1325 — Ibn Hanbal — meaning Ahmad — narrated to us, Hajjaj narrated to us, he said: Ibn Jurayj said: Uthman ibn Abi Sulayman informed me, from Ali al-Azdi, from Ubayd ibn Umayr, from Abdullah ibn Hubshi al-Khath'ami, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked: "Which deeds are most virtuous?" He said: "Length of standing (in prayer)."(1)

312 — Chapter: The night prayer is (offered) two by two

1326 — Al-Qa'nabi narrated to us, from Malik, from Nafi' and Abdullah ibn Dinar, from Abdullah ibn Umar: that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about the night prayer, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The night prayer is (offered) two by two, and if one of you fears the dawn, let him pray one rak'ah, which will make odd (witr) what he has already prayed."(2)

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(1) Its chain is strong, but the correct wording is what we will cite from the narrations of Ahmad and al-Nasa'i, God willing. Ali al-Azdi — who is Ali ibn Abdullah al-Bariqi — Muslim narrated one hadith from him, and Ibn Adi said: There is no harm in him. The rest of his narrators are trustworthy. Al-Hafiz strengthened his chain in the biography of Abdullah ibn Hubshi in "al-Isabah." Hajjaj: he is Ibn Muhammad al-A'war, and Ibn Jurayj: he is Abd al-Malik ibn Abd al-Aziz.
It was also narrated at length by al-Nasa'i in "al-Kubra" (2317) from Abd al-Wahhab ibn al-Hakam al-Warraq, from Hajjaj ibn Muhammad, with this chain.
Except that he said in it: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked: Which deeds are most virtuous? He said: "Faith without doubt, jihad without treachery, and an accepted Hajj." It was said: Then which prayer is most virtuous? He said: "Length of standing (qunut)."
It is likewise in "Musnad Ahmad" (15401). It appears that Abu Dawud abridged it, and an error occurred in his abridgment. God Almighty knows best. It was also narrated with this wording that Abd al-Wahhab ibn al-Hakam and Ahmad narrated in his "Musnad": Harun ibn Abdullah al-Hammal, according to al-Nasa'i in "al-Mujtaba" (4986).
Muslim (756) and (165) narrated from the hadith of Jabir ibn Abdullah with the wording: "Which prayer is most virtuous?" He said: "Length of standing (qunut)."
It will come at length under number 1449.
(2) Its chain is authentic. Al-Qa'nabi: he is Abdullah ibn Maslamah.