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.
ahmad:14207Wakīʿ > Ibn Abū Laylá > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever thinks that he will not wake up for the later part of the night, let him pray the first part of it. And whoever thinks that he will wake up for the later part of the night, let him pray the later part. Verily, the prayer of the later part of the night is prohibited (makruh), and it is the best."  

أحمد:١٤٢٠٧حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي لَيْلَى عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ ظَنَّ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ لَا يَسْتَيْقِظَ آخِرَهُ فَلْيُوتِرْ أَوَّلَهُ وَمَنْ ظَنَّ مِنْكُمْ أَنَّهُ يَسْتَيْقِظُ آخِرَهُ فَلْيُوتِرْ آخِرَهُ فَإِنَّ صَلَاةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَحْضُورَةٌ وَهِيَ أَفْضَلُ  


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Collected by Aḥmad, Suyūṭī
ahmad:15179And Qāl

“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.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1187)  

أحمد:١٥١٧٩قَالَ

وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ خَافَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ لَايَسْتَيْقِظَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ لِيَرْقُدْ وَمَنْ طَمِعَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَيْقِظَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ قِرَاءَةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَحْضُورَةٌ وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ  

suyuti:22245a
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السيوطي:٢٢٢٤٥a

"مَنْ ظَنَّ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ لا يَسْتَيقِظَ آخِرَ اللَّيلِ، فَلْيُوتِرْ أَوَّلَهُ، وَمَنْ ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ يَسْتَيقِظُ آخِرَهُ، فَلْيُوتِرْ آخِرَهُ، فَإِنَّ صَلاةَ آخِر اللَّيلِ مَحْضُورَةٌ وَهي أَفْضَلُ".  

[حم] أحمد عن جابر