Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 5, Hadith 115
The client of Ibn ‘Abbas said that he asked him: How would the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray during the night ? He replied: I spent a night with him when he was with Maimunah. He slept and awoke when half the night or one-third of it had passed. He stood up and went to a leather bad containing water. He performed ablution and I also performed ablution with him. He then stood up and I also stood at his left side. He made me stand at his right side. He then put his hand upon my head, as he was touching my ear and awakening me. He then prayed two light rak’ahs and recited Surah al-Fatihah in each of them, and uttered the salutation. He then prayed eleven rak’ahs observing the witr and slept. Then Bilal came to him and said: Prayer, Messenger of Allah. He got up and prayed two rak’ahs, and then led the people in the prayer.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ جَدِّي، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، أَنَّ كُرَيْبًا، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، قَالَ : سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِاللَّيْلِ قَالَ : بِتُّ عِنْدَهُ لَيْلَةً وَهُوَ عِنْدَ مَيْمُونَةَ، فَنَامَ حَتَّى إِذَا ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفُهُ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَقَامَ إِلَى شَنٍّ فِيهِ مَاءٌ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَتَوَضَّأْتُ مَعَهُ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ عَلَى يَسَارِهِ فَجَعَلَنِي عَلَى يَمِينِهِ، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِي كَأَنَّهُ يَمَسُّ أُذُنِي كَأَنَّهُ يُوقِظُنِي فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ، قُلْتُ : فَقَرَأَ فِيهِمَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَةٍ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى حَتَّى صَلَّى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً بِالْوِتْرِ، ثُمَّ نَامَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلاَلٌ فَقَالَ : الصَّلاَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . فَقَامَ فَرَكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ .
Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 5, Hadith 115
The above hadith is from the Sunan Abi Dawud collection of hadiths. Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud al-Sijistani, Sunan Abi Dawud is revered for its extensive and practical coverage of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). Its structure is deliberately thematic, with the over 4,800 hadiths sorted into dedicated books addressing specific areas of daily life and worship. This includes detailed chapters on ritual purity (tahara), prayer (salah), alms-giving (zakat), pilgrimage (hajj), marriage (nikah), and commercial law. This logical organization has made it an indispensable primary source for scholars, jurists, and students seeking the Prophetic precedents that form the basis of Islamic law and ethical conduct.
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For more Hadith in Book 5: Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Voluntary Prayers