What is the ruling on the night prayer? How many rak'ahs does it consist of, and what is its time?
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The questioner : From the resident messenger, Abd al-Rahman Majrūd 'Awād al-Shalālī. We received this message, in which he asks: What is the ruling on the night prayer? How many rak'ahs does it consist of, and what is its time?
The Shaykh : The night prayer does not have a specific number of rak'ahs that is definitive, meaning it is not permissible to decrease from it or increase beyond it. However, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exceed eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan or in any other time, and he sometimes prayed thirteen rak'ahs. He (peace and blessings be upon him) did not set a specific limit for his Ummah that they must not exceed or fall short of. Rather, a man asked him, as in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), "What do you say about the night prayer?" He said, "The night prayer..." This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh :Sunan Ibn Majah 1319Sahih (Darussalam) So if one of you fears the dawn, let him pray one rak'ah, and that will make his prayer odd-numbered, and he did not set a limit for him, and he commanded that a person should pray according to his energy. If he becomes tired, let him sleep. This indicates that the matter is broad, and that a person may increase or decrease according to his energy and strength, and there is no blame on him. As for the time of the night prayer, it is after the 'Isha' prayer. Once he has prayed 'Isha' and the rawatib of 'Isha', the time for the night prayer begins. But the best of it is what is done after sleeping, from after the middle of the night until one-sixth of the night remains, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 3420 So this is the best time for the night prayer.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : From the middle of the night until about one-sixth of it remains. However, if a person prays before sleeping and makes his prayer odd-numbered, there is no blame on him. It is better for him, if he fears that he will not get up in the last part of the night, to make his prayer odd-numbered before sleeping, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda' to do so, and I think also Abu Dharr. But if he hopes to get up in the last part of the night, he should make his prayer odd-numbered in the last part of the night, because it is better, and because the prayer of the last part of the night is witnessed.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : The night prayer does not have a specific number of rak'ahs that is definitive, meaning it is not permissible to decrease from it or increase beyond it. However, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exceed eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan or in any other time, and he sometimes prayed thirteen rak'ahs. He (peace and blessings be upon him) did not set a specific limit for his Ummah that they must not exceed or fall short of. Rather, a man asked him, as in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), "What do you say about the night prayer?" He said, "The night prayer..." This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh :
The night prayer is (to be offered) two by two.
صلاة الليل مثنى مثنىthe most beloved prayer to Allah was the prayer of David who used to sleep for (the first) half of the night and pray for 1/3 of it and (again) sleep for a sixth of it.
أحب القيام إلى الله قيام داوود كان ينام نصف الليل ويقوم ثلثه وينام سدسهThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : From the middle of the night until about one-sixth of it remains. However, if a person prays before sleeping and makes his prayer odd-numbered, there is no blame on him. It is better for him, if he fears that he will not get up in the last part of the night, to make his prayer odd-numbered before sleeping, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda' to do so, and I think also Abu Dharr. But if he hopes to get up in the last part of the night, he should make his prayer odd-numbered in the last part of the night, because it is better, and because the prayer of the last part of the night is witnessed.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.