Chapter: It is permissible to offer voluntary prayers standing or sitting, and to stand and sit in the same rak`ah

I asked 'A'isha about the Messenger of Allah's (ﷺ) voluntary prayers, and she replied: Before the noon prayer, he used to pray four rak'ahs in my house; then would go out and lead the people in prayer; then come in and pray two rak'ahs. He would then lead the people in the sunset prayer; then come in and pray two rak'ahs. Then he would lead the people in the 'Isha' prayer, and enter my house and pray two rak'ahs. He would pray nine rak'ahs during the night, including Witr. At night he would pray for a long time standing and for a long time sitting, and when he recited the Holy Qur'an while standing, he would bow and prostrate himself from the standing position, and when he recited while sitting, he would bow and prostrate himself from the sitting position, and when it was dawn he would pray two rak'ahs.

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would pray in the night for a long time, and when he prayed standing be bowed in a standing posture, and when he prayed sitting, he bowed in a sitting posture.

I fell ill in Persia and therefore, prayed in a sitting posture, and I asked 'A'isha about it and she said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for a long time in the night sitting.

I asked 'A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the night (i. e. Tahajjud prayer) She replied: He used to pray for a long time standing and for a long time sitting in the night, and when he recited the Qur'an while standing, he would bow himself from the standing position, and when he recited while sitting, he would bow from the sitting position.

I asked 'A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would observe prayer (Nafl) in a standing position as well as in a sitting position, and when he commenced the prayer in a standing position, he bowed in this very position, and when he commenced the prayer in a sitting position, he bowed in this very position.

I did not see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reciting (the Qur'an) in the night prayer in a sitting position, till he grew old and then he recited (it) in a sitting position, but when thirty or forty verses were left out of the Surah, he would then stand up, recite them and then bowed.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray while sitting (when he grew old) and he recited in this position and when the recitation equal to thirty or forty verses was left, he would then stand up and recite (for this duration) in a standing position and then bowed himself and then prostrated himself and did the same in the second rak'ah.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite in sitting position (while observing the Tahajjud prayer) and when he intended to bow, he would stand up and recite (for the duration in which) a man (ordinarily) recites forty verses.

I asked 'A'isha how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did in the two rak'ahs as he (observed them) sitting. She said: He would recite (the Qur'an) in them, and when he intended to bow, he would stand up and then bowed.

I asked 'A'isha whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed (Nafl) sitting. She said: Yes, when the people had made him old.

I said to 'A'isha and she made a mention of that (recorded above) about the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died (in this very state) that he observed most of his (Nafl) prayers in a sitting position.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) grew bulky and heavy he would observe (most of his Nafl) prayers sitting.

Never did I see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing supererogatory prayer sitting till one year before his death when he would observe Nafl prayer in a sitting position, and he would recite the Surah (of the Qur'an) in such a slow-measured tone (that duration of its recital) became more lengthy than the one longer than this.

Zuhri reported this hadith with the same chain of transmitters, except this that he made a mention of one year or two years.

Jabir b. Samura reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed (Nafl) prayer sitting before his death.

It was narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said: The prayer observed by a person sitting is half of the prayer. I came to him (ﷺ) and found him praying in a sitting position. I placed my hand on his head. He said: O 'Abdullah b. 'Amr, what is the matter with you? I said: Messenger of Allah, it has been narrated to me that you said: The prayer of a man in a sitting position is half of the prayer, whereas you are observing prayer sitting. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes, it is so, but I am not like anyone amongst you.

A hadith like this has been narrated by Abu Yahya al-A'raj with the same chain of transmitters.