The number of Rak`ahs of Optional Night Salah

The Optional Night Salah is ascertained by two Rak`ahs; Ibn `Abbas said in the explanation of Allah's Saying: "And those who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing." [Surat Al Furqan: 64], he whoever offers two Rak`ahs or more after `Isha' Salah shall be recorded as being prostrating and standing for Salah all night.[1]

Fadalah ibn `Ubayd and Tamim Ad-Dary (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever recites ten Ayahs in Qiyam a Qintar [amount of reward] shall be written for him and a Qintar shall be better than the world and all that on it. When it is the Day of Recompense, your Lord (may He be Glorified and Exalted) would say: Recite and rise a degree by each Ayah you read until a person reaches the last Ayah he memorizes. Then Allah (Glory be to Him) shall say to a person: Hold. A servant says with his hand: O lord, you are the Most-Knowledgeable. He will say: In this [hand] you will find immortality and in this [hand] you will find the bliss."[2]

Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When a man awakens his wife during the night and they both perform two Rak`ah Salah together, they are recorded among the men and women who celebrate remembrance of Allah."[3]

Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) exhorted a man to awaken his wife and a wife to awaken her husband for Optional Night Salah, and invoked Allah with mercy for the one who does so. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "May Allah show mercy to a man who gets up during the night and performs Salah, awakens his wife to pray if she refuses, he should sprinkle water on her face. May Allah show mercy to a woman who gets up during the night and performs Salah, awakens her husband for the same purpose; if he refuses, she would sprinkle water on his face."[4]