Shamail Tirmidhi

"You undergo such great difficulties, where Allah had forgiven your past and the future sins. "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said: "(When Allah Ta'aala has blessed me so much) should I not be a grateful servant?"

"Rasulullah Sallallhu 'Alayhi Wasallam performed so many nawaafil prayers that his legs swelled. Someone said to him, you take so many pains, whereas you have been given the good news that your past and present sins have been forgiven? He replied: "Should I not be grateful servant".

"You perform such long prayers, whereas all your past and future sins have been forgiven?. "Rasulullah Sallallhu 'Alayhi Wasallam replied: "Should I not be an appreciative servant?"

"Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam slept (after 'eshaa) for the first half portion of the night. He then awakened (and performed the tahajjud prayers) till the time of suhur (sehri), thereafter he performed the witr salaah. He then went to his bed. If he had a desire, he went to his wife. When he heard the adhaan, he got up. If he was in a state of janaabah (requiring ghusl) he performed ghusl. If not, he performed wudu and went for salaah".

I also got up (performed wudu) and stood next to-him (on his left). Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam put his right hand on my head and caught my ear and twisted it (A muqtadi should stand on the right side of an Imaam. The ear was twisted to remind him. In one narration it is stated that, I began to sleep, so Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam caught my ear. In another narration it is stated he caught my ear and pulled me to his right side, so that I might stand on the right according to the sunnah). He performed two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two, rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs. Ma'n (a narrator of this hadith) says Rasulullah Sallallahu'Alayhi Wasallam recited two two rak'ahs six times (the total of twelve rak'ahs. Mulla 'Ali Qaari has written that according to the madh-hab of Imaam Aa'zam Abu Hanifah, in tahajjud prayers there are twelve rak'ahs). He then performed the witr salaah and slept. When the mu-adh-dhin (Sayyidina Bilaal Radiyallahu'Anhu) came to him, he got up and recited two short rak'ahs and went for the fajr salaah.

"Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam sometimes performed 13 rak'ahs of tahajjud (including witr)".

Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha reports that whenever Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam could not perform the tahajjud because of some reason. He performed twelve rak'ahs in the day (at the time of chaasht-before midday).

"When one awakens at night (for-tahajjud salaah), two short rak'ahs should, be performed at the beginning"

"I once made up my mind that today I will closely study how Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam performed his prayers. I lay down on the threshold of the house or a tent of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam (so that I may have a chance to observe with close attention). Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam first performed two short rak'ahs. After that he performed long, long, long rak'ahs. (Long is mentioned thrice because of the lengthy periods spent in the rak'ahs). He then performed two rak'ahs shorter than the previous one's. Then performed two rak'ahs shorter than that. And again performed two rak'ahs shorter than the previous one. He again performed two rak'ahs shorter than that. He then performed the witr. All these (amounted to) thirteen rak'ahs"

"Rasulullah Sallallhu 'Alayhi Wasallam did not perform more than eleven rak'ahs during Ramadhaan or after Ramadhaan. (Eight rak'ahs tahajjud and three rak'ahs witr). He performed four rak'ahs. Do not ask of its length or how wonderfully (i.e. with humbleness and concentration) it was performed. In the same manner he performed four more rak'ahs. In the same manner he again performed four rak'ahs, and do not ask of its length or how wonderfully it was performed. After that he performed three rakahs witr". Aayesha Radiyallahu 'Anha says "I said: "O Messenger of Allah. Do you sleep before you perform witr?" He replied: "O Aayesha, my eyes sleep, but my heart remains awake". (This is a special gift to the ambiyah (prophets) that their hearts remain awake at all times)