The Prophet (ﷺ) attached great importance to the Tahajjud prayer.

أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ الصَّلاَةُ فِى جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ

“After the obligatory prayers, the best prayer is that of the late night.” —Sahih Muslim (1163), Sunan an-Nasa’i (1614), Musnad Ishaq ibn Rahuya (276).

If for some reason he could not perform it at night, he would do so during the day.

كَانَ إِذَا غَلَبَهُ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً

“If sleep or pain overcame him so that he missed the night prayer, he would offer twelve rak‘ahs during the day.” —Sahih Muslim (746), Sunan Abi Dawud (1342), Sunan at-Tirmidhi (445).

Generally, he slept after ‘Isha and then woke up to perform the Tahajjud prayer.

كَانُوا قَلِيلاً مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُون

“They used to sleep very little of the night.” —Surah adh-Dhariyat, Ayah: 17.

وَبِالأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُون

“And in the pre-dawn hours, they would seek forgiveness.” —Surah adh-Dhariyat, Ayah: 18.

He slept until about halfway through the night (or slightly before or after), then woke up to pray.

فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‘ حَتَّى انْتَصَفَ اللَّيْلُ أَوْ قَبْلَهُ بِقَلِيلٍ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ بِقَلِيلٍ اسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‘ ... فَتَوَضَّأَ مِنْهَا فَأَحْسَنَ وُضُوءَهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) slept until the middle of the night or a little before or after that. Then he woke up... performed a good wudu, and stood up to pray.” —Sahih al-Bukhari (992), Sahih Muslim (763), Muwatta Malik (396).

He would also pray Tahajjud while traveling. —Zad al-Ma‘ad (1/313), Sahih Muslim (1808).

The number of rak‘ahs for Tahajjud was not fixed; sometimes he prayed eight, sometimes six, or four.

—Sahih al-Bukhari (1140, 1159, 1139), Sahih Muslim (724).

The Prophet (ﷺ) would perform the Witr prayer along with his Tahajjud. He sometimes prayed it in the first part of the night, sometimes in the middle, and sometimes in the last part.

مِنْ كُلِّ اللَّيْلِ قَدْ أَوْتَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ‘ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ، وَأَوْسَطِهِ، وَآخِرِهِ، فَانْتَهَى وِتْرُهُ إِلَى السَّحَرِ

“Throughout the night, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sometimes performed Witr in the early part, or the middle, or the later part, until his Witr ended just before dawn (sahar).” —Sahih Muslim (745), Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (6828), Sunan an-Nasa’i (1681).

However, he said it is best to pray Witr in the last part of the night if one hopes to wake up then.

وَمَنْ طَمِعَ أَنْ يَقُومَ آخِرَهُ، فَلْيُوتِرْ آخِرَ اَللَّيْلِ، فَإِنَّ صَلَاةَ آخِرِ اَللَّيْلِ مَشْهُودَةٌ، وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ

“Whoever expects to rise in the last part of the night, let him make his Witr then, for the prayer at that hour is witnessed (by the angels), and it is the best.” —Sahih Muslim (755), Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (6771).

He advised the Companions to make Witr the final prayer of the night.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Make Witr your last prayer at night.' —Sahih al-Bukhari (998), Sahih Muslim (751).

He would pray three rak‘ahs of Witr.

إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ‘ كَانَ يُوتِرُ بِثَلاثٍ

“The Prophet (ﷺ) performed Witr with three rak‘ahs.” —(Sahih) Musnad Ahmad (2720), Sunan an-Nasa’i (1702, 1707), Sharh Ma‘anil Athar (1/202).

In these three rak‘ahs, he sat after two (Tashahhud) but did not say salam, then stood for the third.

فِيْ كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ التَّحِيَّةُ

“Every two rak‘ahs has Tashahhud.” —Sahih Muslim (498), Musnad Ahmad (24076), Sahih Ibn Hibban (1768).

In the third rak‘ah, he recited Du‘a Qunūt before Ruku‘.

إِنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللَّهِ ‘ كَانَ يُوتِرُ، فَيَقْنُتُ قَبْلَ الرُّكُوعِ

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would offer Witr and recite Qunūt before Ruku‘.” —(Sahih) Sunan Ibn Majah (1182), Sunan an-Nasa’i (1699).

The Companions learned Qunūt from the Prophet (ﷺ). They would raise their hands before Qunūt.

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ فِي آخِرِ رَكْعَةٍ مِنَ الْوِتْرِ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ وَيَقْنُتُ قَبْلَ الرَّكْعَةِ

“From ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who would recite Surah al-Ikhlas in the final rak‘ah of Witr, then raise his hands before the Ruku‘ and recite Qunūt.” —(Hasan) Juz’ Raf‘ al-Yadayn by al-Bukhari (163), Sunan al-Bayhaqi (3/41).

The Du‘a Qunūt recited is as follows:

اللَّهُمَّ إنَّا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ، وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَفْجُرُكَ، اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي وَنَسْجُدُ، وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ، وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ، إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ

—Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (6965, 7104), Sharh Ma‘anil Athar (1/177), Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq (4978).

He would end the Witr prayer with Salam after the third rak‘ah.

كَانَ رسولُ الله ‘ يُوتِرُ بِثَلاَثٍ، لاَ يُسَلِّمُ إِلاَّ فِي آخِرِهِنَّ

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Witr in three rak‘ahs, not saying Salam until the last of them.” —(Sahih) Mustadrak al-Hakim (1140), Sunan an-Nasa’i (1698), Sharh Ma‘anil Athar (1/197).

In Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) sometimes prayed Witr in congregation for a few days.

—Sunan at-Tirmidhi (805), Muwatta Malik (380).

Sometimes, he performed two brief rak‘ahs after Witr, sitting and reciting lightly.

إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ‘ كَانَ يُصَلِّي بَعْدَ الْوِتْرِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ

“Indeed, the Prophet (ﷺ) would sometimes pray two light rak‘ahs, seated, after Witr.” —(Sahih) Sunan Ibn Majah (1195), Sunan at-Tirmidhi (470), Sunan Abi Dawud (1352); cf. Sahih Muslim (746).

The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged night prayers (Qiyam) in Ramadan (i.e., after ‘Isha), known as Tarawih.

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‘ يُرَغِّبُ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُمْ فِيهِ بِعَزِيمَةٍ

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would encourage them to stand in Ramadan’s nights, without making it obligatory.” —Sahih Muslim (759), Sunan at-Tirmidhi (807), Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah (2207).

He prayed Tarawih in congregation for a few nights. From the Companions’ statements and practice, it is established that Tarawih was twenty rak‘ahs.