The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day

كتاب قيام الليل وتطوع النهار

Chapter 36: How to pray witr with three rak'ahs

It was narrated from Abu Salamah bin Abdur-Rahman that

He asked Aishah, the Mother of the Believers, about how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray in Ramadan. She said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pray more than eleven rak'ahs during Ramadan or at any other time. He would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful or how long they were. Then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful or how long they were. Then he would pray three." Aishah said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before you pray witr?' He said: 'O Aishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not.'"

It was narrated from Sa'd bin Hisham, that

Aishah told him: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would not say the taslim for two rak'ahs during witr."

Chapter 37: Mentioning the different wordings in the reports from Ubayy bin Ka'b concerning witr

It was narrated from Ubayy bin Ka'b that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr with three rak'ahs. In the first he would recite: "Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High" in the second: "Say: O you disbelievers!", and in the third: "Say: He is Allah, (the) One". And he would say the Qunut before bowing, and when he finished he would say: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times, elongating the words the last time.

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka'b said

"In the first rak'ah of witr, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite: "GLorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High;" in the second; "Say: O you disbelievers!" and in the third; "Say: He is Allah, (the) One."

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka'b said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite: "Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High;" in witr, in the second rak'ah he would recite: "Say: O you disbelievers!"; and in the third "Say: He is Allah, (the) One". And he only said the taslim at the end, and he would say- meaning after the taslim: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy)' three times."

Chapter 38: The differing narrations from Abu Ishaq in the hadith of Sa'eed bin Jubair from Ibn 'Abbas concerning Witr

Zakariyya bin Abi Za'idah narrated from Abu Ishaq, from Sa'id bin Jubair, that Ibn Abbas said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr with three rak'ahs. In the first he would recite "Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High;" in the second: "Say: O You disbelievers!" and in the third: "Say: He is Allah, (the) One.'"

Zuhair narrated from Abu Ishaq, from Sa'eed bin Jubair,

Ibn Abbas used to pray witr with three (units) with (the Surahs): "Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High" (Surah Al-A'la), "Say: O You disbelievers" (Surah Al-Kafirun), and "Say: He is Allah, (the) One" (Surah Al-Ikhlas).

Chapter 39: Mentioning the discrepancies in the narration from Habib ibn Abi Thabit in the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas concerning Witr

Sufyan narrated from Habib bin Abi Thabit, from Muhammad bin Ali, from his father, from his grandfather, that

The Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night and cleaned his teeth, then he prayed two rak'ahs, then he slept. Then he got up and cleaned his teeth, then he performed wudu and prayed two rak'ahs, until he had prayed six. Then he prayed witr with three rak'ahs, and prayed two rak'ahs.

Husain narrated from Habib bin Abi Thabit, from Muhammad bin 'Ali bin 'Abdullah bin Abbas, from his father, that his grandfather said

"I was with the Prophet (ﷺ) and he got up and performed wudu, cleaned his teeth while reciting this verse until he finished: 'Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the Earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.' Then he prayed two rak'ahs, then he went back and slept until I heard him breathing deeply. Then he got up and performed wudu and cleaned his teeth. Then he prayed two rak'ahs, then he slept, then he got up and performed wudu and cleaned his teeth and prayed two rak'ahs and prayed witr with three rak'ahs."

'Ubaidullah bin'Amr bin Zaid narrated from Habib bin Abi Thabit, from Muhammad bin Ali that Ibn 'Abbas said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) woke up and cleaned his teeth,' and he quoted the hadith.

Abu Bakr An-Nahshali narrated from Habib bin Abi Thabit, from Yahya bin Al-Jazzar, that Ibn 'Abbas said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray eight rak'ahs at night and pray witr with three, and pray two rak'ahs before Fajr."

It was narrated that Umm Salamah said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr with thirteen rak'ahs, and when he grew older and weaker he prayed witr with nine."

It was narrated that 'Aishah said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray nine (rak'ahs) at night, then when he grew older and put on weight he prayed seven."

Chapter 40: Mentioning the different narrations from Az-Zuhri, for the hadith of Abu Ayyub concerning Witr

Duwaid bin Nafi' said

" Ibn Shihab informed me, saying: 'Ata bin Yazid narrated to me from Abu Ayyub:That the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Witr is a duty, and whoever wants to pray witr with seven (rak'ahs), let him do so; whoever wants to pray witr with five, let him do so, whoever wants to pray witr with three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray witr with one, let him do so.'"

Al-Awza'I said

"Az-Zuhri narrated to me, he said: 'Ata bin Yazid, from Abu Ayyub:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Witr is a duty, and whoever wants to pray witr with seven (rak'ahs), let him do so; whoever wants to pray witr with five, let him do so, whoever wants to pray witr with three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray witr with one, let him do so.'"

Abu Mu'aid narrated from Az-Zuhri, who said

"Ata' bin Yazid narrated to me that he heard Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari say: 'Witr is a duty, so whoever wants to pray witr with five rak'ahs let him do so, whoever wants to pray witr with three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray witr with one, let him do so.'"

Sufyan narrated from Az-Zuhri, from 'Ata bin Yazid, from Abu Ayyub, who said

"Whoever wants to pray witr with seven (rak'ahs) let him do so, and whoever wants to pray witr with five (rak'ahs) let him do so, and whoever wants to pray witr with three rak'ahs, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray witr with one rak'ah, let him do so, and wants to do so gesturing, let him do so.'"

Chapter 41: How to pray witr with five rak'ahs, and the differences reported from Al-Hakam in the hadith about Witr

Mansur reported from Al-Hakam, from Miqsam, that Umm Salamah said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr with five and seven rak'ahs which he did not separate with any taslim nor talk."

Mansur reported from Al-Hakam, from Miqsam, from Ibn 'Abbas that Umm Salamah said

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr with seven or five (rak'ahs), not separating between them with the taslim."

Sufyan bin Al-Husain narrated from Al-Hakam that Miqsam said

"Witr is seven and no less than five." I mentioned that to Ibrahim and he said: "From whom did he quote that?" I said: "I do not know." Al-Hakam said: "Then I performed Hajj and I met Miqsam and said to him: 'From whom (did you narrate that)?' He said: 'From the trustworthy one, from Aishah and from Maimunah.'"