Lengthening the Recitation in the Night Prayer

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Question:
Shaykh Salih, this questioner says: Is lengthening the recitation in the night prayer better than lengthening its prostration and bowing?

Answer:
Allah the Exalted said:

And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

[Al-Isra 17:79]

Standing in the night prayer has a great virtue, and the best and most complete thing is to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). That is the best, and that one should do what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do.
It was narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

He used to get up during the night

كان يقوم من الليل

Mishkat al-Masabih 1234

until his feet would crack. She was asked (may Allah be pleased with her) about the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and she said:

He did not exceed eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan or otherwise; he would pray four rak'ahs

ما كان يزيد في رمضان ولا في غيره على إحدى عشرة ركعة يصلي أربع ركعات

Do not ask about their elegance and length. He then would pray for rak'ahs. Do not ask about their alegance and length. Then he would pray three rak'ahs.

فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن، ثم يصلي أربعا، فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن، ثم يصلي ثلاثا

Sunan Abi Dawud 1341Sahih (Al-Albani)

. This is the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him); he lengthens it all, in its standing, prostration, and bowing. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah bless you.

Source قناة «إذاعة القرآن الكريم»، نور على الدرب مع معالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان ح7533 — youtube.com (13:06)

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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