Riyad as-Salihin

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When one of you intends to come for the Friday prayer, he should take a bath.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Taking a bath (before coming to Friday prayers) is obligatory on every adult.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "It suffices to perform Wudu' properly for the Friday prayer; but it is better to take a bath.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If a man takes bath on Friday, (or) purifies himself as much as he can with Wudu', oils his hair, applies whatever perfume available in his house, sets forth for the mosque, does not separate two people (to make a seat for himself), performs Salat what is prescribed for him, remains silent when the Imam speaks, his (minor) sins between that Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who takes a bath on Friday, like the bath for ceremonial purity, and then goes (to the mosque), he is like one who offers a camel as a sacrifice to seek the Pleasure of Allah; and he who comes at the second hour is like one who offers a cow to win the Pleasure of Allah; and he who comes at the third hour is like one who offers a ram with horns (in sacrifice); and he who comes at the fourth hour is like one who offers a hen; and he who comes at the fifth hour is like one who offers an egg. And when the Imam ascends the pulpit, the angels (who write the names of those who come to the mosque before the coming of the Imam) close (their record) in order to listen to the Khutbah.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said while talking about the merits of Friday, "There is a time on Friday at which a Muslim, while he (or she) is performing Salat and is supplicating, will be granted whatever he (or she) is supplicating for." And he (ﷺ) pointed with his hand to indicate that this period of time is very short..

'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said to me: "Did you hear your father narrating something from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the special moment during Friday?" I said: "Yes, I heard him report from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'It occurs between the time when the Imam sits down (on the pulpit after the first Khutbah) and the time Salat is over."'.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Among the best of your days is Friday. On that day pray to Allah to exalt my mention frequently, for your such supplications are presented to me.".

We left Makkah with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for Al-Madinah, and when we were near 'Azwara,' he (ﷺ) alighted (from his riding-camel) raised his hands in supplication to Allah for a while and prostrated himself. He remained for a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a while, after which he prostrated himself (again), and remained for a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a while, after which he prostrated himself for the third time. Then he (ﷺ) said, "I supplicated my Rubb and made intercession for my Ummah, and He granted me one-third of them. So I again prostrated myself in gratitude to my Rubb. Then I raised my head and supplicated my Rubb for my Ummah, and He granted me another third of them. Again I raised my head and supplicated my Rubb for my Ummah and He granted me the last third of them. So I fell into prostration out of gratitude before my Rubb.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) kept standing (in prayer) so long that the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him: "Why do you do this, while you have been forgiven of your former and latter sins?" He said, "Should I not be a grateful slave of Allah?".

The Prophet (ﷺ) visited me and Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) one night and said, "Do you not observe prayer (at night)?".

Salim bin 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) reported, on the authority of his father, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "What an excellent man 'Abdullah is! If only he could perform optional prayers at night." Salim said that after this, (his father) 'Abdullah slept very little at night..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "Do not be like so-and-so O 'Abdullah! He used to pray during the night, then stopped the practice.".

Mention was made before the Prophet (ﷺ) of a man who slept throughout the night till morning. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked, "He is a man in whose ears Satan urinated.".n

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When any one of you sleeps, Satan ties three knots at the back of his neck. He recites this incantation at every knot: 'You have a long night, so sleep.' If he awakes and remembers Allah, one knot is loosened. If he performs Wudu', the (second) knot is loosened; and if he performs prayer, (all) knots are loosened. He begins his morning in a happy and refreshed mood; otherwise, he gets up in bad spirits and sluggish state.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O people, promote the greetings, feed (the poor and needy) and perform Salat when others are asleep so that you will enter Jannah safely.".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best month for observing Saum (fasting) after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best Salat after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Salat during the night should consist of pairs of but if you fear that morning is near, then pray one Rak'ah as Witr.".

The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the night prayer in pairs (i.e., Rak'ah) and made it odd number by observing one Rak'ah (as Witr)..

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to leave off observing Saum (fasting) during a month until we thought that he would not observe Saum at all during it; and (sometimes) he would observe Saum till we began to think that he would not omit any day of that month. If one wished to see him performing Salat during the night, he could do that; and if one wished to see him sleeping at night, he could do that..