Sunan al-Nasa'i — The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer

A man came to him and said: “Last night I recited Al-Mufassal in one rak’ah.” He said: “That is like reciting poetry. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite similar surahs, twenty surahs from Al-Mufassal, those that start with Ha-Mim.”

“I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the Conquest (of Makkah). He prayed in front of the Ka’bah. He took off his shoes and placed them to his left, and he started to recite Surat Al-Mu’minun. When he reached the passage that mentions Musa and ‘Eisa, peace be upon them both, he started coughing, then he bowed.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade me from wearing Al-Qassi, and clothes dyed from safflower, and from wearing gold rings, and from reciting Qura’n while bowing.”

“I noticed that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was missing one night, and I thought he had gone to one of his other wives. I tried to feel for him, and I found him bowing or prostrating and saying: ‘SubhanakAllahumma wa bihamdika la ilaha ila ant (Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, there is none worthy of worship but You.)'” She said: “May my father and mother be ransomed for you. I thought you were doing one thing and you were doing something else altogether.”

“I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying sitting down and I said: ‘I was told that you said that the prayer of one who is sitting down is worth half of the prayer of the one who is standing up.’ He said: ‘Yes indeed, but I am not like any one of you.'”

‘O Messenger of Allah, has the prayer been shortened or did you forget?’ He said: ‘It has not been shortened and I did not forget.’ He said: ‘But you prayed two Rak’ah.’ He said: ‘Is what Dhul-Yadain says true?’ They said: ‘Yes.’ So he went forward and performed two Rak’ah and said the Salam, then he prostrated twice for prostrations of forgetfulness.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) applied kohl to his eyes while he was fasting.”