I Spy (Hadith No. 117)

Salam,
Bismillah.

We know of all kinds of spies in today’s world, thanks to movies. There’s intelligence, top secret confidential government stuff and the spy kids. Here we have a spy kid, but he’s after something really unusual. Something the intelligence wouldn’t be interested in. It’s how the Prophet (SAW) spends his night. ;)
This was Ibn ‘Abbas’s great idea: he called up his aunt Maimuna (the wife of the Prophet) and asked her to let him stay over at her place when the Prophet (SAW) visited her. Reason being, he would stay up all night and sneakily spy on the Prophet (SAW) to see how he spent the night at home. She allowed and this is what happened..

Volume 1, Book 3, Number 117:

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:

I stayed overnight in the house of my aunt Maimuna bint Al-Harith (the wife of the Prophet ) while the Prophet was there with her during her night turn. The Prophet offered the ‘Isha’ prayer (in the mosque), returned home and after having prayed four Rakat, he slept. Later on he got up at night and then asked whether the boy (or he used a similar word) had slept? Then he got up for the prayer and I stood up by his left side but he made me stand to his right and offered five Rakat followed by two more Rakat. Then he slept and I heard him snoring and then (after a while) he left for the (Fajr) prayer.

It might sound weird to some of the readers, but it was a matter of interest for most of the companions of the Prophet (SAW). As they saw him during the day, they knew how he dealt with his friends and other people. But to see how he spent his night and dealt with his family, one had to take such a step. And Ibn ‘Abbas proved bold enough. :)

Lesson: Don’t spy on other people, unless it’s an awesome person. ;)

Wassalam.