can you cite suppordting evidences from ahadith that the Prophet (saw) performed fifteen rakaats of salaat during the night, twelve of which were Tahajjud Salaat with the authencity of the ahadith.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

1. There is no Hadith clearly stating that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed twelve rakaats Tahajjud salaat and three rakaats Witr salaat. However, Mulla Ali Qaari states that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed fifteen rakaats of salaat during the night. He explained that twelve rakaats were Tahajjud and the remainder Witr.

2. Hereunder are Ahadith regarding the Prophet’s (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) salaat at night are:

· Aysha (radiyallahu anha) reports that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform five rakaats of Witr salaat at night. (Sunan Al-Nasai, vol 1, pg 250, Qadeemi)

· Aysha (radiyallahu anha) reports that when the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) became old, he performed seven rakaats of Witr salaat at night. (ibid)

· Aysha (radiyallahu anha) reports that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed nine rakaats of Witr salaat at night. (ibid)

· Aysha (radiyallahu anha) reports that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed eleven rakaats of salaat at night. (Sunan Al-Nasai, vol 1, pg 251, Qadeemi)

· Ummi Salamah(radiyallahu anha) reports that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) used to perform thirteen rakaats of Witr salaat at night.(ibid)

N.B: The word Witr in the above Ahadith refer to salaat performed at night.(Al- Jaam’ Al-Tirmidhi, vol 1, pg 103, HM Saeed/ Dars Tirmidhi, vol 2, pg 215)

Sunan Al-Nasaai is used as reference for the above Ahadith because its authenticity being acknowledged by many Muhadditheen (Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda, Sunan Al-Nasai, vol 1, pg 6, Matbu’aat Al-Islamiyya /Al-Imaam Ibn Majah Wa Kitabihi, pg113, Mutbu’aat Al-Islamiyya)

· We are unable to locate a Hadith from the books available to us, stating clearly that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed fifteen and seventeen rakaats of salaat at night. However, from the statement of Ibn Hajar, we understand that he was of the view that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) at times performed fifteen and seventeen rakaats of salaat at night.

Imaam Raafi’ee mentioned: “It is not recorded that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed more than thirteen rakaats of salaat at night”.

Thereupon, Ibn Hajar objected and quoted:

“In Hawaashi Al-Mundhiri, it is stated that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed up to seventeen rakaats of salaat during the night. (Talkhees Al-Habeer, vol 2, pg 39, Ilmiyya)

In fact, it is reported from Abu Huraira (radiyallahu anhu) that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Perform five, seven, nine, eleven or more rakaats of Witr salaat” (Mustadrak Al-Haakim, vol 1, pg 446, Ilmiyya)

Mulla Ali Qaari, a great authority of Hadith, has mentioned that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed fifteen rakaats of salaat at night, as stated earlier.

Therefore, there is proof that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed fifteen and seventeen rakaats of salaah at night.

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai