Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم as saying: When one of you gets up at night, he should begin the prayer with two short rak'ahs.

This tradition has also been transmitted by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. This version adds: He should then prolong it afterwards as much as he likes. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Hammad bin Salamah, Zuhair bin Muawiyah and a group of narrators from Hisham. They transmitted it as a statement of Abu Hurairah himself (mauquf). This tradition has also been transmitted by Ibn 'Awn from Muhammad (b. Sirin). This version has the wordings: These two rak'ahs were short.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Habashi al-Khath'ami: The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was asked: which is the best action? He replied: To stand in prayer for a long time.