Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari 1139
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ وَثَّابٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ عَنْ صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِاللَّيْلِ. فَقَالَتْ سَبْعٌ وَتِسْعٌ وَإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ سِوَى رَكْعَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Masruq said: I asked ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the Messenger of Allah’s night prayer. She replied: ‘Seven, nine, or eleven, apart from the two rak‘ahs of Fajr.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
فَقَالَتْ سَبْعٌ وَتِسْعٌ وَإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ سِوَى رَكْعَتَىِ الْفَجْرِ.
The Arabic lists three figures joined by ‘or’; it is not explicit whether these indicate different reported totals or alternatives in a single practice.
Should the numbers remain a direct list of alternatives, as translated, without supplying an interpretation of their relationship?