How many rak'ahs did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) pray in the night prayer, and what was the manner of the prayer of the Tabi'un who prayed three hundred rak'ahs?

Question:
A message was sent by one of the listening brothers, saying: Is it better that we pray as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed the night prayer, thirteen rak'ahs, and the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib) after the obligatory ones? Or should we volunteer according to our ability? Second, how was the prayer of the Tabi'un who prayed three hundred rak'ahs? Did they, for example, lighten the prayer by saying the tasbih in one recitation, and likewise in the prostration? And what were the times at which they performed the prayer? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good. This question is from a group of young men, may Allah grant you success, our honor.

Answer:
There is no doubt that following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best. If a Muslim follows the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the night prayer and prays eleven rak'ahs, or thirteen rak'ahs, with tranquility, recitation that is measured and excellent, and with reflection, then that is better. And if he increases beyond that, praying more than thirteen rak'ahs, the matter is broad, and praise be to Allah. The matter in this is broad, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not prohibit increasing. Rather, he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to consistently pray eleven, eleven rak'ahs, or thirteen rak'ahs. But with the fact that he (peace and blessings be upon him) would lengthen the prayer, until Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that he recited in two rak'ahs Surat al-Baqarah, Surat al-Nisa, and Surat Aal 'Imran. Until Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said about himself: I was about to sit down and leave him. Meaning, because of the length of the standing.
So whoever wants to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with tranquility, lengthening the bowing and prostration, and lengthening the recitation, this is a great deed. Allah the Exalted says: And whoever wants to increase in the rak'ahs and lighten the lightening that does not invalidate the prayer, there is no harm in that. The Companions varied in their night prayer; some would increase, some would increase, and some would decrease and lengthen, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would lengthen. So the matter in this is broad, and praise be to Allah. There is no limited limit for the night prayer that one must stop at. Rather, this depends on the person's energy, his desire, and his consistency in doing so. This is what is required. As for the rawatib with the obligatory prayers, the witr, and the two rak'ahs of Fajr, the regular voluntary prayer before Fajr, these are sunnahs that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to consistently perform. Except in the case of travel, in which he would leave the regular voluntary prayers, except for the regular voluntary prayer of Fajr. And he would also maintain the witr; he did not leave it, whether resident or traveling. Yes.