Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 1260
وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ خَافَ أَنْ لَا يَقُومَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ أَوَّلَهُ وَمَنْ طَمِعَ أَنْ يَقُومَ آخِرَهُ فَلْيُوتِرْ آخِرَ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ صَلَاةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَشْهُودَةٌ وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Jabir reported that the Messenger of God said: If anyone fears that he will not rise in the latter part of the night, let him pray witr at its beginning. If anyone hopes to rise in its latter part, let him pray witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed, and that is better. Muslim transmitted it.