It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mutlib that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Prayer is in sets of two rak‘ahs; after every two rak‘ahs, recite the tashahhud, express humility and poverty, and raise your hands and say: O Allah! O Allah! (then make your supplication), and whoever does not do so, his prayer will be incomplete. Shu‘bah says: I asked, does it mean his prayer will be incomplete? He replied: Yes. Then I asked him: What is meant by iqna‘? He explained its meaning by spreading his hands as if he was making supplication.

(Second chain) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mutlib bin Rabee’ah that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The night prayer is in sets of two rak’ahs, and when any of you prays, he should sit for tashahhud after every two rak’ahs. Then he should supplicate with insistence; when he makes du’a, he should show humility, adopt a state of neediness, and express weakness. Whoever does not do so is deficient or like one who is deficient.

(The third chain) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: Prayer is in sets of two rak‘ahs, and you should sit for tashahhud after every two rak‘ahs and say salam, … .) Then a hadith similar to the previous one was narrated.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: When any one of you stands to pray at night, he should begin his standing with two light rak‘ahs.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who is narrating the incident of returning from the Battle of Hudaybiyyah, says: Then I took hold of the reins of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) she-camel and made it sit down. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and performed the ‘Isha prayer. At that time, Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) was at the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) side. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed thirteen units (rak‘at) of prayer.

Sayyiduna Safwan bin Mu’attal Salmi (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I was with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey. I observed his prayer at night. He performed the ‘Isha prayer and then slept. When half the night had passed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) woke up and recited the last ten verses of Surah Al-Imran. Then he used the miswak, performed ablution, and prayed two rak‘ahs. I do not know whether his standing, bowing, or prostration was longer in them. Then, after finishing the prayer, he slept. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept waking up repeatedly and kept doing as he did the first time, until a total of eleven rak‘ahs were completed.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would use the miswak two or three times at night, and when he would get up at night to pray, he would perform four rak‘ahs, in which he would neither speak nor give any command regarding anything, and after every two rak‘ahs he would say salam.

Ya'la bin Mamlak says: I asked Sayyida Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) about the night prayer and recitation of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). She said: What concern do you have with the prayer and recitation of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? He would pray as much as he slept, and he would sleep as much as he prayed. Then she described the manner of his recitation, that it was absolutely clear, letter by letter.

Asim bin Damrah reports that when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he said: He used to pray sixteen rak‘ahs at night.

(Second chain) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform sixteen rak‘ahs at night in addition to the obligatory prayer.