Questions about prayer

wa alaykum as salaam wa rahma!

Thank you for your question! Eight rakats are prayed in twos and afterwards followed by three rakats witr. [Ref. Majmu' Imam Zayd and Ahkaam]. As for the tasbeeh of ruku and sujuud, the minimum is three times. You can recite it three, five, seven, or nine times. Anything less than three or more than nine necessitates the sajda as-sahwi. [Ref. Taaj al-Mudhhab]

I would advise you to listen to the audio fiqh classes here as it would answer many of your questions.

And Allah knows best!

IRS

wa alaykum as salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Thank you for your questions! The qiyaam al layl is performed after Isha, specifically after a third of the night has passed until the dawn. The manner of it is like any other prayer: you recite the ta'awudh and tawajjuh before the takbeerat al-Ihraam, you intend the specific type of prayer before the takbeerat al-Ihraam, you avoid those things which invalidate the prayer, etc.

As for the question of Mohammed89_, you only raise your hands at the beginning. You don't raise them again until after the prayer. You raise them to the earlobes.

And Allah knows best!

IRS