Abu al-Tufayl (may Allah have mercy on him) relates: I saw the Commander of the Believers, Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), standing on the pulpit, and he said: "Ask me (whatever you wish to ask) before you are unable to ask me, for after me you will not find anyone like me (in knowledge) to address you." So Ibn al-Kawwa' stood up and said: "O Commander of the Believers, what is meant by 'those scattering (dust) dispersing'?" He said: "The winds." He asked: "What are 'those carrying a load'?" He said: "The clouds." He asked: "What is meant by 'those sailing with ease'?" He said: "The ships." He asked: "Who are 'those apportioning by command'?" He said: "The angels." He asked: "Who are 'those who exchanged the favour of Allah for disbelief and settled their people in the home of ruin' [Surah Ibrahim: 28] ?" He said: "They are the hypocrites of Quraysh." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning this verse, "They used to sleep but little of the night" [Surah al-Dhariyat: 17] , that he said: "They used to pray (voluntary) prayer between Maghrib and Isha." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) concerning this saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, "They used to sleep but little of the night" [Surah al-Dhariyat: 17] , that he said: "No night passed over them in which they slept until morning without praying in it (that is, they would certainly spend some part of the night in worship)." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it, and it also has a supporting narration (shahid) with a connected chain from another route.