“We fasted with the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—during Ramaḍān, and he did not lead us in prayer until seven (nights) of the month remained. Then he led us in prayer until a third of the night had passed. He did not lead us in prayer on the sixth (night), but on the fifth (night) he led us in prayer until half of the night had passed. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if only you had continued leading us in voluntary prayer for the remainder of this night.’ He said: ‘Indeed, whoever stands in prayer with the imām until he departs will have the reward of standing the entire night.’
Then he did not lead us in prayer until three nights of the month remained, so he led us in prayer on the third (night) and gathered his family and his wives, until we feared that we would miss al-falāḥ. I said: ‘And what is al-falāḥ?’ He replied: ‘The pre-dawn meal (suḥūr).’”

Narrated by Aḥmad (no. 21447), Abū Dāwūd (no. 1375), al-Tirmidhī (no. 806), and al-Nasāʾī in al-Kubrā (no. 1300), with the wording being his, and by Ibn Mājah (no. 1327), from the ḥadīth of Abū Dharr—may Allah be pleased with him.
Abū Dāwūd (no. 1375), with the wording being his, as well as Aḥmad (no. 21419), al-Nasāʾī (no. 1289), and Ibn Mājah (no. 1327) added: “Then he did not lead them in prayer for the remainder of the month.”
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 2417) and Ṣaḥīḥ Sunan al-Nasāʾī (nos. 1292, 1514).

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

This ḥadīth clarifies the intense eagerness of the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—for worship and their sincere desire to increase in goodness. It also illustrates the Prophet’s—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—practical guidance in standing for prayer during Ramaḍān, especially in its final ten nights.
In this ḥadīth, Abū Dharr—may Allah be pleased with him—says: “We fasted with the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—during Ramaḍān, and he did not lead us in prayer until seven (nights) of the month remained,” meaning that he did not lead them in the night prayer at the beginning of the month until seven nights were left before its end. This—assuming the month consisted of twenty-nine days—would begin with the night of the twenty-third, according to the Arab custom of counting the nights from the end of the month. When that night came, the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—stood with them in a lengthy night prayer until nearly a third of the night had passed. “Then he did not lead us in prayer on the sixth (night),” which is the night of the twenty-fourth. “But he led us in prayer on the fifth,” meaning that when it was the night of the twenty-fifth, “he led us in prayer until half of the night had passed,” that is, he prolonged the standing until half the night had elapsed. The Companions then hoped for an increase in goodness, so Abū Dharr said: “O Messenger of Allah, if only you had continued leading us in voluntary prayer for the remainder of this night,” meaning, if you had completed the night prayer for us until the end of the night.
The Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—responded to them with a great principle of virtue and facilitation, saying: “Whoever stands in prayer with the imām until he departs will have the reward of standing the entire night,” meaning that whoever remains in prayer with the imām until he finishes attains the reward of a complete night of prayer, even if he does not stand for the rest of the night. This is from Allah’s mercy and His facilitation for His servants. “Then he did not lead us in prayer until three (nights) of the month remained, so he led us in prayer on the third,” meaning that he—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—did not lead them in prayer on the sixth of the remaining nights, which is the night of the twenty-sixth. Then, when three nights remained of the month, he led them in prayer on the third of them, which is the night of the twenty-seventh. “And he gathered his family and his wives,” meaning that he woke his household for the night prayer, out of his eagerness—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—for attaining the virtue of Laylat al-Qadr. Abū Dharr said: “Until we feared that al-falāḥ would pass us by,” meaning that the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—prolonged the night prayer with them on that night to the extent that they feared missing the pre-dawn meal. It was called al-falāḥ because it assists in fasting, which leads to success in this world and the Hereafter.
In sum, the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—led his Companions in night prayer on the odd nights: on the night of the twenty-third until about a third of the night had passed, on the night of the twenty-fifth until about half of it had passed, and on the night of the twenty-seventh until the end of the night, such that they feared missing the pre-dawn meal. He then discontinued regular congregational night prayer, which is the meaning of his statement, “Then he did not lead them in prayer for the remainder of the month,” out of fear that night prayer might become obligatory upon the Ummah.
And in the ḥadīth there is an emphasis on the prescribed nature of standing in prayer on the odd nights of the last ten, as they are likely times for attaining Laylat al-Qadr; a recommendation to encourage one’s family to perform acts of obedience even when they are not obligatory; a clarification of the virtue of praying with the imām until he departs; and an indication of the legislated nature of the pre-dawn meal (suḥūr).