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:5032Bahz > Shuʿbah > ʿUqbah > Ibn ʿUmar

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The night prayer is (to be performed in) pairs, pairs. But if you fear the coming of dawn, then perform one rakaah (unit of prayer) for witr." I asked, "What is (meant by) pairs, pairs?" He said, "Two rakaahs, two rakaahs."  

أحمد:٥٠٣٢حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ أَخْبَرَنِي عُقْبَةُ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِنْ خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِرَكْعَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ مَا مَثْنَى مَثْنَى؟ قَالَ رَكْعَتَانِ رَكْعَتَانِ  


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Collected by Aḥmad, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
ahmad:5483Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > ʿUqbah b. Ḥurayth > Ibn ʿUmar

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. (Using translation from Muslim 749i)  

أحمد:٥٤٨٣حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ سَمِعْتُ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ حُرَيْثٍ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يُحَدِّثُ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ أَنَّ الصُّبْحَ يُدْرِكُكَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ قَالَ فَقِيلَ لِابْنِ عُمَرَ مَا مَثْنَى مَثْنَى قَالَ تُسَلِّمُ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ  

nasai-kubra:1384Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Sufyān > al-Zuhrī > Sālim from his father

A man said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! How is the prayer of the night?" He said, "Two rakʿat followed by two rakʿat and so on, and when you apprehend the approaching dawn, offer one rakʿa as witr." (Using translation from Bukhārī 1137)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١٣٨٤أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِرَكْعَةٍ»  

nasai-kubra:439Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Sufyān > al-Zuhrī > Sālim from his father

A man said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! How is the prayer of the night?" He said, "Two rakʿat followed by two rakʿat and so on, and when you apprehend the approaching dawn, offer one rakʿa as witr." (Using translation from Bukhārī 1137)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٤٣٩أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِرَكْعَةٍ»