Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would get up at night to pray, he would begin his standing (qiyam) with two light rak‘ahs.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she says that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer a total of eleven rak'ahs from the 'Isha prayer until the Fajr prayer. He would say salam after every two rak'ahs and perform one witr. In this prayer, each prostration of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was equal to fifty verses. When the muezzin finished the first adhan, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would get up and offer two light rak'ahs, and then lie down on his right side, until the muezzin would come to him. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would go with him to the mosque.

It is narrated from Sa’d bin Hisham that he came to Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and asked her about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray eight rak’ahs at night, then the ninth, that is, one rak’ah of witr, and after that he would sit and pray two rak’ahs. Then Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) mentioned ablution: Because of getting up for prayer at night, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would instruct that water for ablution and a miswak be arranged. Then, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became old, he would perform six rak’ahs, then the seventh as witr, and two rak’ahs sitting. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained on this routine until he passed away. Sa’d bin Hisham said to Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): I want to ask you about not marrying (in order to devote myself to worship); what is your opinion about this? She said: Do not do so. Have you not read the saying of Allah Almighty: {وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلاً مِنْ قَبْلِکَ وَجَعَلْنَا لَھُمْ أَزَوَاجًا وَّذُرِّیَّۃً} (And indeed We sent Messengers before you and We assigned to them wives and offspring)? Therefore, do not practice abstinence (tabattul). In this way, Sa’d bin Hisham became a jurist and then set out for Basra, but after staying there for a few days, he went towards the region of Makran and there he was martyred upon his best deed.

Abu Ishaq says: I asked Aswad bin Yazid about that matter which Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had narrated to him regarding the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He replied that Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had said: In the early part of the night, you would sleep, and in its latter part, you would wake up. Then, if you felt the need for intimacy, you would fulfill the right of your spouse and then sleep, even though you had not touched water. When the first call to prayer was given, you would, as if, spring up, pour water over yourself, and if you were not in a state of major impurity, you would perform the regular ablution for prayer and then offer two units of prayer. The narrator says that Lady Aisha did not say that you (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand and perform the full ritual bath, although I knew what she (may Allah be pleased with her) intended to say.

Masruq says: I asked Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the night prayer of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so she said: When he (peace and blessings be upon him) heard the crowing of the rooster, he would get up and perform prayer.

Zararah bin Aufi says: I asked Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the night prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: He would perform the Isha prayer, then after that he would pray two rak’ahs and go to sleep. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would wake up at night, he would have covered water for ablution and a miswak placed near him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would use the miswak, perform ablution, and offer eight rak’ahs. In every rak’ah, he would recite Surah Al-Fatihah and as much additional recitation as Allah willed. He (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform all these rak’ahs consecutively, and after the eighth, he would sit, recite the tashahhud, then without saying salam, he would stand for the ninth rak’ah, and after praying one rak’ah, he would sit for tashahhud, recite the tashahhud and supplications, then say salam with a single salam, raising his voice enough to wake us. Then, while sitting, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would say the takbir of starting prayer and begin recitation, and while sitting, he would perform two rak’ahs. This was the eleven rak’ah prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When his body became heavier and he gained weight, he performed seven rak’ahs instead of nine, also performing them consecutively, and would sit for tashahhud after six rak’ahs as before. Then, while sitting, he would perform two rak’ahs. After that, this remained his prayer until Allah, the Exalted, caused him (peace and blessings be upon him) to pass away.

(Second chain) Sa’d bin Hisham says: I asked Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about how the night prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was. She said: You would perform the ‘Isha prayer, then (she) mentioned the hadith as before, except that in this version the words are: Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand and pray two rak’ahs and would raise his voice in them, as if he was waking us up, rather, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would wake us up. Then he would supplicate while we were listening, and then he would give salam in a loud voice.

Alqamah says: I asked Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: Who among you has the ability for that which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had?

(Second chain) Ibrahim says: I asked Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: I did not see him giving preference to one night over another night.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform prayer at night. When he finished his prayer, he would lie down, but if I was awake, he would talk with me, and if I was asleep, he would also sleep, until the muezzin would come to him (peace and blessings be upon him).