Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 767
sahih

'A'isha reported that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up at night to pray, he began his prayer with two short rak'ahs.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ جَمِيعًا عَنْ هُشَيْمٍ، - قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، - أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو حُرَّةَ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ لِيُصَلِّيَ افْتَتَحَ صَلاَتَهُ بِرَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ ‏.‏

Isnad

8 transmitters
  1. 1Yahya bin Yahya bin BukayrNisapur,Khurasan,Hijaz,Iraq,Syria,Egypt · d. 226 AH
  2. 2Hashaym bin Bashayr bin al-Qasimal-Wasit,Baghdad · d. 183 AH
  3. 3Abu Bakr bin Abi UvaisMedina · d. 202 AH
  4. 4Hashaym bin Bashayr bin al-Qasimal-Wasit,Baghdad · d. 183 AH
  5. 5Wasil bin 'Abdur Rahmanal-Basra · d. 122 AH
  6. 6al-Hasan al-BasriMedina/al-Basra · d. 110 AH
  7. 7Sa'd bin Hisham bin 'AmirMedina
  8. 8'Aisha bint Abi BakrMakkah/Medina · d. 57 AH/678 CE (17 Ramadan)
References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 6, Hadith 234
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 4, Hadith 1689 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Qiyām al-Layl is the source of honor for the believer. So, a Muslim should be keen to pray in the night, following the Prophet's example. The Prophet's prayer at night was constant, and he would engage in prayer until his feet would swell, in gratitude towards Allah and praise for His blessings. In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up at night to pray, he would start his prayer with two light Rak‘ahs, in preparation for the prolonged prayer, whose Rak‘ahs were described by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in these words: "and do not ask about their beauty and length," as reported in the Two Sahīh Collections. In his Sahīh Collection, Al-Bukhāri narrated that Masrūq ibn al-Ajda‘ reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the night, and she said: "Seven, nine, and eleven Rak‘ahs apart from the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr." Prayer in the night starts after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and extends to shortly before dawn. One is not required to sleep before performing it..
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