It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform (nafl) prayer while sitting and would also recite while sitting. Then, when about thirty or forty verses remained from his recitation, he would stand up and recite, then bow (ruku') from the standing position, then prostrate (sajdah), and he would do the same in the second rak'ah.

And with the same chain of narration (it is narrated from Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her) that she said she never saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, performing the night prayer sitting down, until when he became old, he would recite while sitting, then when he intended to bow (for ruku‘), he would stand and recite about thirty or forty verses, then he would bow.

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: "Whoever stands (in prayer) during the month of Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, his previous sins are forgiven."

And it is narrated from (the same chain of narration from Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed (the night) prayer (Tarawih) in the mosque, so (some) people prayed with him (behind him). Then on the following night, when he prayed, the people increased. Then on the third or fourth night, (many) people gathered, but the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not come out to them (to lead the prayer). When morning came, he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "I saw what you did (last night), but I only did not come out to you because I feared that this (standing in prayer) might become obligatory upon you." This incident happened in Ramadan.

It is narrated from Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahman (may Allah have mercy on him) that he asked Umm al-Mu'mineen, Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): How was the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in Ramadan? She replied: Whether it was Ramadan or other than Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray more than eleven rak‘ahs. He would pray four rak‘ahs, but do not ask about their beauty and length. Then he would pray four (more), but do not ask about their beauty and length, then he would pray three rak‘ahs. Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I asked: O Messenger of Allah! Do you sleep before Witr? He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:“O Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.”

And with the same chain (it is narrated from Sayyidah Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to pray eleven rak'ahs at night. Among them, he would perform one witr (at the end). When he finished this, he would lie down on his right side.

And with the same chain of narration (from Sayyidah Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her), it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to pray thirteen rak'ahs at night, then when the call to prayer for Fajr was given, he would pray two light rak'ahs.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he spent a night in the house of the Prophet’s wife, Sayyidah Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), who was his maternal aunt. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: I lay down across the width of the pillow, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his family lay down along its length. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) slept, until half the night had passed, or a little before or a little after. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) then woke up from sleep and began to wipe his face with both hands to remove the effects of sleep. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surah Al-Imran. Then he went to a hanging water-skin and performed a most excellent ablution from it. Then he stood up and began to pray. Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Then I stood up and did as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had done. Then I stood by his side, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his right hand on my head and took hold of my right ear (affectionately) and twisted it. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs (making a total of twelve rak‘ahs), then he prayed one witr. Then he lay down until the mu’adhdhin came. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and prayed two light rak‘ahs. Then he went out and led the morning prayer.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about the night prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The night prayer is in sets of two rak'ahs. Then when one of you fears that morning is approaching, he should pray one rak'ah, and that will make what he has prayed an odd number (witr) for him."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Zayd bin Khalid al-Juhani, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: Tonight I will definitely observe how the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, performs prayer. So I lay down at his doorstep or near his tent. Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed two light rak‘ahs, then he prayed two long rak‘ahs, then after them he prayed two rak‘ahs which were less than the first two rak‘ahs, then he prayed two rak‘ahs which were less than the first two rak‘ahs, then he prayed two rak‘ahs and they were less than the first two rak‘ahs, then he prayed two rak‘ahs which were less than the first two rak‘ahs, then he prayed witr, so these were (in total) thirteen rak‘ahs.