It was narrated from Ibn Marjanah, from Abu Hurairah who said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'Allah, may He be exalted, comes down to the lowest heaven halfway through the night, or in the last third of the night, and says: "Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Then He says: Who will lend to One Who is neither indigent nor unjust?'" Muslim said: Ibn Marjanah is Sa'eed bin 'Abdullah, and Marjanah is his mother.

حَدَّثَنِى حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَاضِرٌ أَبُو الْمُوَرِّعِ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِى ابْنُ مَرْجَانَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « يَنْزِلُ اللَّهُ فِى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا لِشَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ لِثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرِ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ يَدْعُونِى فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ أَوْ يَسْأَلُنِى فَأُعْطِيَهُ. ثُمَّ يَقُولُ مَنْ يُقْرِضُ غَيْرَ عَدِيمٍ وَلاَ ظَلُومٍ ». قَالَ مُسْلِمٌ ابْنُ مَرْجَانَةَ هُوَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَمَرْجَانَةُ أُمُّهُ.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Whoever prays Qiyam in Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven."

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ».

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) used to encourage them to pray Qiyam in Ramadan without saying that it was obligatory. He would say: 'Whoever prays Qiyam in Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.' Then the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) died and that is how it was, and it remained like that throughout the Khilafah of Abu Bakr and at the beginning of the Khilafah of 'Umar."

وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِىِّ عَنْ أَبِى سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يُرَغِّبُ فِى قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُمْ فِيهِ بِعَزِيمَةٍ فَيَقُولُ « مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ». فَتُوُفِّىَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَالأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ كَانَ الأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فِى خِلاَفَةِ أَبِى بَكْرٍ وَصَدْرًا مِنْ خِلاَفَةِ عُمَرَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ.

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. Whoever spends the night of Lailat Al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven."

وَحَدَّثَنِى زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ حَدَّثَنِى أَبِى عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِى كَثِيرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « مَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَنْ قَامَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ».

It was narrated from 'Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) prayed in the Masjid one night, and some people followed his prayer. The next night he prayed again, and the numbers of people increased. Then they gathered on the third or fourth night, but the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) did not come out to them. When morning came, he said: "I saw what you did, and nothing kept me from coming out to you but the fact that I was afraid that it would be made obligatory for you." He said: "And that was in Ramadan."

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- صَلَّى فِى الْمَسْجِدِ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَصَلَّى بِصَلاَتِهِ نَاسٌ ثُمَّ صَلَّى مِنَ الْقَابِلَةِ فَكَثُرَ النَّاسُ ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعُوا مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ أَوِ الرَّابِعَةِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ « قَدْ رَأَيْتُ الَّذِى صَنَعْتُمْ فَلَمْ يَمْنَعْنِى مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ إِلَيْكُمْ إِلاَّ أَنِّى خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ ». قَالَ وَذَلِكَ فِى رَمَضَانَ.

'Aishah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) came out in the middle of the night and prayed in the Masjid, and some men followed his prayer. The next day the people were talking about that, then more of them gathered and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) came out on the second night, and they followed his prayer. The next day the people were talking about that, and the number of people in the Masjid increased on the third night. He came out, and they followed his prayer. Then on the fourth night, the Masjid could hardly contain the people, and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) did not come out to them. Some people started calling out, saying: "The prayer!" But the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) did not come out to them until he came out for Fajr prayer. When he had finished Fajr he turned to the people, recited the Shahadah, and said: "I was not unaware of your situation last night, but I feared that the night prayer might be made obligatory for you, and you would be unable to do it."

وَحَدَّثَنِى حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ أَخْبَرَنِى يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِى عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- خَرَجَ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِى الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلاَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فِى اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَذْكُرُونَ ذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَطَفِقَ رِجَالٌ مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الصَّلاَةَ. فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدَ فَقَالَ « أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَىَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَكِنِّى خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا ».

It was narrated that Zirr said: "I heard Ubayy bin Ka'b say - when it was said to him that 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud was saying that whoever prays Qiyam for a year will attain Lailat Al-Qadr : 'By Allah, besides Whom there is none worthy of worship! It is in Ramadan' - and he swore with no reservation - 'and by Allah, I know which night it is! It is the night which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) commanded us to spend in prayer; it is the night of the twenty-seventh, and its sign is that the sun rises that day bright with no rays."'

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ الرَّازِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِىُّ حَدَّثَنِى عَبْدَةُ عَنْ زِرٍّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ يَقُولُ - وَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ يَقُولُ مَنْ قَامَ السَّنَةَ أَصَابَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ - فَقَالَ أُبَىٌّ وَاللَّهِ الَّذِى لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ إِنَّهَا لَفِى رَمَضَانَ - يَحْلِفُ مَا يَسْتَثْنِى - وَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّى لأَعْلَمُ أَىُّ لَيْلَةٍ هِىَ. هِىَ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِى أَمَرَنَا بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بِقِيَامِهَا هِىَ لَيْلَةُ صَبِيحَةِ سَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَأَمَارَتُهَا أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ فِى صَبِيحَةِ يَوْمِهَا بَيْضَاءَ لاَ شُعَاعَ لَهَا.

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka'b said: "Ubayy said concerning Lailat Al-Qadr: 'By Allah I know when it is, and I am certain it is the night that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) commanded us to spend in prayer; it is the night of the twenty-seventh."'

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَةَ بْنَ أَبِى لُبَابَةَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ زِرِّ بْنِ حُبَيْشٍ عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ قَالَ أُبَىٌّ فِى لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّى لأَعْلَمُهَا وَأَكْثَرُ عِلْمِى هِىَ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِى أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بِقِيَامِهَا هِىَ لَيْلَةُ سَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ - وَإِنَّمَا شَكَّ شُعْبَةُ فِى هَذَا الْحَرْفِ - هِىَ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِى أَمَرَنَا بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-. قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنِى بِهَا صَاحِبٌ لِى عَنْهُ.

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said: "One night I stayed with my maternal aunt Maimunah. The Prophet (s.a.w) got up in the night, relieved himself, then he washed his face and hands, and went to sleep. Then he got up, went to the water skin, undid its straps, and performed a Wudu' that was somewhere between the most perfect and the most light, and he only washed each part once, but he made water reach everywhere it should go. Then he stood and prayed, and I got up and stretched, not wanting him to think that I was watching him, and I performed Wudu'. He stood and prayed, and I stood on his left, but he took me by the hand and brought me to his right. I followed the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) at night, thirteen Rak'ah. Then he lay down and slept until he was breathing deeply, for when he slept he would breathe deeply. Then Bilal came to him and called him for prayer, and he got up and prayed, and did not perform Wudu'. In his supplication he said: 'Allahummaj'al fi qalbi nuran wa fi basari nuran wa fi sam'i nuran wa 'an yamini nuran wa 'an yasari nuran wa fawqi nuran wa tahti nuran wa amami nuran wa khalfi nuran wa 'azzimli nura (O Allah, put in my heart light, in my seeing light, in my hearing light, to my right light, to my left light, above me light, below me light, in front of me light, behind me light, give me abundant light.)"' Kuraib said: "And seven more phrases regarding the heart. I met one of the sons of Al-'Abbas and he told them to me. He mentioned: 'My sinews, my flesh, my blood, my hair and my skin,' and he mentioned two others."

حَدَّثَنِى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ هَاشِمِ بْنِ حَيَّانَ الْعَبْدِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ - يَعْنِى ابْنَ مَهْدِىٍّ - حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ بِتُّ لَيْلَةً عِنْدَ خَالَتِى مَيْمُونَةَ فَقَامَ النَّبِىُّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَأَتَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ وَيَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ نَامَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَأَتَى الْقِرْبَةَ فَأَطْلَقَ شِنَاقَهَا ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ وُضُوءًا بَيْنَ الْوُضُوءَيْنِ وَلَمْ يُكْثِرْ وَقَدْ أَبْلَغَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى فَقُمْتُ فَتَمَطَّيْتُ كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يَرَى أَنِّى كُنْتُ أَنْتَبِهُ لَهُ فَتَوَضَّأْتُ فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِى فَأَدَارَنِى عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَتَتَامَّتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- مِنَ اللَّيْلِ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ اضْطَجَعَ فَنَامَ حَتَّى نَفَخَ وَكَانَ إِذَا نَامَ نَفَخَ فَأَتَاهُ بِلاَلٌ فَآذَنَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى وَلَمْ يَتَوَضَّأْ وَكَانَ فِى دُعَائِهِ « اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِى قَلْبِى نُورًا وَفِى بَصَرِى نُورًا وَفِى سَمْعِى نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِى نُورًا وَعَنْ يَسَارِى نُورًا وَفَوْقِى نُورًا وَتَحْتِى نُورًا وَأَمَامِى نُورًا وَخَلْفِى نُورًا وَعَظِّمْ لِى نُورًا ». قَالَ كُرَيْبٌ وَسَبْعًا فِى التَّابُوتِ فَلَقِيتُ بَعْضَ وَلَدِ الْعَبَّاسِ فَحَدَّثَنِى بِهِنَّ فَذَكَرَ عَصَبِى وَلَحْمِى وَدَمِى وَشَعَرِى وَبَشَرِى وَذَكَرَ خَصْلَتَيْنِ.

It was narrated from Kuraib, the freed slave of Ibn 'Abbas, that Ibn 'Abbas told him that he stayed one night with Maimunah, the Mother of the Believers, who was his maternal aunt. "I lay down across the width of the mattress and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) and his wife lay along its length. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) slept until halfway through the night, or just before or after that. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) woke up and started wiping the sleep from his face with his hand. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surah AI 'Imran, then he got up and went to a water skin that was hanging there, and performed Wudu' from it, and did it well then he stood and prayed." ' Ibn 'Abbas said: "I got up and did what the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) had done, then I went and stood by his side. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) put his right hand on my head and took hold of my right ear and twisted it, then he prayed two Rak'ah, then two Rak'ah, then two Rak'ah, then two Rak'ah, then two Rak'ah then two Rak'ah, then he prayed Witr, then he lay down until the Mu'adhdhin came. Then he got up and prayed two brief Rak'ah, then he went out and prayed Subh."

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ بَاتَ لَيْلَةً عِنْدَ مَيْمُونَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - وَهِىَ خَالَتُهُ - قَالَ فَاضْطَجَعْتُ فِى عَرْضِ الْوِسَادَةِ وَاضْطَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَأَهْلُهُ فِى طُولِهَا فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- حَتَّى انْتَصَفَ اللَّيْلُ أَوْ قَبْلَهُ بِقَلِيلٍ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ بِقَلِيلٍ اسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَجَعَلَ يَمْسَحُ النَّوْمَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ الْعَشْرَ الآيَاتِ الْخَوَاتِمَ مِنْ سُورَةِ آلِ عِمْرَانَ ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى شَنٍّ مُعَلَّقَةٍ فَتَوَضَّأَ مِنْهَا فَأَحْسَنَ وُضُوءَهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقُمْتُ فَصَنَعْتُ مِثْلَ مَا صَنَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- ثُمَّ ذَهَبْتُ فَقُمْتُ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ فَوَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى رَأْسِى وَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِى الْيُمْنَى يَفْتِلُهَا فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ ثُمَّ اضْطَجَعَ حَتَّى جَاءَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى الصُّبْحَ.