Muwatta 486

A report that Malik transmits from Abu al-Zinad from al-A'raj from Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him), in the chapter on encouragement to pray: when one of them sleeps, the devil ties three knots on the crown of his head, striking each knot with: "The night is long for you, so sleep". If he wakes and remembers God, one knot is undone; if he performs ablution, another; if he prays, the knots are all undone, and he rises alert and content. Otherwise he rises wicked-souled and lazy. The editor cites al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban, Abu Awana, al-Tahawi and al-Bayhaqi from Malik's transmitters, and refers to al-Tamhid. ^{1 2}

Belongs to the Muwatta, Book of Prayer. Source: the Muwatta. Mentions Muhammad, Abu Hurayra, Abdullah ibn Dhakwan Abu al-Zinad and Abd al-Rahman ibn Hormuz al-A'raj. Built on in the chapters on prayer and ablution.