Prayer & Salah

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

I asked ‘A’isha whether she had seen God’s Messenger bathing because of sexual defilement in the early or the latter part of the night, and she replied, ‘‘He often bathed in the early part of the night and often in...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

‘Abdallah b. Abu Qais said he asked ‘A’isha how many rak'as God’s Messenger prayed when observing a witr and she replied, “He used to observe a witr with four and three, six and three, eight and three, and ten and...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Abu Ayyub reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The witr is a duty for every Muslim, so if anyone wishes to observe it with five rak'as he may do so; if anyone wishes to observe it with three he may do...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God is single (witr) and loves what is single, so observe the witr, you who follow the Qur’an.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Kharija b. Hudhafa told of God’s Messenger coming out to them and saying, “God has given you an extra prayer which is better for you than the high-bred camels,* the witr, which God has appointed for you between the evening...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Zaid b. Aslam reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any of you oversleeps and misses his witr, he should observe it in the morning.” Tirmidhi transmitted it in mursal form.

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

In the first rak'a he recited, “Glorify the name of your most high Lord,”1 in the second, “Say, O infidels,”2 and in the third, “Say, He is God, One,”3 and al-Mu‘awwidhatan.4 1. Al-Qur’an; 87 2. Al-Qur’an; 109 3. Al-Qur’an; 112...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

God’s Messenger taught me some words to say when standing in supplication during the witr. They were, “O God, guide me among those Thou hast guided, grant me security among those Thou hast granted security, take me into Thy charge...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Ubayy b. Ka'b said that when God’s Messenger gave the salutation in the witr he said, “Glory be to the King most holy.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, Nasa’i adding that he said it three times, prolonging the words....

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

‘Ali said that the Prophet used to say at the end of his witr, “O God, I seek refuge in Thy good pleasure from Thine anger, and in Thy forgiveness from Thy punishment, and I seek refuge in Thy mercy...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Ibn ‘Abbas, on being asked whether he approved of the Commander of the Faithful, Mu'awiya, using only one rak'a in the witr, replied, “He is right; he is versed in the law.” In a version Ibn Abu Mulaika said that...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Buraida said he heard God’s Messenger say, “The witr is a duty, so he who does not observe it does not belong to us; the witr is a duty, so he who does not observe it does not belong to...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone over-sleeps and misses the witr, or forgets it, he should pray when he remembers and when he awakes.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Malik said he heard that a man asked Ibn ‘Umar whether the witr was obligatory, and ‘Abdallah said, “God’s Messenger observed the witr and the Muslims observed the witr.” The man kept repeating his question and ‘Abdallah kept saying, “God’s...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

‘Ali said that God’s Messenger used to pray three rak'as when observing the witr, reciting nine suras from al-Mufassal in the course of them, three in each rak'a, the last of them being “Say, He is God, One” (Al-Qur’an; 112)....

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Nafi' said, “I was with Ibn ‘Umar in Mecca when the sky was cloudy and he was afraid the morning might have come, so he observed a witr with one rak'a. The sky then cleared and he saw that it...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to pray sitting, and would recite the Qur’an while sitting; then when about thirty or forty verses of his recitation remained he stood up and recited while standing. Then he bowed, then he prostrated...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Umm Salama said the Prophet used to pray two rak'as after the witr. Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah added that they were short ones which he prayed while sitting.

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to observe a witr with one rak'a, then he performed two rak'as reciting the Qur’an in the course of them seated. When he wished to bow, he stood up and bowed. Ibn Majah transmitted...

Mishkat al-Masabih

Prayer

Thauban reported the Prophet as saying, “This wakefulness is a toil and a burden, so when one of you observes a witr he should pray two rak'as. If he gets up during the night, well and good; otherwise they will...