two rak‘ahs, prolonging the standing, bowing, and prostration in both, and including two standings and two bowings in each rak‘ah. Accordingly, more frequent bowing and prostration are better than prolonged standing without prolonged bowing and prostration. But prolonging the standing, bowing, and prostration is better than prolonging the standing alone, and better than performing more bowings, prostrations, and standings within the same amount of time.
The discussion concerns a fixed period of time—a third, half, or sixth of the night, or an hour—and which of these approaches is better. In the two Sahīhs, Umm Hāni’ said, concerning the eight rak‘ahs he prayed on the day of the conquest:
“I never saw him offer a briefer prayer than this, yet he performed the bowing and prostration fully.”
In a version narrated by Muslim:
“Then he stood and prayed eight rak‘ahs. I do not know whether his standing, bowing, or prostration was longest; they were all nearly equal.”
This shows that he prolonged the bowing and prostration almost as much as the standing, and that her statement, “I never saw him offer a briefer prayer than this,” was an account of what she herself had witnessed. Umm Hāni’ was not in his company in every circumstance. Perhaps she meant to rule out a greater number of rak‘ahs, for he never prayed eight rak‘ahs together more briefly than these. His night prayer was longer than that, and during the day he never prayed eight consecutive rak‘ahs. Rather, he would offer the obligatory prayer, praying two rak‘ahs after Zuhr and four or two before it. Or perhaps he shortened this prayer because time was limited, for he offered it during the day while occupied with the affairs of the conquest of Mecca