I said to Umm Muiminin Ayesha, "Tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."She replied, "Do you not read the Quran?"I said, "Yes, I do."She said, "The character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the Quran."He said, I was about to get up, but then I thought of something else and said to her, "Tell me about the night prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."She replied, "Do you not read this surah, "O you who is wrapped in garments" [Muzzammil 73:1]?"I said, "Yes, I do."She said, "Allah made the night prayer obligatory at the beginning of this surah, so the Prophet of Allah ﷺ and his companions stood in prayer for a full year until their feet became swollen. Allah withheld the closing portion of the surah for twelve months, then He sent down the relaxation at the end of the surah, so the night prayer became voluntary after having been obligatory."
قلت لأم المؤمنين عائشة: أنبئيني عن خلق رسول الله ﷺ، فقالت: أما تقرأ القرآن؟ قلت: بلى، قالت: فإن خلق رسول الله ﷺ كان القرآن. قال: فهممت أن أقوم فبدا لي فقلت لها: أنبئيني عن قيام رسول الله ﷺ، فقالت: أما تقرأ هذه السورة {يأيها المزمل}؟ قال: قلت بلى. قالت: فإن الله افترض القيام في أول هذه السورة، فقام نبي الله ﷺ وأصحابه حولا، حتى انتفخت أقدامهم، وأمسك الله خاتمتها اثنى عشر شهرا، ثم أنزل الله التخفيف في آخر السورة، فصار قيام الليل تطوعا بعد فريضة.
Muslim recorded it in the chapter on the prayer of travelers (746) via Abdul-Razzaq, and it is also in his Musannaf (4714), from Umar, from Qatada, from Zurara bin Awfa, from Saad bin Hisham bin Amir, who mentioned it in a long hadith, as will come later in the comprehensive chapter on the Prophet's ﷺ night prayer. This is what Ibn Abbas's statement points to regarding Allah's saying in Surah Muzzammil, "Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little" [Muzzammil 73:2], which was abrogated by the verse that says, "He knows that you will not be able to do it, and He has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy for you of the Quran" [Muzzammil 73:20]. And "the rising of the night" [Muzzammil 73:6] refers to its beginning.Their prayer used to be at the beginning of the night, meaning it was more fitting for them to properly carry out what Allah had made obligatory upon them of night prayer, since when a person sleeps, he does not know when he will wake up. And His saying, "and more upright in speech" [Muzzammil 73:6], means it is more conducive to understanding the Quran. And His saying, "Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation" [Muzzammil 73:7], means ample free time.Abu Dawud narrated it (1304) from Ahmad bin Muhammad Marwazi bin Shabuwayh, [who said] Ali bin Husayn told me, from his father, from Yazid Nahwi, from Ikrima, from Ibn Abbas, mentioning it. Its chain is hasan because of the criticism directed at Ali bin Husayn, who is Ibn Waqid. Nasai and others criticized him, while others accepted him, though he does not fall below the rank of hasan. As for Yazid Nahwi, he is Ibn Abu Saeed Marwazi, and he is trustworthy.He said, "When the beginning of Muzzammil was revealed, they used to stand [in prayer] similarly to how they stood during Ramadan, until its final part was revealed, and there was a year between its beginning and its end."Abu Dawud narrated it (1305) from Ahmad bin Muhammad, meaning Marwazi, [who said] Waki told us, from Masaar, from Simak Hanafi, from Ibn Abbas, mentioning something similar. Its chain is hasan because of Simak Hanafi, who is Ibn Walid Abu Zumayl. Ahmad, Ibn Main, and others deemed him trustworthy. Abu Hatim said, "He is truthful." Nasai said, "There is no harm in him." I say, his hadith is hasan. Hakim also recorded it (2/505) via Masaar with the same chain and said, "The chain is sahih."This ruling is specific to the nation of Muhammad ﷺ, for there is no disagreement among the scholars that night prayer is not obligatory. Shafii, may Allah have mercy on him, argued, citing Allah's saying, "so tahajjud with it, as an addition for you" [Isra 17:79], that this abrogated the obligation of standing in prayer for the night, and half of it, and a third of it, and whatever was easy, in Al-Risalah (p. 116).However, disagreement arose among the early scholars regarding the Prophet ﷺ himself, as to whether it was obligatory upon him or not. Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said, and this is a summary of his words, "Both groups cited as evidence Allah's saying, 'and during part of the night, tahajjud with it, as an addition for you' [Isra 17:79]. They said, this is explicit in showing the absence of obligation. And the others said, 'He commanded him to perform tahajjud in this surah just as He commanded him in His saying, "O you wrapped [in your clothing]" [Muzzammil 73:1], and nothing came to abrogate this from him. As for Allah's saying, "as an addition for you" [Isra 17:79], if voluntary worship had been meant by it, He would not have singled him out with it being an addition specifically for him. Rather, what is meant by "addition" here is increase, and mere increase does not indicate voluntariness. Allah says, "and We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob, in addition" [Anbiya 21:72], meaning in addition to his son. Likewise, the addition in the Prophet's ﷺ tahajjud was an increase in his ranks and in his reward, and this is why he was singled out with it. For night prayer, with regard to others, is permissible and expiates sins, whereas the Prophet ﷺ, Allah had already forgiven him what came before of his sin and what would come after, so he was striving for an increase in ranks and an elevation in status, while others were striving for expiation.'"Then he, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "The point is that the 'addition' in the verse does not refer to something one may do or leave, like the recommended or encouraged acts. Rather, what is meant by it is an increase in ranks, and this is a quality shared between the obligatory and the recommended. So His saying, 'as an addition for you' [Isra 17:79], does not negate what the command indicates of obligation."See Zad Mad (1/322–323).