1. Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Rehmatullah Alaihi is the famous founder of one of the four schools of Islamic law. Besides being engaged in his usual work, he used to offer daily three hundred Rakaats of Nafil Salaah. After he was whipped by the king for refusal to submit to the royal order, he became very weak and reduced his routine Nafil Salaah to one hundred and fifty Rakaats. We should not forget that he was eighty at that time.
2. Imam al-Shaafi Rehmatullah Alaihi, the eminent founder of another school of Islamic law, used to finish reciting the Quran sixty times in his Salaah during Ramadan. A person narrates, “I remained with Imam al-Shaafi for several days and found him sleeping only for a while at night.”
3. Imam Abu Hanifah Rehmatullah Alaihi is famous for his nightly Salaah. It is said that for thirty, forty or fifty years (according to the information of different narrators) he offered his Fajr Salaah with the Wudu of Isha. He would go to sleep only for a few minutes in the afternoon saying, “It is Sunnah to sleep in the afternoon.”
4. It is said about Saeed Ibn al-Musayyab Rehmatullah Alaihi that, for fifty years, he offered his Fajr Salaah with the Wudu’ performed at Isha. Abu al-Mutamar is said to have done this for forty years. Imam al-Ghazali Rehmatullah Alaihi on the authority of Abu Taalib al-Makki reported the same practice by no less than forty Taabiees, some of whom had been doing it for forty years continuously.
5. Muhammad Ibn Nasr Rehmatullah Alaihi is a famous Hadith scholar. His devotion to Salaah had no parallel. Once while in Salaah, he was stung on his forehead by a wasp, and although blood came out, neither did he stir nor did he allow it to disturb his devotion in Salaah. It is said that in Salaah, he stood motionless like a stick planted in the ground.
6. It is reported about Baqee Ibn al-Mukhallad Rehmatullah Alaihi that he used to recite the complete Quran every night in thirteen Rakaats of Tahajjud and witr Salaah.
7. Hannaad Rehmatullah Alaihi is a Hadith scholar. One of his pupils narrates, “Hannaad used to weep very much. One day after he had finished our lesson in the morning, he continued to offer Nafil Salaah till midday. He went to his place for a short interval and then returned for his Zuhr. He again engaged himself in Nafil Salaah till casr. Between casr and Maghrib he recited the Quran. I left him after Maghrib. I said to one of his neighbors, ‘Our sheikh does so much worship. It is really wonderful. He said, He has been doing this for the last seventy years. You will wonder still more if you see his worship during the night.’”
8. Masrooq Rehmatullah Alaihi is another Hadith scholar. His wife narrates, “He used to offer such long Rakaats that his legs would get swollen and I sat behind, weeping in pity for him.”
9. Abu Attaab al-Sulami Rehmatullah Alaihi is reported to have fasted during the day and wept during the night for full forty years.
10. It is said about a pious man who was a descendant of the Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) that continuously for twelve days he offered his Salaah with the same Wudu'. For fifteen years, his back had not touched the bed. He would also go without food for days together.
