Sahih Muslim 775
Sahih Muslim · Book 6: The Book of Prayer - Travellers · Encouragement to pray at night even if it is little
Husain b. 'Ali narrated on the authority of (his father) 'Ali b. Abu Talib that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came one night to see him ('Ali) and Fatimah (the daughter of the Holy Prophet) and said:
وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حُسَيْنٍ ، أَنَّ الْحُسَيْنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم طَرَقَهُ وَفَاطِمَةَ فَقَالَ " أَلاَ تُصَلُّونَ " . فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا أَنْفُسُنَا بِيَدِ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَنَا بَعَثَنَا . فَانْصَرَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ قُلْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ سَمِعْتُهُ وَهُوَ مُدْبِرٌ يَضْرِبُ فَخِذَهُ وَيَقُولُ " وَكَانَ الإِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَىْءٍ جَدَلاً " .
Don't you observe (Tahajjud) prayer? I ('Ali) said: Messenger of Allah, verily our souls are in the hands of Allah and when He wants to awaken us, He awakens us. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went back when I said this to him. He was striking his hand on his thigh while returning, and I heard him say: Verily the man disputes with many things.