What did the Prophet (alaihi As-Salat wa As-Salam) offer when worshiping all night in the ten last days of ramadan?

Question

The Prophet (alaihi As-Salat wa As-Salam) used to worship all night during the last ten nights of Ramadan, what did he do in them? Like did he make part of it praying, part of it istighfar, part of it Dua, etc?

Answer 1

In the last ten days of Ramadan which would have a Laylat Al-Qader in one of them, the prophet (PBUH) used to do the following which are summarized in four points.

Firstly:

He used to stay awake at the whole night praying, supplicating Allah Almighty, seeking His forgiveness, and the likes.

Narrated by A'isha:

When the last ten days of Ramadan came, the Messenger of Allah Sallallaahu 'alayhi Wa Sallam - would stay up at night, wake up his family (to pray), strive hard, and tighten his waist belt.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• "strive hard" means worship Allah as he never did in the first 20 days of Ramadan.

• "tighten his waist belt" means to stay away from his women (wives) as to not have any sexual interaction with them.

Secondly:

He used to wake up his family members. For example, he used to knock at the door of Fatimah and ‘Ali during the night, saying:

Do you not get up to pray?

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Thirdly:

He used to stay in the mosque and worship Allah all night long. This is known as I'tikaf.

Narrated by A'isha:

The Prophet Sallallaahu `alayhi Wa Sallam used to observe i‘tikaf for ten days every Ramadan, and in the year in which he passed away, he observed i’tikaf for twenty days.

[Al-Bukhari]

Fourthly:

He used to seek Laylat Al-Qader to its importance and great value.

Allah Almighty says (the exact wording in Arabic):

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

The translation in what it means:

Laylat Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.

Surat Al-Qadr (97) — Verse 3

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Source in Arabic — Its translation in English