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.
nasai-kubra:1402al-Ḥasan b. Muḥammad al-Zaʿfarānī > ʿAffān > Hammām > Qatādah > ʿAbdullāh b. Shaqīq > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

A man who lived in the desert asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the prayer at night. He made a sign with his two fingers-in this way in pairs. The witr consists of one rak'ah towards the end in night. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1421)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١٤٠٢أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الزَّعْفَرَانِيُّ عَنْ عَفَّانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ «مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوَتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, Mālik, Aḥmad, Ṭabarānī, Suyūṭī
bukhari:990ʿAbdullāh b. Yūsuf > Mālik > Nāfiʿ And ʿAbd Allāh b. Dīnār > Ibn ʿUmar

Once a person asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ ﷺ about the night prayer. Allah's Apostle ﷺ replied, "The night prayer is offered as two Rakʿat followed by two Rakʿat and so on and if anyone is afraid of the approaching dawn (Fajr prayer) he should pray one Rakʿah and this will be a Witr for all the Rakʿat which he has prayed before."  

البخاري:٩٩٠حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنْ نَافِعٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيَ أَحَدُكُمُ الصُّبْحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً وَاحِدَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ مَا قَدْ صَلَّى  

muslim:749aYaḥyá b. Yaḥyá > Mālik > Nāfiʿ And ʿAbd Allāh b. Dīnār > Ibn ʿUmar

Prayer during the night should consist of pairs of rak'ahs, but if one of you fears morning is near, he should pray one rak'ah which will make his prayer an odd number for him.  

مسلم:٧٤٩aوَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيَ أَحَدُكُمُ الصُّبْحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً وَاحِدَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ مَا قَدْ صَلَّى  

nasai:1691al-Ḥasan b. Muḥammad > ʿAffān > Hammām > Qatādah > ʿAbdullāh b. Shaqīq > Ibn ʿUmar

A man from among the people of the desert asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about prayer at night. He said:"(It is) two by two, and Witr is one rak'ah at the end of the night."  

النسائي:١٦٩١أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَفَّانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَادِيَةِ سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ قَالَ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوَتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ  

nasai:1693Qutaybah > Khālid b. Ziyād > Nāfiʿ > Ibn ʿUmar

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Prayer at night is two by two, and witr is one rak'ah.'"  

النسائي:١٦٩٣أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوَتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ  

nasai:1694Muḥammad b. Salamah And al-Ḥārith b. Miskīn > Ibn al-Qāsim > Mālik > Nāfiʿ Waʿabd Allāh b. Dīnār > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

A man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about prayer at night and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Prayer at night is two by two, then if one of you fears that dawn will break, pray one rak'ah to make the total number that he prayed odd."  

النسائي:١٦٩٤أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ عَنْ نَافِعٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيَ أَحَدُكُمُ الصُّبْحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً وَاحِدَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ مَا قَدْ صَلَّى  

abudawud:1326al-Qaʿnabī > Mālik > Nāfiʿ And ʿAbd Allāh b. Dīnār > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

A man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the prayer at night. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Prayer during the night should consist of pairs of rak'ahs, but if one of you fears the morning is near he should pray one rak'ah which will make his prayer an odd number for him.  

أبو داود:١٣٢٦حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيَ أَحَدُكُمُ الصُّبْحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً وَاحِدَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ مَا قَدْ صَلَّى  

abudawud:1421Muḥammad b. Kathīr > Hammām > Qatādah > ʿAbdullāh b. Shaqīq > Ibn ʿUmar

A man who lived in the desert asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the prayer at night. He made a sign with his two fingers-in this way in pairs. The witr consists of one rak'ah towards the end in night.  

أبو داود:١٤٢١حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ أَخْبَرَنَا هَمَّامٌ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَادِيَةِ سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ بِأُصْبُعَيْهِ هَكَذَا مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ  

ibnmajah:1320Sahl b. Abū Sahl > Sufyān > al-Zuhrī > Sālim from his father > ʿAbdullāh b. Dīnār > Ibn ʿUmar > Ibn Abū Labīd > Abū Salamah > Ibn ʿUmar > ʿAmr b. Dīnār > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿUmar

“The Prophet ﷺ was asked about the night prayer. He said: ‘Pray two by two, and if you fear that dawn is coming, then perform Witr with one Rak’ah.’”  

ابن ماجة:١٣٢٠حَدَّثَنَا سَهْلُ بْنُ أَبِي سَهْلٍ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَعَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَبِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ

سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ يُصَلِّي مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَافَ الصُّبْحَ أَوْتَرَ بِرَكْعَةٍ  

malik:7-13Yaḥyá > Mālik > Nāfiʿ And ʿAbd Allāh b. Dīnār > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi and Abdullah ibn Umar that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about night prayers. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Night prayers are two by two, and when you are afraid that dawn is approaching, pray one raka to make what you have prayed odd."  

مالك:٧-١٣حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيَ أَحَدُكُمُ الصُّبْحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً وَاحِدَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ مَا قَدْ صَلَّى  

ahmad:5759ʿAffān > Hammām > Qatādah > ʿAbdullāh b. Shaqīq al-ʿUqayliyyiʿan Ibn ʿUmar

A man from among the people of the desert asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about prayer at night. He said:"(It is) two by two, and Witr is one rak'ah at the end of the night." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1691)  

أحمد:٥٧٥٩حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ الْعُقَيْلِيِّعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَادِيَةِ سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ عَنْ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ بِإِصْبَعَيْهِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوَتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ  

ahmad:5537Muḥammad > Shuʿbah > Abū Bishr > ʿAbdullāh b. Shaqīq > Ibn ʿUmar

[Machine] A man asked the Prophet ﷺ about Al-Watr (The Odd Prayer). The Prophet ﷺ replied, "I used to walk with that man," and then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The night prayer is prayed in pairs and the odd prayer is one rakah." Shu'bah said, "He did not mention towards the end of the night."  

أحمد:٥٥٣٧حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ شَقِيقٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ عَنِ الْوَتْرِ؟ قَالَ فَمَشَيْتُ أَنَا وَذَاكَ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوَتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ لَمْ يَقُلْ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ  

ahmad:4878Yazīd > Hishām > Muḥammadʿan Ibn ʿUmar

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Witr is one rak'ah at the end of the night." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1689)   

أحمد:٤٨٧٨حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ  

ahmad:5049Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > Anas b. Sīrīn > Ibn ʿUmar

[Machine] That the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray at night in pairs, and he would perform the Witr prayer with one Rak'ah at the end of the night.  

أحمد:٥٠٤٩حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ يُصَلِّي بِاللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَيُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ  

tabarani:10963ʿAbdān b. Aḥmad > Hishām b. ʿAmmār > Ismāʿīl b. ʿAyyāsh > Layth > Ṭāwus > Ibn ʿAbbās

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The night prayer should be performed in pairs of two, and the Witr prayer should be a single unit of prayer at the end of the night."  

الطبراني:١٠٩٦٣حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ ثنا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ عَنْ لَيْثٍ عَنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ»