Riyad as-Salihin

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform four Rak'ah of Duha prayer (at the forenoon) and would add to them whatever Allah wished..

I went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He was taking a bath at that time. When he finished the bath, he performed eight Rak'ah (of optional) prayers. This was during the Duha (forenoon)..

I saw some people performing Duha (prayers) in the early forenoon and warned them (saying): These people must know that performing Salat a little later is better. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Salat of the penitent is to be observed when the young ones of camels feel the heat of the sun (i.e., when it becomes very hot).".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When anyone of you enters the mosque, he should perform two Rak'ah (of voluntary prayer) before sitting.".

I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was in the mosque, and he said to me, "Perform two Rak'ah prayer.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to Bilal (May Allah be pleased with him) "Tell me about the most hopeful act (i.e., one which you deem the most rewarding with Allah) you have done since your acceptance of Islam because I heard the sound of the steps of your shoes in front of me in Jannah." Bilal said: "I do not consider any act more hopeful than that whenever I make Wudu' (or took a bath) in an hour of night or day, I would immediately perform Salat (prayer) for as long as was destined for me to perform.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday. On that day Adam was created, he was admitted to Jannah, and he was expelled therefrom.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If anyone performs Wudu' properly, then comes to the Friday prayer, listens to the Khutbah (religious talk) attentively and keeps silent, his (minor) sins between that Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven, with the addition of three more days; but he who touches pebbles has caused an interruption. ".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The five daily (prescribed) Salat, and Friday (prayer) to the next Friday (prayer), and the fasting of Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided.".

We heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying (while delivering Khutbah on his wooden pulpit), "Either some people (i.e., hypocrites) stop neglecting the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and they will be among the heedless.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When one of you intends to come for the Friday prayer, he should take a bath.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Taking a bath (before coming to Friday prayers) is obligatory on every adult.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "It suffices to perform Wudu' properly for the Friday prayer; but it is better to take a bath.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If a man takes bath on Friday, (or) purifies himself as much as he can with Wudu', oils his hair, applies whatever perfume available in his house, sets forth for the mosque, does not separate two people (to make a seat for himself), performs Salat what is prescribed for him, remains silent when the Imam speaks, his (minor) sins between that Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who takes a bath on Friday, like the bath for ceremonial purity, and then goes (to the mosque), he is like one who offers a camel as a sacrifice to seek the Pleasure of Allah; and he who comes at the second hour is like one who offers a cow to win the Pleasure of Allah; and he who comes at the third hour is like one who offers a ram with horns (in sacrifice); and he who comes at the fourth hour is like one who offers a hen; and he who comes at the fifth hour is like one who offers an egg. And when the Imam ascends the pulpit, the angels (who write the names of those who come to the mosque before the coming of the Imam) close (their record) in order to listen to the Khutbah.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said while talking about the merits of Friday, "There is a time on Friday at which a Muslim, while he (or she) is performing Salat and is supplicating, will be granted whatever he (or she) is supplicating for." And he (ﷺ) pointed with his hand to indicate that this period of time is very short..

'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said to me: "Did you hear your father narrating something from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the special moment during Friday?" I said: "Yes, I heard him report from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'It occurs between the time when the Imam sits down (on the pulpit after the first Khutbah) and the time Salat is over."'.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Among the best of your days is Friday. On that day pray to Allah to exalt my mention frequently, for your such supplications are presented to me.".

We left Makkah with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for Al-Madinah, and when we were near 'Azwara,' he (ﷺ) alighted (from his riding-camel) raised his hands in supplication to Allah for a while and prostrated himself. He remained for a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a while, after which he prostrated himself (again), and remained for a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a while, after which he prostrated himself for the third time. Then he (ﷺ) said, "I supplicated my Rubb and made intercession for my Ummah, and He granted me one-third of them. So I again prostrated myself in gratitude to my Rubb. Then I raised my head and supplicated my Rubb for my Ummah, and He granted me another third of them. Again I raised my head and supplicated my Rubb for my Ummah and He granted me the last third of them. So I fell into prostration out of gratitude before my Rubb.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) kept standing (in prayer) so long that the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him: "Why do you do this, while you have been forgiven of your former and latter sins?" He said, "Should I not be a grateful slave of Allah?".

The Prophet (ﷺ) visited me and Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) one night and said, "Do you not observe prayer (at night)?".

Salim bin 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) reported, on the authority of his father, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "What an excellent man 'Abdullah is! If only he could perform optional prayers at night." Salim said that after this, (his father) 'Abdullah slept very little at night..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "Do not be like so-and-so O 'Abdullah! He used to pray during the night, then stopped the practice.".

Mention was made before the Prophet (ﷺ) of a man who slept throughout the night till morning. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked, "He is a man in whose ears Satan urinated.".n

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When any one of you sleeps, Satan ties three knots at the back of his neck. He recites this incantation at every knot: 'You have a long night, so sleep.' If he awakes and remembers Allah, one knot is loosened. If he performs Wudu', the (second) knot is loosened; and if he performs prayer, (all) knots are loosened. He begins his morning in a happy and refreshed mood; otherwise, he gets up in bad spirits and sluggish state.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O people, promote the greetings, feed (the poor and needy) and perform Salat when others are asleep so that you will enter Jannah safely.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best month for observing Saum (fasting) after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best Salat after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Salat during the night should consist of pairs of but if you fear that morning is near, then pray one Rak'ah as Witr.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the night prayer in pairs (i.e., Rak'ah) and made it odd number by observing one Rak'ah (as Witr)..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to leave off observing Saum (fasting) during a month until we thought that he would not observe Saum at all during it; and (sometimes) he would observe Saum till we began to think that he would not omit any day of that month. If one wished to see him performing Salat during the night, he could do that; and if one wished to see him sleeping at night, he could do that..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform eleven Rak'ah (of Tahajjud) prayers at night. He (ﷺ) would prostrate so long as one of you might recite fifty Ayat (of the Qur'an). Thereafter, he would perform two Rak'ah before Fajr prayers and would lie down on his right side till the Mu'adhdhin would come and inform him about the time of (Fajr) prayer..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not observe more than eleven Rak'ah (of Tahajjud prayers), be in Ramadan or any other month. First of all he would perform four Rak'ah. Ask not about their excellence and their length. He (ﷺ) would then perform four more Rak'ah; and do not ask about their excellence and their length. Then he would perform three Rak'ah (Witr prayer). ('Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) added) I submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! Do you sleep before performing the Witr prayer?" He (ﷺ) said, "O 'Aishah! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) would sleep during the early part of night and stand in Salat during the latter part..

One night I joined the Prophet (ﷺ) in his (optional) Salat. He (ﷺ) prolonged the Qiyam (standing) so much that I made up my mind to commit an act of wrong. He was questioned: "What did you intend to do?" He replied: "I intended to sit down and stop following him (in Salat).".

I performed Salat with the Prophet (ﷺ) one night, and he started reciting Surat Al- Baqarah. I thought that he would go in Ruku' (bowing posture in Salat) at the end of one hundred Ayat, but he continued (reciting); and I thought that he would perhaps recite (this Surah) in the whole Rak'ah (prayer), but he continued the recitation; I thought he would perhaps bow on completing (this Surah). He (ﷺ) then started reciting Surat An-Nisa' which he followed with Surat Al-Imran. He recited leisurely. When he recited an Ayah which mentioned the tasbeeh, he would say Subhan Allah and when he recited the Ayah which tells how the Rubb is to be asked, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would then ask from Him; and when he (ﷺ) recited an Ayah asking one to seek Protection Allah, he would seek Protection of Allah. Then he bowed and said, "Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim (My Rubb the Great is free from imperfection)"; his bowing lasted about the same length of time as his standing, (and then on returning to the standing posture after Ruku') he would say, "Sami' Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana lakal-hamd (Allah listens to him who praises Him. Praise be to You, Our Rubb!)," and he would then stand about the same length of time as he had spent in bowing. He would then prostrate himself and say, "Subhana Rabbiyal-A'la (My Rubb the Supreme is free from imperfection)," and his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing (Qiyam)..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: "Which Salat is the best?" He replied, " The best Salat is that in which Qiyam (the duration of standing) is longer.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Salat which is dearest to Allah is that of (Prophet) Dawud; and As-Saum (the fasting) which is dearest to Allah is that of (Prophet) Dawud. He used to sleep half the night, get up to perform Salat for one-third of it, then sleep through the remaining one-sixth of it; and he used to observe Saum on alternative days.".

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "Every night there is a special time during which whatever a Muslim asks Allah of any good relating to this life or the Hereafter, it will be granted to him; and this moment comes every night.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When one of you gets up at night to perform (Tahajjud) prayer, let him start Salat with two short Rak'ah.".

Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood for Salat at night, he would start his prayer with two brief Rak'ah..

If the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) missed his night (Tahajjud) Salat because of indisposition or the like, he would perform twelve Rak'ah during the day..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "If anyone falls asleep and therefore fails to observe his Hizb (share) or part of it, if he observes it between the Fajr and the Zuhr prayers, it will be recorded for him as though he had observed it during the night.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "May Allah show mercy to a man who gets up during the night and performs Salat, awakens his wife to pray and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face (to make her get up). May Allah show mercy to a woman who gets up during the night and performs Salat, awakens her husband for the same purpose; and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a man awakens his wife during the night and they both perform two Rak'ah Salat together, they are recorded among the men and women who celebrate remembrance of Allah.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When one of you dozes off while performing Salat, he should lie down till his drowsiness has gone away from him. When one of you performs Salat while dozing, he may abuse himself instead of seeking pardon (as a result of drowsiness).".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When anyone of you stands up for Salat at night and finds it difficult to recite the Qur'an accurately and he is unaware of what he is reciting, he should go back to sleep.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who observes optional prayer (Tarawih prayers) throughout Ramadan, out of sincerity of Faith and in the hope of earning reward will have his past sins pardoned.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to urge (the people) to perform (optional Tarawih) prayer at night during the month of Ramadan. He did not order them or make it obligatory on them. He (ﷺ) said, "Whosoever performs (optional Tarawih) prayers at night during the month of Ramadan, with Faith and in the hope of receiving Allah's reward, will have his past sins forgiven.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whosoever performs Qiyam during Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), with Faith and being hopeful of Allah's reward, will have his former sins forgiven.".

Some of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) saw Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree) in their dreams in the last seven nights of Ramadan, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I see that your dreams all agree upon the last seven nights. Whosoever seeks it, let him seek it in the last seven nights.".