Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ شَرِيكِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي نَمِرٍ، عَنْ كُرَيْبٍ، عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ : بِتُّ لَيْلَةً عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأَنْظُرَ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَقَامَ فَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ قِيَامُهُ مِثْلُ رُكُوعِهِ، وَرُكُوعُهُ مِثْلُ سُجُودِهِ، ثُمَّ نَامَ، ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَتَوَضَّأَ وَاسْتَنَّ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ بِخَمْسِ آيَاتٍ مِنْ آلِ عِمْرَانَ { إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ } فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَفْعَلُ هَذَا حَتَّى صَلَّى عَشْرَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى سَجْدَةً وَاحِدَةً فَأَوْتَرَ بِهَا، وَنَادَى الْمُنَادِي عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ، فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدَ مَا سَكَتَ الْمُؤَذِّنُ فَصَلَّى سَجْدَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ حَتَّى صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ : خَفِيَ عَلَىَّ مِنِ ابْنِ بَشَّارٍ بَعْضُهُ .
I spent a night with the Prophet (ﷺ) to see how he prayed. He got up, performed ablution and prayed two rak'ahs. His standing was like his bowing (i.e. equal in duration), and his bowing was like his prostration (equal in length). Then he slept. Afterwards he awoke, performed ablution, and used tooth-stick. He then recited five verses from Surah Al-'Imran : "In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day". He went on doing so till he prayed ten rak'ahs. He then stood up and prayed one rak'ah observing witr with it. In the meantime the mu'adhdhin called to prayer. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up after the mu'adhdhin had kept silent. He prayed two light rak'ahs and remained sitting till he offered the dawn prayer. Abu Dawud said: A part of the tradition transmitted by Ibn Bashshar remained hidden from me.