Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
abudawud:226[Chain 1] Musaddad > al-Muʿtamir [Chain 2] Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal > Ismāʿīl b. Ibrāhīm > Burd b. Sinān > ʿUbādah b. Nusa > Ghuḍayf b. al-Ḥārith

Ghudayf ibn al-Harith reported: I asked Aisha: Have you seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ washing (because of defilement) at the beginning of the night or at the end? She replied: Sometimes he would take a bath at the beginning of the night and sometimes at the end. Thereupon I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All Praise be to Allah Who made this matter accommodative. I again asked her: What do you think, did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say the witr prayer (additional prayer after obligatory prayer at night) in the beginning of the night or at the end? She replied: Sometimes he would say the witr prayer at the beginning of the night and sometimes at the end. I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All praise be to Allah Who made the matter accommodative. Again I asked her: What do you think, did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recite the Qur'an (in the prayer) loudly or softly? She replied: Sometimes he would recite loudly and sometimes softly. I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All praise be to Allah Who made the matter flexible.  

أبو داود:٢٢٦حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ ح حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا بُرْدُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ نُسَىٍّ عَنْ غُضَيْفِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ قَالَ

قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ أَرَأَيْتِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ فِي آخِرِهِ قَالَتْ رُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ فِي آخِرِهِ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الأَمْرِ سَعَةً قُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يُوتِرُ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ أَمْ فِي آخِرِهِ قَالَتْ رُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ فِي آخِرِهِ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الأَمْرِ سَعَةً قُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَجْهَرُ بِالْقُرْآنِ أَمْ يَخْفِتُ بِهِ قَالَتْ رُبَّمَا جَهَرَ بِهِ وَرُبَّمَا خَفَتَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الأَمْرِ سَعَةً  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Tirmidhī, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān
tirmidhi:2924Qutaybah > al-Layth > Muʿāwiyah b. Ṣāliḥ > ʿAbdullāh b. Abū Qays > a man Baṣrī > Saʾalt ʿĀʾishah > Witr

"I asked 'Aishah about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, how would he perform Witr, was it during the first part of the night or the end of it? She said: 'All of that. Sometimes he would perform Witr during the first part of the night, and sometimes he would perform Witr during the end of it.' So I said: 'All praise is due to Allah who made the matter accommodating.' I said: 'How was his recitation, was he quiet with recitations or loud?' She said: 'He would do all of that. Sometimes he would recite quietly and sometimes aloud.' I said: 'All praise is due to Allah who made the matter accommodating. He said: 'I said: 'How would he deal with sexual impurity? Would he perform Ghusl prior to sleeping or would he sleep prior to Ghusl?' She said: 'He would do all of that. Sometimes he would perform Ghusl then sleep, and sometimes he would perform Wudu and then sleep.' I said: 'Allah praise is due to Allah who made the matter accommodating.'"  

Abū ʿĪsá said that this Ḥadīth is Ḥasan-Gharīb in this particular context.
الترمذي:٢٩٢٤حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَيْسٍ هُوَ رَجُلٌ بَصْرِيٌّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ

عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَيْفَ كَانَ يُوتِرُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ مِنْ آخِرِهِ فَقَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ كَانَ يَصْنَعُ رُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ مِنْ آخِرِهِ فَقُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الأَمْرِ سَعَةً فَقُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَتُهُ أَكَانَ يُسِرُّ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ أَمْ يَجْهَرُ قَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ يَفْعَلُ قَدْ كَانَ رُبَّمَا أَسَرَّ وَرُبَّمَا جَهَرَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الأَمْرِ سَعَةً قَالَ قُلْتُ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِي الْجَنَابَةِ أَكَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنَامَ أَمْ يَنَامُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ قَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ كَانَ يَفْعَلُ فَرُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ فَنَامَ وَرُبَّمَا تَوَضَّأَ فَنَامَ قُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الأَمْرِ سَعَةً  

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ
ahmad:24453Isḥāq > Layth b. Saʿd > Muʿāwiyah b. Ṣāliḥ al-Ḥaḍramī > ʿAbdullāh b. Qays

"I asked 'Aishah about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, how would he perform Witr, was it during the first part of the night or the end of it? She said: 'All of that. Sometimes he would perform Witr during the first part of the night, and sometimes he would perform Witr during the end of it.' So I said: 'All praise is due to Allah who made the matter accommodating.' I said: 'How was his recitation, was he quiet with recitations or loud?' She said: 'He would do all of that. Sometimes he would recite quietly and sometimes aloud.' I said: 'All praise is due to Allah who made the matter accommodating. He said: 'I said: 'How would he deal with sexual impurity? Would he perform Ghusl prior to sleeping or would he sleep prior to Ghusl?' She said: 'He would do all of that. Sometimes he would perform Ghusl then sleep, and sometimes he would perform Wudu and then sleep.' I said: 'Allah praise is due to Allah who made the matter accommodating.'" (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2924)   

أحمد:٢٤٤٥٣حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي لَيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ قَالَ

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ أَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُوتِرُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ مِنْ آخِرِهِ؟ فَقَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ يَفْعَلُ رُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ آخِرَهُ قُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةًقُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَتُهُ يُسِرُّ أَوْ يَجْهَرُ؟ قَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ يَفْعَلُ رُبَّمَا أَسَرَّ وَرُبَّمَا جَهَرَ قَالَ قُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةًقَالَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِي الْجَنَابَةِ؟ أَكَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنَامَ أَوْ يَنَامُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ؟ قَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ يَفْعَلُ رُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ فَنَامَ وَرُبَّمَا تَوَضَّأَ وَنَامَ قَالَ قُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةً  

ahmad:24202Ismāʿīl > Burd b. Sinān > ʿUbādah b. Nusay > Ghuḍayf b. al-Ḥārith

Ghudayf ibn al-Harith reported: I asked Aisha: Have you seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ washing (because of defilement) at the beginning of the night or at the end? She replied: Sometimes he would take a bath at the beginning of the night and sometimes at the end. Thereupon I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All Praise be to Allah Who made this matter accommodative. I again asked her: What do you think, did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say the witr prayer (additional prayer after obligatory prayer at night) in the beginning of the night or at the end? She replied: Sometimes he would say the witr prayer at the beginning of the night and sometimes at the end. I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All praise be to Allah Who made the matter accommodative. Again I asked her: What do you think, did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recite the Qur'an (in the prayer) loudly or softly? She replied: Sometimes he would recite loudly and sometimes softly. I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All praise be to Allah Who made the matter flexible. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 226)  

أحمد:٢٤٢٠٢حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا بُرْدُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ نُسَيٍّ عَنْ غُضَيْفِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ قَالَ

قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ أَرَأَيْتِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَمْ فِي آخِرِهِ؟ قَالَتْ رُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ فِي آخِرِهِ قُلْتُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةًقُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ يُوتِرُ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ فِي آخِرِهِ؟ قَالَتْ رُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ فِي آخِرِهِ قُلْتُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةًقُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَجْهَرُ بِالْقُرْآنِ أَوْ يُخْفِتُ بِهِ؟ قَالَتْ رُبَّمَا جَهَرَ بِهِ وَرُبَّمَا خَفَتَ قُلْتُ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةً  

ذِكْرُ الْإِبَاحَةِ لِلْمَرْءِ أَنْ يُوتِرَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ آخِرِهِ عَلَى حَسَبِ عَادَتِهِ فِي تَهَجُّدِ اللَّيْلِ

ibnhibban:2447al-Ḥasan b. Sufyān > ʿAbd al-Aʿlá b. Ḥammād > Wuhayb > Burd Abū al-ʿAlāʾ > ʿUbādah b. Nusay > Ghuḍayf b. al-Ḥārith

Ghudayf ibn al-Harith reported: I asked Aisha: Have you seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ washing (because of defilement) at the beginning of the night or at the end? She replied: Sometimes he would take a bath at the beginning of the night and sometimes at the end. Thereupon I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All Praise be to Allah Who made this matter accommodative. I again asked her: What do you think, did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say the witr prayer (additional prayer after obligatory prayer at night) in the beginning of the night or at the end? She replied: Sometimes he would say the witr prayer at the beginning of the night and sometimes at the end. I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All praise be to Allah Who made the matter accommodative. Again I asked her: What do you think, did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recite the Qur'an (in the prayer) loudly or softly? She replied: Sometimes he would recite loudly and sometimes softly. I exclaimed: Allah is most Great. All praise be to Allah Who made the matter flexible. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 226)   

ابن حبّان:٢٤٤٧أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْأَعْلَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ عَنْ بُرْدٍ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ نُسَيٍّ عَنْ غُضَيْفِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ قَالَ

قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ أَرَأَيْتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَكَانَ يُوتِرُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ مِنْ آخِرِهِ؟ قَالَتْ «رُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا أَوْتَرَ مِنْ آخِرِهِ» قُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةً قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَرَأَيْتِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ مِنْ آخِرِهِ؟ قَالَتْ «رُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَرُبَّمَا اغْتَسَلَ مِنْ آخِرِهِ» قُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةً قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَرَأَيْتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَكَانَ يَجْهَرُ بِصَلَاتِهِ أَمْ يُخَافِتُ بِهَا؟ قَالَتْ «رُبَّمَا جَهَرَ بِصَلَاتِهِ وَرُبَّمَا خَافَتَ بِهَا» قُلْتُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي الْأَمْرِ سَعَةً