Hadith Text & Reference

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Prayers at night are (offered) two by two, then if you fear that dawn will come, pray witr with one."

Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1671 | Book: The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day

Commentary on the Method of Night Prayer

This noble hadith establishes the fundamental manner of performing the voluntary night prayers (Tahajjud). The instruction to pray "two by two" means each prayer unit (rak'ah) should be performed in pairs, concluding each two rak'ahs with the tasleem (salutation). This method preserves the Prophetic pattern of offering nafl prayers in sets of two.

The wisdom behind this format is to maintain consistency with the established prayer structure while allowing flexibility for extended worship. Each set of two rak'ahs constitutes a complete prayer unit, enabling the worshipper to pause for dhikr, Quran recitation, or rest between sets without breaking the continuous flow of devotion.

The Witr Prayer & Dawn Apprehension

The second portion of the hadith addresses the conclusion of night prayers with Witr. The phrase "if you fear that dawn will come" indicates the importance of completing the night prayers before the Fajr time enters. This demonstrates the Islamic principle of acting upon precaution in matters of worship.

Witr, meaning "odd-numbered," is the final prayer of the night and should consist of an odd number of rak'ahs. The Prophet's instruction to "pray witr with one" means to conclude with a single rak'ah if dawn is approaching, ensuring one ends the night with an odd-numbered prayer even if time is limited.

Scholarly Insights & Practical Application

Imam An-Nawawi comments that this hadith proves the night prayer is offered in pairs of two rak'ahs, and Witr is the seal of the night prayer. The minimum complete Witr is one rak'ah, though three, five, or more are permissible.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that the apprehension of dawn refers to the true dawn (al-fajr as-sadiq), when the horizontal light appears on the horizon. The wisdom in permitting a single rak'ah for Witr under time constraints reflects Allah's mercy, making worship accessible without undue hardship.

In practice, one may pray multiple sets of two rak'ahs throughout the night, concluding with Witr of one, three, five, or more rak'ahs. If dawn approaches unexpectedly, one may pray a single rak'ah of Witr to fulfill this blessed Sunnah.