Abdul-Rahman bin Abdul-Qari reported,

During the time of Umar bin Khattab, he was in charge of the treasury along with Abdullah bin Arqam. He reported that Umar went out one night in Ramadan, and Abdul-Rahman bin Abdul-Qari went out with him. They walked through the mosque and found the people praying in scattered groups. One man prayed by himself, while another prayed and a small group followed him in prayer.Umar said, "By Allah, I think if I gathered these people behind one reciter, it would be better." He then resolved to do so, and ordered Ubayy bin Kaab to lead them in prayer during Ramadan.Umar later went out to them while the people were praying behind their reciter, and he said, "What a fine innovation this is. But the prayer they sleep through is better than the one they perform," meaning the prayer at the latter part of the night. The people, however, used to perform it at the beginning of the night.They would invoke curses upon the disbelievers in the middle of the prayer, saying, "O Allah, fight the disbelievers who turn people away from Your path, who deny Your messengers, and who do not believe in Your promise. Cause discord among them, cast terror into their hearts, and send down upon them Your punishment and torment, O God of Truth." Then he would send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, pray for the Muslims with whatever good he could, and seek forgiveness for the believers.The narrator said, when he finished cursing the disbelievers, sending blessings upon the Prophet, seeking forgiveness for the believing men and women, and making his supplications, he would say, "O Allah, You alone we worship, to You we pray and prostrate, to You we strive and hasten, we hope for Your mercy, our Lord, and we fear Your serious punishment. Indeed, Your punishment will overtake those You oppose." Then he would say the takbir and descend into prostration.

عن عبد الرحمن بن عبد القاري

- وكان في عهد عمر بن الخطاب مع عبد الله بن الأرقم على بيت المال- أن عمر خرج ليلة في رمضان، فخرج معه عبد الرحمن بن عبد القاري، فطاف بالمسجد، وأهل المسجد أوزاع متفرقون، يصلي الرجل لنفسه، ويصلي الرجل فيصلي بصلاته الرهط، فقال عمر: والله إني أظن لو جمعنا هؤلاء على قارئ واحد لكان أمثل، ثم عزم عمر على ذلك، وأمر أبي بن كعب أن يقوم لهم في رمضان، فخرج عمر عليهم، والناس يصلون بصلاة قارئهم فقال عمر: نعم البدعة هي، والتي تنامون عنها أفضل من التي تقومون- يريد آخر الليل- فكان الناس يقومون أوله، وكانوا يلعنون الكفرة في النصف: اللهم قاتل الكفرة الذين يصدون عن سبيلك، ويكذبون رسلك، ولا يؤمنون بوعدك، وخالف بين كلمتهم، وألق في قلوبهم الرعب، وألق عليهم رجزك وعذابك إله الحق، ثم يصلي على النبي ﷺ، ويدعو للمسلمين بما استطاع من خير، ثم يستغفر للمؤمنين. قال: وكان يقول إذا فرغ من لعنة الكفرة وصلاته على النبي واستغفاره للمؤمنين والمؤمنات ومسألته: اللهم إياك نعبد، ولك نصلي ونسجد، وإليك نسعى ونحفد، ونرجو رحمتك ربنا، ونخاف عذابك الجد، إن عذابك لمن عاديت ملحق، ثم يكبر ويهوى ساجدا.