Section: It is recommended to use the miswak (tooth-cleaning stick); for what Hudhayfah narrated, he said: The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), when he would rise at night, would cleanse his mouth with the miswak. Agreed upon (97). And from Ibn 'Abbas, that he slept at the Messenger of Allah’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) house, so he awoke and used the miswak (98) and performed ablution. And from 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: We used to prepare his—meaning the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)—miswak and his water for purification. Allah would raise him whenever He willed to raise him, and he would use the miswak, perform ablution, and pray nine rak'ahs. Both were extracted by Muslim (99).
Section: It is recommended that he commence (100) his Tahajjud with two light rak'ahs; [for what Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), he said: "When one of you rises at night, let him commence his prayer with two light rak'ahs"] (101). And from Zayd ibn Khalid, that he said: I shall surely watch the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) tonight. So he prayed two light rak'ahs, then he prayed (102) two long, long (103) rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs, and they were shorter than the two before them, then he prayed two rak'ahs and they were shorter than the two before them, then he prayed two rak'ahs and they were shorter than the two before them, then he prayed two rak'ahs and they were shorter than the two before them, then he performed witr, and that was thirteen rak'ahs. And Ibn 'Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs at night. Both were extracted by Muslim (104). There has been disagreement regarding the number of rak'ahs of the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Tahajjud; for in these two hadiths, it is thirteen rak'ahs, and 'Aishah said: He would not increase in Ramadan or otherwise beyond eleven rak'ahs; he would pray four—do not ask about their beauty and their length—then he would pray four—do not ask about their beauty and their length—then he would pray three. In one wording, she said: His prayer in the month of Ramadan and otherwise at night was thirteen rak'ahs, including the two rak'ahs of dawn. In another wording: Including the witr and the two rak'ahs of dawn. In another wording: He used to pray thirteen rak'ahs, with the two rak'ahs of dawn. In another wording: He used to pray between the 'Isha' prayer and dawn eleven rak'ahs, performing the taslim after every two rak'ahs, and performing witr with one. Agreed upon (105). And perhaps she counts the two rak'ahs
(97) Preceded in 1/134. (98) In A, M: "fasawwaka". (99) The first was extracted by Muslim, in: The chapter on the miswak, from the Book of Purification, and in: The chapter on supplication in the night prayer and standing for it, from the Book of the Traveler's Prayer. Sahih Muslim 1/221, 530. It was also extracted by Abu Dawood, in: The chapter on the miswak for one who rises at night, from the Book of Purification, and in: The chapter on the night prayer, from the Book of Voluntary Prayers. Sunan Abi Dawood 1/14, 311, 312. And al-Nasa'i, in: The chapter on mentioning the disagreement regarding Habib ibn Abi Thabit, from the Book of Night Prayer. Al-Mujtaba 3/195. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 1/275, 350, 373. The second was extracted by Muslim, in: The comprehensive chapter on the night prayer and one who sleeps through it or is ill, from the Book of the Traveler's Prayer. Sahih Muslim 1/513. It was also extracted by al-Nasa'i, in: The chapter on the least that suffices of prayer actions, from the Book of Forgetfulness. Al-Mujtaba 3/51. And Ibn Majah, in: The chapter on what has been narrated regarding witr with three, five, seven, and nine, from the Book of Establishing Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/376. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 6/54. (100) In A, M: "yaftahu". (101) Omitted from A. The hadith was extracted by Muslim in: The chapter on supplication in the night prayer and standing for it, from the Book of the Traveler's Prayer. Sahih Muslim 1/532. And Abu Dawood, in: The chapter on commencing the night prayer with two rak'ahs, from the Book of Voluntary Prayers. Sunan Abi Dawood 1/304. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 2/399. (102) Omitted from M. In A: "wa-salla". (103) Omitted from M.
