Sahih Muslim
Book 6: The Book of Prayer - Travellers
كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
This hadith his been narrated by Ibn 'Umar by another chain of trans- mitters but it does not have these words:" Then a person asked him at the end of the year," and what follows subsequently.
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو كَامِلٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ وَبُدَيْلٌ وَعِمْرَانُ بْنُ حُدَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْغُبَرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ الْخِرِّيتِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَا بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَيْسَ فِي حَدِيثِهِمَا ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْحَوْلِ وَمَا بَعْدَهُ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Ibn 'Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as say- ing: Hasten to pray Witr before morning.
وَحَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ وَسُرَيْجُ بْنُ يُونُسَ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ قَالَ هَارُونُ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَاصِمٌ الأَحْوَلُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ بَادِرُوا الصُّبْحَ بِالْوِتْرِ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Ibn 'Umar said: He who prayed at night should make Witr the end of his prayer, for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered this.
وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ رُمْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ نَافِعٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ قَالَ مَنْ صَلَّى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيَجْعَلْ آخِرَ صَلاَتِهِ وِتْرًا فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَأْمُرُ بِذَلِكَ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Make Witr the end of your night prayer.
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ اجْعَلُوا آخِرَ صَلاَتِكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وِتْرًا
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Nafi' reported Ibn 'Umar as saying: He who observed the night prayer should make Witr the end of his prayer before dawn. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to order them thus.
وَحَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي نَافِعٌ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ كَانَ يَقُولُ مَنْ صَلَّى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيَجْعَلْ آخِرَ صَلاَتِهِ وِتْرًا قَبْلَ الصُّبْحِ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْمُرُهُمْ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Witr is a rak'ah at the end of the prayer.
حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ عَنْ أَبِي التَّيَّاحِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو مِجْلَزٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Ibn Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Witr is a rak'ah at the end of the night prayer.
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى وَابْنُ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ الْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Abu Mijlaz reported: I asked Ibn 'Abbas about the Witr prayer. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: It is a rak'ah at the end of the night prayer.
وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ وَسَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Ibn 'Umar reported: A person called (the attention) of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as he was in the mosque, and said: Messenger of Allah, how should I make the rak'ahs of the night prayer an odd number? Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) said: He who prays (night prayer) he should observe it in pairs, but if he apprehends the rise of morning, he should observe one rak'ah; that would make the number odd (for the rak'ahs) observed by him. This was narrated by Abu Kuraib 'Ubaidullah b. 'Abdullah and Ibn 'Umar did not make mention of it.
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ وَهَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً نَادَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ أُوتِرُ صَلاَةَ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَنْ صَلَّى فَلْيُصَلِّ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِنْ أَحَسَّ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ سَجَدَ سَجْدَةً فَأَوْتَرَتْ لَهُ مَا صَلَّى قَالَ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يَقُلِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Anas b. Sirin reported: I asked Ibn 'Umar to tell me about the practice of the Prophet (ﷺ) in regard to two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer: Should I make lengthy recitation in them? He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe, the night prayer in pairs and then made the number odd by observing one rak'ah. I said: I am not asking you about it. He said: You are a bulky man, will you not show me the patience to narrate to you the hadith completely? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe the night prayer in pairs and then made the number odd by observing one rak'ah, and then he observed two rak'ahs before dawn quite close to the call for prayer (Khalaf said:" Did you see [yourself the Prophet (ﷺ) observing] the two rak'ahs before the dawn?" and he made no mention of prayer.)
حَدَّثَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ وَأَبُو كَامِلٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ قُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ صَلاَةِ الْغَدَاةِ أَأُطِيلُ فِيهِمَا الْقِرَاءَةَ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَيُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي لَسْتُ عَنْ هَذَا أَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَضَخْمٌ أَلاَ تَدَعُنِي أَسْتَقْرِئُ لَكَ الْحَدِيثَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَيُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ وَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْغَدَاةِ كَأَنَّ الأَذَانَ بِأُذُنَيْهِ قَالَ خَلَفٌ أَرَأَيْتَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْغَدَاةِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ صَلاَةِ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Anas b. Sirin reported: I asked Ibn 'Umar like this (as recorded in the previous hadith) and he made this addition:" And he (the Holy Prophet) made the end of the night prayer as odd number by one rak'ah." And there is also (this addition):" Stop, stop, you are bulky."
وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى وَابْنُ بَشَّارٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَزَادَ وَيُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ وَفِيهِ فَقَالَ بَهْ بَهْ إِنَّكَ لَضَخْمٌ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The night prayer consists of pairs and when you see the approach of dawn, make this number odd by one rak'ah. It was said to Ibn 'Umar: What does the (word) pair imply? He said: (It means) that salutation is uttered after every two rak'ahs.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ حُرَيْثٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ أَنَّ الصُّبْحَ يُدْرِكُكَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ فَقِيلَ لاِبْنِ عُمَرَ مَا مَثْنَى مَثْنَى قَالَ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Abu Sa'id (al Khudri) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Observe Witr prayer before it is morning. Abu Sa'id reported that they (the Prophet's Companions) asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about Witr (prayer). (In reply to their inquiry) he said: Observe Witr prayer before it is morning.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ أَوْتِرُوا قَبْلَ أَنْ تُصْبِحُوا
The night prayers are two by two, and Witr is one rakah at the end of the night
Abu Sa'id reported that they (some of the Companions) of the Prophet (ﷺ) asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about Witr. He said: Observe Witr before morning.
وَحَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ شَيْبَانَ عَنْ يَحْيَى قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو نَضْرَةَ الْعَوَقِيُّ أَنَّ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ أَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ سَأَلُوا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْوِتْرِ فَقَالَ أَوْتِرُوا قَبْلَ الصُّبْحِ
One who fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, then he should pray Witr at the beginning of the night
Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone is afraid that he may not get up in the latter part of the night, he should observe Witr in the first part of it; and if anyone is eager to get up in the last part of it, he should observe Witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is preferable.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَنْ خَافَ أَنْ لاَ يَقُومَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ أَوَّلَهُ وَمَنْ طَمِعَ أَنْ يَقُومَ آخِرَهُ فَلْيُوتِرْ آخِرَ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ صَلاَةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَشْهُودَةٌ وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ وَقَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ مَحْضُورَةٌ
One who fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, then he should pray Witr at the beginning of the night
Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who amongst you is afraid that he may not be able to get up at the end of the night should observe Witr (in the first part) and then sleep, and he who is confident of getting up and praying at night (i. e. Tahajjud prayer) should observe it at the end of it, for the recitation at the end of the night is witnessed*, and that is better.
*: meaning, "by angels" (Sharh an-Nawawi)
وَحَدَّثَنِي سَلَمَةُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْقِلٌ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ خَافَ أَنْ لاَ يَقُومَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ ثُمَّ لْيَرْقُدْ وَمَنْ وَثِقَ بِقِيَامٍ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ مِنْ آخِرِهِ فَإِنَّ قِرَاءَةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَحْضُورَةٌ وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ
The best prayer is that in which one stands for a long time (tuwlul-qunut)
Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The most excellent prayer is that in which the duration of standing is longer.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ طُولُ الْقُنُوتِ
The best prayer is that in which one stands for a long time (tuwlul-qunut)
Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the prayer which was most excellent. He said: That in which the standing is longer. (This hadith is narrated by another chain of transmitters too.)
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ الصَّلاَةِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ طُولُ الْقُنُوتِ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ
In the night there is an hour when supplications are answered
Jabir said he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say: There is an hour during the night in which no Muslim individual will ask Allah for good in this world and the next without His giving it to him; and that applies to every night.
وَحَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ إِنَّ فِي اللَّيْلِ لَسَاعَةً لاَ يُوَافِقُهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ
In the night there is an hour when supplications are answered
Jabir reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: There is an hour during the night in which no Muslim bondman will ask Allah for good in this world and the next but He will grant it to him.
وَحَدَّثَنِي سَلَمَةُ بْنُ شَبِيبٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْقِلٌ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ سَاعَةً لاَ يُوَافِقُهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ خَيْرًا إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ