The Prophet’s practice in the last ten days of Ramadan

‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “When the last 10 days of Ramadan came, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would stay up all night, wake his family and gird his loins”. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim].
In the book of Imam Muslim the narration read: “He strove hard and girded his loins”. Imam Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “His staying all night was in worship and acts of obedience, and the reason he woke his family was for them to pray the optional night prayers, and girding his loins referred to him abstaining from sleeping with his wives”
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to strive hard (in worship) during the last 10 days of Ramadan in a way that he did not strive at any other times.” [Muslim]
Zaynab Bint Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “Whenever the last 10 nights of Ramadan came, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would not leave any member of his family who could physically pray the night prayers but would wake them up.” [At-Tirmithi]

The Way of the Prophet in I’tikaaf
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to do I’tikaaf(residing in the mosque with the intention of worship) during the last 10 days of Ramadanuntil he passed away, then his wives did I’tikaaf after him”
Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to do I’tikaaf during the last 10 days of Ramadan” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “When the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, wanted to do I’tikaaf, he would pray Fajr, then enter the place where he was to do I’tikaaf” [Al-Bukhari & Muslims]
Once the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, wanted to do I’tikaaf in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, so he commanded a small tent be placed for him in the mosque. Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, also commanded a tent be placed for her for I’tikaaf, and after that other wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, commanded likewise. After he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prayed the Fajr prayer he noticed the tents and commanded his tent to be removed and did not resume I’tikaaf the remaining part of Ramadan, and instead he went into I’tikaaf in the first 10 nights of the month of Shawwaal. This proves that he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, had a special isolated area away from the people for I’tikaaf that was enough only for him.
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to perform I’tikaaf every year in the month of Ramadan for 10 days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed in I’tikaaf for 20 days”. [Al-Bukhari]
Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Seek Laylatul-Qadr (i.e. the Night of Decree) in the last 10 days of Ramadan” [Al-Bukhari]
Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, did I’tikaaf during the first 10 days of Ramadan, then he did I’tikaaf during the middle 10 days in a Turkish tent [a circular structure] in which a mat was placed. He said: “So he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, took the mat in his hand and put it at the side of the tent, then he raised his head to speak to the people, so they came closer to him. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “I did I’tikaaf during the first 10 days, seeking this night, then I did I’tikaaf during the middle 10 days. Then someone came to me and told me that it is in the last 10 days, so whoever among you wants to do I’tikaaf, let him do so.” So the people did I’tikaaf with him. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “I was shown an odd-numbered night, in the morning of which I was prostrating in mud and water”. Then in the morning of the 21st, he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, got up to pray the Fajr prayer and it was raining; the roof of the mosque leaked, and there was mud and water. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, came out when he had finished praying, and there was mud and water on his forehead and nose. That was the morning of the 21st, one of the last 10 days. [Muslim]
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever stays up praying during Laylatul-Qadr (i.e. in prayer) out of faith and in the hope of Allah’s reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “When the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was in I’tikaaf, he inclined his head towards me and I combed his hair whilst I was on my menses inside my room (i.e. which overlooked the mosque), and he did not enter the house except for a need (i.e. relieving himself).” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would walk his wives back home if any of them visited him in the mosque during I’tikaaf.
Al-Husayn Ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “Safiyyah the wife of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, came and visited him during his I’tikaaf in the mosque during the last 10 days of Ramadan. She spoke with him for a while, then she stood up to go home. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, stood up with her to walk her back, then when she reached the door of the mosque, by the door of Umm Salamah, two men of the Ansaar passed by and greeted the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and rapidly moved away. The Prophet said to them: “Wait, this is Safiyyah bint Huyay.” They said: “SubhaanAllah, O Messenger of Allah!” They felt distressed (that he thought they might think something bad). The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The devil is as close to a man as his blood.” In another report: “The devil flows through the veins of a man like blood. I was afraid that the devil might cast some evil ideas into your hearts.”[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Whenever the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was in I’tikaaf, a mat would be placed for him and a bed, and if he went out to use the bathroom, he would not talk to anyone, and his I’tikaaf area was small, unlike what some ignorant people do by making their area fit 10 people so that they can receive visitors. This is contrary to the manner of the Prophet’s I’tikaaf”.
Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/