His worship and his night vigil ﷺ

His diligence ﷺ in worship

Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'The Prophet ﷺ stood until his feet became swollen. It was said to him: Do you put yourself to this strain when Allah has forgiven you your past and future sins? He said: Should I not be a thankful servant!' — [al-Bukhari] [Muslim] [al-Tirmidhi fi al-Shama'il]

• He ﷺ would stand in prayer at night until his feet became swollen — [Muttafaqun 'alayh]
• He would sleep at the beginning of the night and then rise; when it reached the time before dawn he would pray Witr — [al-Bukhari] [Muslim]
• He would usually pray eleven rak'ahs of the night prayer — [al-Bukhari] (narrated from Aisha)
• If he did not pray at night he would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day — [Muslim]

His ﷺ prayers at night

Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: 'I spent the night at my maternal aunt Maimunah's house. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke up, wiped the sleep from his face, then recited the final ten verses of Sura Āl 'Imrān, then went to a suspended water-skin and performed ablution from it, completing his wudu well, then stood to pray.' He prayed two rak'ahs, then two, then two, then two, then two, then two, then Witr — [al-Bukhari] [Muslim]

• He would begin the night vigil with two light rak'ahs — [Muslim]
• His bowing, his prostration, and his standing after rising were equal in length
• He would say in his bowing: 'Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent' and in his prostration: 'Glory be to my Lord, the Most High'
• When he finished Witr he would lie down on his right side — [al-Bukhari] [Muslim]

His ﷺ fasting and other acts of worship

He ﷺ would fast so much that people would say he never broke his fast, and he would break his fast so much that people would say he never fasted. When something distressed him he would hasten to prayer. He increased the remembrance of Allah in all his conditions and sought forgiveness more than seventy times a day.

• He used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays and said: 'Indeed deeds are presented on these days'
• He fasted frequently in Sha'ban out of reverence for the month in which deeds are raised
• He would seek forgiveness more than seventy times in a single sitting
• When he was troubled by something he would hasten to prayer — [Ahmad]
• He would remember Allah at all times — [Muslim] (narrated from Aisha)