and in Sharḥ al-Iqnāʿ it is stated: “The prayers of both night and day are two by two—that is, one concludes with the salām after every two rakʿahs—because of the marfūʿ report from Ibn ʿUmar: ‘The prayer of the night and day is two by two’ (recorded by the Five). This does not conflict with the ḥadīth that singles out the night prayer—‘The night prayer is two by two’ (agreed upon)—for that wording came in response to a specific question posed by the inquirer. Moreover, the general texts that permit four rakʿahs at once do not negate the merit of separating the units with the salām.”

3 – As for the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah, it shows that the most virtuous of the supererogatory prayers is the night prayer: it is farther removed from ostentation, it offers a special clarity in intimate communion with Allah, and it is performed at a time when people are resting in their beds; obeying Allah at such a moment therefore carries great reward. The Exalted says, “Their sides forsake their beds as they call upon their Lord in fear and hope” (al-Sajdah 32:16), and during the night there is an hour in which supplications are answered.

Shaykh al-Islām said: “The best prayer after the obligatory ones is the night vigil,” citing the report narrated by Muslim and others from Abū Hurayrah in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The best prayer after the prescribed ones is the night prayer.”

Likewise, al-Tirmidhī (3594), al-Nasāʾī (572), and al-Ḥākim (1/395) report that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The servant is never closer to the Lord than in the depths of the night; so if you are able to be among those who remember Allah at that hour, then do so.”

Muslim (757) also relates that he ﷺ said, “In the night there is an hour which, if a Muslim happens to meet it while asking Allah for any good, He will surely grant it to him.”