'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray eleven rak'ahs at night, observing the Witr with a single rak'ah, and when he had finished them, he lay down on his right side, till the Mu'adhdhin came to him and he (the Holy Prophet) then observed two short rak'ahs (of Sunan of the dawn prayer).
The Book of Prayer - Travellers
Sahih Muslim 736 a
Hadith Text
'A'isha reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray eleven rak'ahs at night, observing the Witr with a single rak'ah, and when he had finished them, he lay down on his right side, till the Mu'adhdhin came to him and he (the Holy Prophet) then observed two short rak'ahs (of Sunan of the dawn prayer).
Commentary
This noble hadith from the Mother of the Believers, 'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her), illuminates the Prophet's nightly worship pattern. The eleven rak'ahs include the Tahajjud prayer, which demonstrates the Prophet's consistent devotion despite his sins being forgiven. The Witr prayer being a single rak'ah shows the flexibility in its performance, though three is more common.
Lying on the right side after Witr indicates the recommended practice between the night prayer and Fajr. This resting position follows the Sunnah of sleeping and demonstrates the balanced nature of Islamic worship - neither excessive nor neglectful. The two brief rak'ahs before Fajr are the confirmed Sunnah of the dawn prayer, which the Prophet maintained even after extensive night worship.
This comprehensive account teaches us the importance of night prayers while maintaining the confirmed Sunnah prayers, the virtue of Witr as the closure of night worship, and the balanced approach to worship that includes appropriate rest.