Page:Selections from Muhammadan Traditions - tr. William Goldsack (1923).djvu/74

54 knowest better than I. Thou art the Beginning and the End. There is no God but Thee, and there is no God beside Thee."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.

It is related from ʿÁyesha that she said, 'When the Apostle of God used to wake at night, he would say, "There is no God but Thee. Adoration and praise be to Thee. O God, I ask pardon of Thee for my sin, and I supplicate Thy mercy. O God, increase me in knowledge, and lead not my heart astray after that Thou hast guided me. And bestow on me mercy from Thyself, for Thou art the Giver."'—Abú Dáud.

It is related from Abú Hurairah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "Satan ties three knots on the back of the head of each one of you when he goes to sleep, and repeats over each knot the words, 'The night is long for thee, therefore take thy sleep.' And if the man wakes up and remembers God, then one of the knots becomes unloosed; and if he performs the ablutions, another knot becomes unloosed; and if he engage in prayer, the remaining knot becomes unloosed, and he rises from sleep in the morning with gladness and a pure mind; otherwise he rises with an impure mind and void of energy."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.

It is related from Al Mughíra that he said, 'The Prophet stood (at night prayers) until his feet swelled. Therefore it was said to him, "Why dost thou act thus, when the sins thou hast committed heretofore and those thou wilt commit hereafter are all forgiven?" He replied, "Shall I not be a grateful servant?"'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.

It is related from ʿAbduʾlláh bin ʿOmar that, 'The Apostle of God said, "The prayer most precious in the sight of God was the prayer of David, and the fasts most precious to God were the fasts of David. He used to sleep half the night, and then rise for one-third of the night, and then sleep one-sixth of it. And he used to fast a day and then abstain from fasting for a day."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.

It is related from Abú Umámah that, 'The Apostle of God said, "You ought to rise at night (for prayer), for verily that was the practice of the righteous who lived before you. And it is