“The
Prophet
(ﷺ) came out to us and said: ‘Allah has increased a prayer
for
you which is better for you than red camels. (It is) Witr, which
Allah has enjoined on you between the ‘Isha’ prayer and the onset
of
dawn.’”
Chapter 114: What was narrated concerning Witr - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
‘Ali
bin Abu Talib said:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ السَّلُولِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ إِنَّ الْوِتْرَ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ وَلاَ كَصَلاَتِكُمُ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَوْتَرَ . ثُمَّ قَالَ
" يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْتِرُوا. فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ " .
“Witr is not definite (obligatory) nor is it
like your prescribed prayers. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed
Witr, then he said: ‘O people of the Qur’an! Perform Witr, for
Allah
is Witr* and He loves the odd (numbered).’”
* Meaning 'one' which is the first of the odd numbers; He is unique, and there is nothing
like Him, similar or equal.
Chapter 114: What was narrated concerning Witr - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
It was
narrated from ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud that the Prophet (ﷺ)
said:
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَفْصٍ الأَبَّارُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ فَأَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ " . فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ مَا يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " لَيْسَ لَكَ وَلاَ لأَصْحَابِكَ " .
“Allah is Witr and He loves the odd (numbered), so perform Witr,
O
people of the Qur’an.” A Bedouin said: ‘What is the Messenger
of
Allah (ﷺ) saying?’ He said: ‘That is not for you or your
companions.’”
Chapter 115: What was narrated concerning what is to be recited in Witr - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
It was
narrated that Ubayy bin Ka’b said:
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَفْصٍ الأَبَّارُ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ طَلْحَةَ، وَزُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ ذَرٍّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبْزَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يُوتِرُ بِـ {سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى} وَ {قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ} وَ {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} .
“The Messenger of Allah
(ﷺ)
used to perform Witr and recite: ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord
the
Most High.’, [Al-A’la (87)] ‘Say: O you disbelievers!”
[Al-Kafirun
(109)] and ‘Say: Allah is One.”. [Al-Ikhlas (112)]
Chapter 115: What was narrated concerning what is to be recited in Witr - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
It was
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
used to
perform Witr and recite:
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ يُوتِرُ بِـ {سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى } وَ {قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ } وَ {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ } .
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ نَحْوَهُ .
“Glorify the Name of your Lord the
Most
High,” [Al-A’la (87)] “Say: O you disbelievers!” [Al-Kafirun
(109)] and ‘Say: Allah is One.”. [Al-Ikhlas (112)]
Another chain with similar wording.
“We asked ‘Aishah
what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite in Witr. She said:
‘He used to recite: “Glorify the Name of your Lord the Most
High,”
[Al-A’la (87)] in the first Rak’ah, ‘Say: “O
disbelievers!’” [Al-
Kafirun (109)] in the second Rak’ah, and
‘Say: Allah is One’ in the
third and the Mu’awwidhatain
(Chapter 113, 114).’”
Chapter 116: What was narrated concerning Praying one Rak’ah for Witr - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
Abu
Mijlaz narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي الشَّوَارِبِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ، عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ " قُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ نِمْتُ قَالَ اجْعَلْ أَرَأَيْتَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ النَّجْمِ . فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا السِّمَاكُ ثُمَّ أَعَادَ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى. وَالْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ قَبْلَ الصُّبْحِ " .
“The Messenger of Allah
(ﷺ) said: ‘Night prayers are to be offered two by two, and Witr
is
one Rak’ah.’ I said: ‘What do you think if I become drowsy
and I want
to sleep?’ He said: ‘Put “what do you think” up
there with that star?
(i.e., don’t think about it at all).’ I
raised my head and saw As-
Simak.* He repeated that the Messenger of
Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Night
prayers are to be offered two by two, and
Witr is one Rak’ah, before
dawn.’”
* Here, As-Simak refers to a star or stars, either Arcturus (As-Simak Ar-Ramih) or Spica,
also called Alpha Virginis (As-Simak Al-A'zal).
Chapter 116: What was narrated concerning Praying one Rak’ah for Witr - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
A man
asked Ibn ‘Umar:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُطَّلِبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَأَلَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ أُوتِرُ قَالَ أَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ . قَالَ إِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَقُولَ النَّاسُ الْبُتَيْرَاءُ فَقَالَ سُنَّةُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ . يُرِيدُ هَذِهِ سُنَّةُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ .
“How should I perform Witr?” He said: “Pray
Witr with one Rak’ah.” He said: “I am afraid that the people
will say
that I am cutting the prayer short.” He said: “The
Sunnah of Allah and
His Messenger.” Meaning “This is the Sunnah
of Allah and His
Messenger.”
“My grandfather, the
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), taught me some words to say in Qunut of
Witr: Allahumma ‘afini fiman ‘afait, wa tawallani fiman
tawallait,
wahdini fiman hadait, wa qini sharra ma qadait, wa barik
li fima
a’tait. Innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alaik, innahu la
yudhillu man
walait. Subhanaka rabbana tabarakta wa ta’alait (O
Allah, pardon me
along with those whom You have pardoned, be an ally
to me along with
those whom You are an ally to, guide me along with
those whom You have
guided, protect me from the evil that You have
decreed, and bless for
me that which You have bestowed. For verily
You decree and none can
decree over You. He whom You support can
never be humiliated. Glory is
to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and
Exalted).”
“Allahumma inni a’udhu biridaka min
sakhatika, wa a’udhu bimu’afatika min ‘uqubatika, wa a’udhu
bika
minka, la uhsi thana’an ‘alaika, Anta kama athnaita ‘ala
nafsika (O
Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath, and
I seek
refuge in Your forgiveness from your punishment, and I seek
refuge in
You from You. I cannot enumerate Your praise, You are as
You have
praised Yourself).”
Chapter 118: One who does not raise his hands in Qunut - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ لاَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الاِسْتِسْقَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ .
It was
narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not
raise his
hands in any of his supplications except when praying for
rain
(Istisqa’), when he raised his hands so high that the whiteness
of
his armpits could be seen.
Chapter 119: Raising the hands in supplication and wiping the face with them - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
It was
narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَائِذُ بْنُ حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ
" إِذَا دَعَوْتَ اللَّهَ فَادْعُ بِبَاطِنِ كَفَّيْكَ وَلاَ تَدْعُ بِظُهُورِهِمَا فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَامْسَحْ بِهِمَا وَجْهَكَ " .
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
said: ‘When you call upon Allah, then do so with the palms of your
hands (upwards). Do not do so with the back of your hands (upwards).
And when you finish, then wipe your face with them.’”
Chapter 121: What was narrated concerning Witr at the end of the night - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
It was
narrated that Masruq said:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ أَبِي حُصَيْنٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ وَثَّابٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ وِتْرِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَقَالَتْ: مِنْ كُلِّ اللَّيْلِ قَدْ أَوْتَرَ. مِنْ أَوَّلِهِ وَأَوْسَطِهِ، وَانْتَهَى وِتْرُهُ، حِينَ مَاتَ، فِي السَّحَرِ .
“I asked ‘Aishah about the Witr of
the
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said: ‘He prayed Witr at every part
of the night, at the beginning, in the middle and at the end, when he
died (he would perform it) just before dawn.’”
“Whoever
among you fears that he will not wake up at the end of the
night, let
him pray Witr at the beginning of the night, then go to
sleep.
Whoever hopes that he will wake up at the end of the night, let
him
pray Witr at the end of the night, for recitation (of the Qur’an)
at the end of the night is attended (by the angels), and that is
better.”
Chapter 123: What was narrated concerning Witr with three, five, seven, or nine Rak’ah - كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
It was
narrated from Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari that the Messenger of Allah
(ﷺ)
said:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفِرْيَابِيُّ، عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ اللَّيْثِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ
" الْوِتْرُ حَقٌّ. فَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُوتِرْ بِخَمْسٍ. وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُوتِرْ بِثَلاَثٍ. وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُوتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ " .
“Witr is Haqq.* Whoever wishes let him pray Witr with five
(Rak’ah), and whoever wishes let him pray Witr with three (Rak’ah),
and whoever wishes let him pray Witr with one (Rak’ah).”
“I asked ‘Aishah: ‘O
Mother of the Believers! Tell me about the Witr of the Messenger of
Allah (ﷺ).’ She said: ‘We used to keep his tooth stick and
water for
ablution ready for him. Allah would wake him as He willed
to during
the night, and he would use the tooth stick and perform
ablution, then
he would pray nine Rak’ah, during which he would not
sit until the
eighth Rak’ah. Then he would call upon his Lord and
remember Allah and
praise Him and supplicate to Him. Then he would
get up without saying
the Salam. Then he would stand up and pray the
ninth Rak’ah. Then he
would sit and remember Allah and praise Him,
and supplicate to his
Lord and send blessing upon His Prophet. Then
he would say Salam that
we could hear. Then he would pray two Rak’ah
after the Salam, while he
was sitting down. That was eleven Rak’ah.
When the Messenger of Allah
(ﷺ) grew older and had gained weight,
he would pray Witr with seven
Rak’ah and then pray two more Rak’ah
after he had said the Salam.’”