكِرُ الْأُولَى الَّتِي قُلْتَ وَالْكَاتِبُ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِ مَظَالِمَ جَاءَتْ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ فَقَالَ لِي اجْلِسْ فَجَلَسْتُ عَلَى أُسْكُفَّةِ الْبَابِ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِ وَعُمَرُ يَتَنَفَّسُ الصَّعْدَاءَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَخْرَجَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي الْبَيْتِ حَتَّى وَصِيفًا كَانَ فِيهِ ثُمَّ قَامَ يَمْشِي إِلَيَّ حَتَّى جَلَسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ وَوَضَعَ يَدَيْهِ عَلَى رُكْبَتِي ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أَبِي زِيَادٍ اسْتَدْفَأْتَ فِي مِدْرَعَتِكَ هَذِهِ؟ ‍‍ قَالَ وَعَليَّ مِدْرَعَةٌ مِنْ صُوفٍ وَاسْتَرَحْتَ مِمَّا نَحْنُ فِيهِ؟ ثُمَّ سَأَلَنِي عَنْ صُلَحَاءِ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ رِجَالِهِمْ وَنِسَائِهِمْ فَمَا تَرَكَ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا إِلَّا سَأَلَنِي عَنْهُ وَسَأَلَنِي عَنْ أُمُورٍ كَانَ أَمَرَ بِهَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أَبِي زِيَادٍ أَمَا تَرَى مَا وَقَعْتُ فِيهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَبْشِرْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو لَكَ خَيْرًا قَالَ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ ثُمَّ بَكَى حَتَّى جَعَلْتُ أَرْثِي لَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بَعْضُ مَا تَصْنَعُ فَإِنِّي أَرْجُو لَكَ خَيْرًا قَالَ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ أَشْتِمُ وَلَا أُشْتَمُ وَأَضْرِبُ وَلَا أُضْرَبُ وَأُوذِي وَلَا أُوذَى قَالَ ثُمَّ بَكَى حَتَّى جَعَلْتُ أَرْثِي لَهُ فَأَقَمْتُ حَتَّى قَضَى حَوَائِجِي وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مَوْلَايَ يَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يَبِيعَنِي مِنْهُ ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَ مِنْ تَحْتِ فِرَاشِهِ عِشْرِينَ دِينَارًا فَقَالَ: اسْتَعِنْ بِهَذِهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ لَكَ فِي الْفَيْءِ حَقٌّ أَعْطَيْنَاكَ إِنَّمَا عَبْدٌ، فَأَبَيْتُ أَنْ آخُذَهَا فَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا هِيَ مِنْ نَفَقَتِي فَلَمْ يَزَلْ بِي حَتَّى أَخَذْتُهَا وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مَوْلَايَ يَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يَبِيعَنِي مِنْهُ فَأَبَى وَأَعْتَقَنِي  

that Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī entered upon ʿĀʾishah then ʿĀʾishah said to him: O Abū Saʿīd, tell me something you heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I shall then tell you what I saw him do. Abū Saʿīd said: ˹Once˺ when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to ˹offer˺ the Subḥ Ṣalāh (the ritual prayer at dawn), he said: "O Allah fill my hearing with nūr (illumination), and my sight with nūr, and before me nūr, and behind me nūr, and on the right of me nūr, and on the left of me nūr, and above me nūr, and below me nūr, and magnify my nūr through Your Mercy." Then they both agreed.

ʿĀʾishah said: ˹Once˺ the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon me then he took of his two garments but then he did not finish since he stood up and wore them ˹again.˺ Then a strong sense of jealousy struck me where I assumed that he is going to go to some of my co-wives. So I left following him and found him at the Baqīʿ, Baqīʿ al-Gharqad (name of a graveyard), seeking forgiveness for the believing men and women, and the martyrs. Then I said: By my father and mother, you are in need of your Lord and I am in need of this world. Then I left and entered my apartment and I out was out of breath.

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ caught up with me and said, "What this ˹heavy˺ breathing, O ʿĀʾishah?" I said: By my father and mother, you came to me and took of your two garments then you didn't finish since you stood up and wore them ˹again.˺ and then a strong sense of jealousy struck me and I assumed that you will go to one of my co-wives, and ˹I felt this way˺ until I saw you at Baqīʿ doing what you were doing.

He said, "O ʿĀʾishah, were you afraid that you that Allah and His Messenger would wrong you? As a matter of fact, Jibrīl (Gabriel), may peace be upon him, came to me and said that tonight is the night of the middle of ˹the month of˺ Shaʿbān. ˹This night˺ there are those who are freed from the Hellfire as many as the number of hairs on the sheep of the ˹tribe of˺ Banū Kalb . ˹However,˺ Allah does not look at (1) the one who associate partners with Him, nor at (2) a hateful person, nor at (3) the one who severs ties of kinship, nor at (4) an ˹ostentatious˺ person with long clothing, nor at (5) the one who disowns his parents, nor at (6) the one who is addicted to alcohol."

He (the narrator) said: Then he took off his two garments and said to me, "O ʿĀʾishah, do you allow me to stand up tonight ˹for the night Ṣalāh˺?" I said: Yes, by my father and mother. The he stood ˹the night˺ and did sajdah (prostrated) for a very long time until I thought that he has passed away. So I touched him and put my hands on the bottom of his feet and then he moved and I was happy.

I heard him say during his sajdah: "I seek refuge through Your Grace from Your punishment, and I seek refuge through Your Pleasure from Your Displeasure, and I seek refuge through You from ˹Your wrath˺, Mighty and Sublime is Your Essence, I cannot enumerate Your Praises as You have assigned Praised for Yourself."

Then when it was morning, I mentioned these ˹phrases˺ to him then he said, "O ʿĀʾishah, did you learn them?" I said: Yes. Then he said, "Learn them and teach them, for Jibrīl, may peace be upon him, taught these to me and ordered me that I repeat them in my sajdahs.  

أنَّ أبا سَعِيدٍ الخُدْرِيَّ دَخَلَ عَلى عائِشَةَ، فَقالَتْ لَهُ عائِشَةُ: يا أبا سَعِيدٍ حَدِّثْنِي بِشَيْءٍ سَمِعْتَهُ مِن رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ، وأُحَدِّثُكَ بِما رَأيْتُهُ يَصْنَعُ، قالَ أبُو سَعِيدٍ: كانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إذا خَرَجَ إلى صَلاةِ الصُّبْحِ، قالَ: «اللهُمَّ امْلَأْ سَمْعِي نُورًا، وبَصَرِي نُورًا، ومِن بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ نُورًا، ومِن خَلْفِي نُورًا، وعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا، وعَنْ شِمالِي نُورًا، ومِن فَوْقِي نُورًا، ومِن تَحْتِي نُورًا، وعَظِّمْ لِيَ النُّورَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ». وفِي رِوايَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ: «وأعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا» ثُمَّ اتَّفَقا۔

قالَتْ عائِشَةُ: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَوَضَعَ عَنْهُ ثَوْبَيْهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَسْتَتِمَّ أنْ قامَ فَلَبِسَهُما۔ فَأخَذَتْنِي غَيْرَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ ظَنَنْتُ أنَّهُ يَأْتِي بَعْضَ صُوَيْحِباتِي۔ فَخَرَجْتُ أتْبَعَهُ فَأدْرَكْتُهُ بِالبَقِيعِ بَقِيعِ الغَرْقَدِ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ والمُؤْمِناتِ والشُّهَداءِ، فَقُلْتُ: بِأبِي وأُمِّي أنْتَ فِي حاجَةِ رَبِّكَ، وأنا فِي حاجَةِ الدُّنْيا فانْصَرَفْتُ، فَدَخَلْتُ حُجْرَتِي ولِي نَفَسٌ عالٍ۔

ولَحِقَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ، فَقالَ: «ما هَذا النَّفَسُ يا عائِشَةُ؟»، فَقُلْتُ: بِأبِي وأُمِّي أتَيْتَنِي فَوَضَعْتَ عَنْكَ ثَوْبَيْكَ ثُمَّ لَمْ تَسْتَتِمَّ أنْ قُمْتَ فَلَبِسْتَهُما فَأخَذَتْنِي غَيْرَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ، ظَنَنْتُ أنَّكَ تَأْتِي بَعْضَ صُوَيْحِباتِي حَتّى رَأيْتُكَ بِالبَقِيعِ تَصْنَعُ ما تَصْنَعُ۔

قالَ: «يا عائِشَةُ أكُنْتِ تَخافِينَ أنْ يَحِيفَ اللهُ عَلَيْكِ ورَسُولُهُ، بَلْ أتانِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، فَقالَ: هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ لَيْلَةُ النِّصْفِ مِن شَعْبانَ ولِلَّهِ فِيها عُتَقاءُ مِنَ النّارِ بِعَدَدِ شُعُورِ غَنَمِ كَلْبٍ، لا يَنْظُرُ اللهُ فِيها (١) إلى مُشْرِكٍ، (٢) ولا إلى مُشاحِنٍ، (٣) ولا إلى قاطِعِ رَحِمٍ، (٤) ولا إلى مُسْبِلٍ، (٥) ولا إلى عاقٍّ لِوالِدَيْهِ، (٦) ولا إلى مُدْمِنِ خَمْرٍ»

قالَ: ثُمَّ وضْعَ عَنْهُ ثَوْبَيْهِ، فَقالَ لِي: «يا عائِشَةُ تَأْذَنِينَ لِي فِي قِيامِ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ؟»، فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ بِأبِي وأُمِّي، فَقامَ فَسَجَدَ لَيْلًا طَوِيلًا حَتّى ظَنَنْتُ أنَّهُ قُبِضَ فَقُمْتُ ألْتَمِسْهُ، ووَضَعْتُ يَدِي عَلى باطِنِ قَدَمَيْهِ فَتَحَرَّكَ فَفَرِحْتُ۔

وسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ: «أعُوذُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِن عِقابِكَ، وأعُوذُ بِرِضاكَ مِن سَخَطِكَ، وأعُوذُ بِكَ مِنكَ، جَلَّ وجْهُكَ، لا أُحْصِي ثَناءً عَلَيْكَ أنْتَ كَما أثْنَيْتَ عَلى نَفْسِكَ»

فَلَمّا أصْبَحَ ذَكَرْتُهُنَّ لَهُ فَقالَ: «يا عائِشَةُ تَعَلَّمْتِهُنَّ؟»، فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، فَقالَ: «تَعَلَّمِيهِنَّ وعَلِّمِيهِنَّ، فَإنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَلَّمَنِيهِنَّ وأمَرَنِي أنْ أُرَدِّدَهُنَّ فِي السُّجُودِ»،