Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) Spending the Night with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in order to Learn the Tahajjud Salaah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)

The uncle of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Hazrat ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), desired that his son, Hazrat Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma), spend the night with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and benefit from his blessed company.

In the narration of Muslim Shareef and Tahaawi Shareef, Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) mentions that his father, Hazrat Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), instructed him to spend the night with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) at the home of his aunt, Hazrat Maimoonah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), in order to observe and learn how Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would perform his tahajjud salaah. Hazrat Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) told his son, Hazrat Abdullah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), to learn the manner in which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) performs his tahajjud salaah and inform him regarding it (so that he may be able to perform his tahajjud salaah according to the sunnah method).

Hazrat Ibnu Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) explains:

“I spent the night at the home of my aunt, Hazrat Maimoonah (radiyallahu ‘anha), to observe the tahajjud salaah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) awoke during the night and went to relieve himself. He then washed his face and hands and went back to sleep.

“Thereafter, he woke up again and went to the leather water bag. He untied the string to allow the water to come out and then performed wudhu. While making wudhu, he did not use a lot of water, but he performed a perfect wudhu. Thereafter, he commenced performing his Salaah.

“I woke up and then performed wudhu. Thereafter, I stood next to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) on his left side (to join him in the salaah). While performing salaah, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), with his one hand, held my ear and from behind him, he gently moved me to his right side.

“Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) performed thirteen rakaats salaah on that night. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made the following dua during the tahajjud salaah:

‘O Allah! Place noor in my heart, noor in my sight, noor in my hearing, noor on my right, noor on my left, noor above me, noor beneath me, noor in front of me, noor behind me, and grant me noor (in everything I do).’”

(Saheeh Bukhaari #6316, Saheeh Muslim #763 & Sharhu Maanil Aathaar #1702)