It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) prayed Witr at all times of the night, and (towards the end of his life) his Witr ended at the end of the night."

حَدَّثَنِى عَلِىُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَسَّانُ - قَاضِى كِرْمَانَ - عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ مَسْرُوقٍ عَنْ أَبِى الضُّحَى عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ كُلَّ اللَّيْلِ قَدْ أَوْتَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَانْتَهَى وِتْرُهُ إِلَى آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ.

It was narrated from Zurarah that Sa'd bin Hisham bin 'Amir wanted to go out on a campaign in the cause of Allah, so he came to Al-Madinah, and he wanted to sell some property he had there and use the money to buy weapons and horses, and fight in Jihad against the Romans until he died. When he came to Al-Madinah, he met some of the people of Al-Madinah who told him not to do that, and they told him that six people had wanted to do that during the lifetime of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w), and the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) told him not to do that, and he said: "Do you not have an example in me?" When they told him that, he took back his wife whom he had divorced, and brought witnesses to attest that he had taken her back. Then he went to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). Ibn 'Abbas said: "Shall I not tell you who is the most knowledgeable of people on earth about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)?' He said: 'Who?' He said: "Aishah; go to her and ask her, then come and tell me what answer she gives to you." (He narrated) So I went to her. I went to Hakim bin Aflah and asked him to go with me to her. He said: "I do not want to approach her, because I told her not to say anything about these two parties, but she insisted on that." I adjured him to come, so he came, and we went to 'Aishah. We asked permission to enter and she gave us permission and we entered upon her. She said: "Is it Hakim?" And she recognized him. He said: "Yes." She said: "Who is with you?" He said: "Sa'd bin Hisham." She said: "Who is Hisham?" He said: "Ibn 'Amir." She prayed for mercy for him and said good things." - Qatadah (one of the narrators) said: "He was martyred on the day of Uhud." - I said: "O Mother of the believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w)." She said: "Do you not read the Qur'an?" I said: "Of course." She said: "The character of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) was the Qur'an." I wanted to get up and not ask anyone about anything else until I died. Then I decided to ask: "Tell me about the Qiyam (night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)." She said: "Do you not read: 'O you wrapped in garments!'?" I said: "Of course." She said: "Allah enjoined Qiyam Al-Lail (the Night Prayers) at the beginning of this Surah, and the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) and his Companions prayed Qiyam for a year. And Allah withheld the latter part of this Surah for twelve months in heavens, until Allah revealed, at the end of this Surah, the reduction of the burden. so Qiyam Al-Lail became voluntary after it had been obligatory." I said: "O Mother of the believers, tell me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)." She said: "We used to prepare his Siwak and water for purification for him, and Allah would cause him to wake whenever He willed during the night. Then he would use the Siwak and perform Wudu' and pray nine Rak'ah, during which he did not sit except in the eighth Rak'ah; he would remember Allah, praise Him and call upon Him. Then he would get up without saying the Taslim, and he would stand and pray the ninth Rak'ah, then he would sit and remember Allah, praise Him and call upon Him. Then he would say a Taslfm that we could hear. Then he prayed two Rak'ah after saying the Taslim, while sitting, and that made eleven Rak'ah. O my son, when the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) grew old and gained weight, he prayed Witr with seven, and he did in the last two Rak'ah as he did in the first, and that made nine. O my son, when the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) offered a prayer, he liked to persist in offering it. If sleep or pain overtook him and kept him from praying Qiyam at night, he would pray twelve Rak'ah during the day. I do not know that the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) recited the entire Qur'an in one night, or spent an entire night in prayer, or fasted an entire month except Ramadan." I went to Ibn 'Abbas and told him what she had said. He said. "She has spoken the truth. If I were to approach her or enter upon her, I would go to her so that I could hear it from her own lips." I said: "If I had known that you do not enter upon her, I would not have told you what she said."

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِى عَدِىٍّ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ هِشَامِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَغْزُوَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَبِيعَ عَقَارًا لَهُ بِهَا فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِى السِّلاَحِ وَالْكُرَاعِ وَيُجَاهِدَ الرُّومَ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ لَقِىَ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَنَهَوْهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ رَهْطًا سِتَّةً أَرَادُوا ذَلِكَ فِى حَيَاةِ نَبِىِّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَنَهَاهُمْ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَقَالَ « أَلَيْسَ لَكُمْ فِىَّ أُسْوَةٌ ». فَلَمَّا حَدَّثُوهُ بِذَلِكَ رَاجَعَ امْرَأَتَهُ وَقَدْ كَانَ طَلَّقَهَا وَأَشْهَدَ عَلَى رَجْعَتِهَا فَأَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ بِوِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ مَنْ قَالَ عَائِشَةُ. فَأْتِهَا فَاسْأَلْهَا ثُمَّ ائْتِنِى فَأَخْبِرْنِى بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْكَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَيْهَا فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى حَكِيمِ بْنِ أَفْلَحَ فَاسْتَلْحَقْتُهُ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِقَارِبِهَا لأَنِّى نَهَيْتُهَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِى هَاتَيْنِ الشِّيعَتَيْنِ شَيْئًا فَأَبَتْ فِيهِمَا إِلاَّ مُضِيًّا. - قَالَ - فَأَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَاءَ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى عَائِشَةَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَّا عَلَيْهَا فَأَذِنَتْ لَنَا فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا. فَقَالَتْ أَحَكِيمٌ فَعَرَفَتْهُ. فَقَالَ نَعَمْ.فَقَالَتْ مَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ سَعْدُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ. قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ فَتَرَحَّمَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ خَيْرًا - قَالَ قَتَادَةُ وَكَانَ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ. فَقُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِى عَنْ خُلُقِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-.قَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قُلْتُ بَلَى. قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِىِّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ. - قَالَ - فَهَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ وَلاَ أَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا عَنْ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى أَمُوتَ ثُمَّ بَدَا لِى فَقُلْتُ أَنْبِئِينِى عَنْ قِيَامِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-. فَقَالَتْ أَلَسْتَ تَقْرَأُ (يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ) قُلْتُ بَلَى. قَالَتْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ افْتَرَضَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ فِى أَوَّلِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ فَقَامَ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَوْلاً وَأَمْسَكَ اللَّهُ خَاتِمَتَهَا اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى السَّمَاءِ حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِى آخِرِ هَذِهِ السُّورَةِ التَّخْفِيفَ فَصَارَ قِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ تَطَوُّعًا بَعْدَ فَرِيضَةٍ. - قَالَ - قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِى عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-. فَقَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ وَيُصَلِّى تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهَا إِلاَّ فِى الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلاَ يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّى التَّاسِعَةَ ثُمَّ يَقْعُدُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا يُسَلِّمُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يَا بُنَىَّ فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَنَعَ فِى الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ مِثْلَ صَنِيعِهِ الأَوَّلِ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعٌ يَا بُنَىَّ وَكَانَ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- إِذَا صَلَّى صَلاَةً أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُدَاوِمَ عَلَيْهَا وَكَانَ إِذَا غَلَبَهُ نَوْمٌ أَوْ وَجَعٌ عَنْ قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ نَبِىَّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ فِى لَيْلَةٍ وَلاَ صَلَّى لَيْلَةً إِلَى الصُّبْحِ وَلاَ صَامَ شَهْرًا كَامِلاً غَيْرَ رَمَضَانَ. - قَالَ - فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسِ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثِهَا فَقَالَ صَدَقَتْ لَوْ كُنْتُ أَقْرَبُهَا أَوْ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا لأَتَيْتُهَا حَتَّى تُشَافِهَنِى بِهِ. - قَالَ - قُلْتُ لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لاَ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا مَا حَدَّثْتُكَ حَدِيثَهَا.

It was narrated that Sa'd bin Hisham said: "I went to 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas and asked him about Witr..." and he quoted the Hadith (similar to no. 1739). In it he said: "She said: 'Who is Hisham?' I said: 'Ibn 'Amir.' She said: 'What a good man 'Amir was; he was killed on the day of Uhud."'

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِى شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِى عَرُوبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ انْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ. وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِقِصَّتِهِ وَقَالَ فِيهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قُلْتُ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ. قَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ عَامِرٌ أُصِيبَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ.

It was narrated from Zurarah bin Awfa that Sa'd bin Hisham was a neighbor of his. He told him that he had divorced his wife... and he narrated a Hadith like that of Sa'eed (no. 1741). In it he said: "She said: 'Who is Hisham?' He said: 'Ibn 'Amir.' She said: 'What a good man he was. He was killed (when fighting) with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) on the day of Uhud."' And it says: "Hakim bin Aflah said: 'As for me, if I had known that you do not enter upon her, I would not have told you what she said."'

وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ هِشَامٍ كَانَ جَارًا لَهُ فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ طَلَّقَ امْرَأَتَهُ. وَاقْتَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ سَعِيدٍ وَفِيهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ هِشَامٌ قَالَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ. قَالَتْ نِعْمَ الْمَرْءُ كَانَ أُصِيبَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ. وَفِيهِ فَقَالَ حَكِيمُ بْنُ أَفْلَحَ أَمَا إِنِّى لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ لاَ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا مَا أَنْبَأْتُكَ بِحَدِيثِهَا.

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "If the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) did an action, he would persist in it. If he slept at night or was sick, he would pray twelve Rak'ah during the day." She said: "And I never saw the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) spend an entire night in prayer until dawn, or fast an entire month except Ramadan."

وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِىُّ بْنُ خَشْرَمٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى - وَهُوَ ابْنُ يُونُسَ - عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ الأَنْصَارِىِّ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- إِذَا عَمِلَ عَمَلاً أَثْبَتَهُ وَكَانَ إِذَا نَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ مَرِضَ صَلَّى مِنَ النَّهَارِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً. قَالَتْ وَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَامَ لَيْلَةً حَتَّى الصَّبَاحِ وَمَا صَامَ شَهْرًا مُتَتَابِعًا إِلاَّ رَمَضَانَ.

It was narrated that 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Abdin Al-Qariy said: "I heard 'Umar bin Al-Khattab say: 'The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: Whoever sleeps and misses his regular portion (of worship) or part of it, let him recite it between Fajr prayer and Zuhr prayer, and it will be recorded for him as if he recited it at night.'"

حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنِى أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ وَحَرْمَلَةُ قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنِ السَّائِبِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ وَعُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَاهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِىِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « مَنْ نَامَ عَنْ حِزْبِهِ أَوْ عَنْ شَىْءٍ مِنْهُ فَقَرَأَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَ صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ وَصَلاَةِ الظُّهْرِ كُتِبَ لَهُ كَأَنَّمَا قَرَأَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ ».

It was narrated from Al-Qasim Ash-Shaibani that Zaid bin Arqam saw some people praying in the early morning and he said: "They know that prayer at a time other than this is better. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'The Salat-Awwabin (prayer of the penitent) is when the young camels feel the heat of the hot sand."'

وَحَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ - عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ الشَّيْبَانِىِّ أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ أَرْقَمَ رَأَى قَوْمًا يُصَلُّونَ مِنَ الضُّحَى فَقَالَ أَمَا لَقَدْ عَلِمُوا أَنَّ الصَّلاَةَ فِى غَيْرِ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ أَفْضَلُ. إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « صَلاَةُ الأَوَّابِينَ حِينَ تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ ».

It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) about prayers at night. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "The night prayers are two by two, then if one of you fears that dawn may come, he should pray one Rak'ah, which will make what he has prayed odd-numbered."

وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- عَنْ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِىَ أَحَدُكُمُ الصُّبْحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً وَاحِدَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ مَا قَدْ صَلَّى ».

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Umar that a man asked the Prophet (s.a.w), when I was between him and the one who was asking, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, how are the night prayers?" He said: "Two by two, then when you fear that dawn may come, then pray one Rak'ah, and make the last of your prayer Witr." Then a man asked him, one year later, and I was in the same position with regard to the Messenger of Allah (s.aw), and I do not know whether it was the same man or another man, and he told him something similar.

وَحَدَّثَنِى أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الزَّهْرَانِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ وَبُدَيْلٌ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ النَّبِىَّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَأَنَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّائِلِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ قَالَ « مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَصَلِّ رَكْعَةً وَاجْعَلْ آخِرَ صَلاَتِكَ وِتْرًا ». ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْحَوْلِ وَأَنَا بِذَلِكَ الْمَكَانِ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَلاَ أَدْرِى هُوَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ.

It was narrated from Nafi' that Ibn 'Umar said: "Whoever prays at night, let him make the last of his prayer Witr, for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) used to enjoin that."

وَحَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ رُمْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنْ نَافِعٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ قَالَ مَنْ صَلَّى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيَجْعَلْ آخِرَ صَلاَتِهِ وِتْرًا فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- كَانَ يَأْمُرُ بِذَلِكَ.