I heard Muhammad ibn Hamdoon say: I accompanied Abu Bakr ibn Ishaaq as-Sibghee for [many] years, and I never saw him leave the night prayer – not during travel, and nor when he wasn’t [travelling].
Category: Words of Wisdom
Maintaining the night prayer
I heard ‘Abdullaah the son of ‘Alee ibn Hamshaad say: I do not know that my father [ever] left the night prayer.
Dividing the night in three parts
Zubayd ibn al-Haarith would divide the night in three parts: a part for himself, a part for his son, and a part for his other son ‘Abdur-Rahmaan.
Waking up his family for the night prayer
Abu Barzah al-Aslamee would wake up for the night prayer, perform wudhoo, then wake up his family [so they could also pray]; he would [then] recite between sixty and a hundred aayahs [in his prayer].
Leading the night prayer
Suwayd ibn Ghafalah would lead us in the night prayer during the month of Ramadhaan, while he had reached 120 years [of age].
Divided the night into thirds
I hosted Abu Hurayrah for seven days; he, his wife and his servant would divide the night into thirds, [whereby] he would pray, then wake up the other who would then pray, and then wake up the other [who would then also pray].
Prolong the night prayer
Whoever prolongs the night prayer, Allaah will facilitate for him his standing on the Day of Resurrection.
I really wanted to complete reciting it
Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel [al-Bukhaaree] was invited to a garden belonging to some of his friends…
Ask for me at the graveyard
It has been narrated about Ibn Khafeef that he suffered from a hip pain, and if it became severe it would prevent him from any movement…
The most authentic book after the Book of Allaah
In Islaam, after the Book of Allaah, we do not know of any book more authentic than the Muwatta of Imaam Maalik.