5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1341 — Witr Prayer in Ramadan and Eleven Rak'ahs
On The Night Prayer
Witr Prayer in Ramadan: The Prophet's Eleven Rak'ahs
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1341
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1341
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ : أَنَّهُ، سَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَتْ : مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَزِيدُ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَلاَ فِي غَيْرِهِ عَلَى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً : يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسْأَلْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وَطُولِهِنَّ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي أَرْبَعًا فَلاَ تَسْأَلْ عَنْ حُسْنِهِنَّ وَطُولِهِنَّ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي ثَلاَثًا، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ - رضى الله عنها - فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتَنَامُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُوتِرَ قَالَ : " يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ عَيْنَىَّ تَنَامَانِ وَلاَ يَنَامُ قَلْبِي " .
Abu Salamah b. 'Abd al-Rahman Narrated from:
Abu Salamah b. 'Abd al-Rahman asked 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ): How did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray during Ramadhan ? She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pray more than eleven rak'ahs during Ramadhan and other than Ramadhan. He would pray four rak'ahs. Do not ask about their elegance and length. He then would pray for rak'ahs. Do not ask about their elegance and length. Then he would pray three rak'ahs. 'Aishah said: I asked: Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before observing witr ? He replied: 'Aishah, my eyes sleep, but my heart does not sleep.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1341In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 92English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1336
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1341
This Hadith answers a common search question: how many rak'ahs did the Prophet pray in Ramadan at night? Aishah said that the Messenger of Allah did not pray more than eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan or outside Ramadan. The focus is not only the number. She also points to the beauty and length of the prayer. He prayed four, then four, then three rak'ahs of witr. When she asked whether he slept before witr, he replied that his eyes slept but his heart did not sleep. So this Hadith about witr prayer and Ramadan night prayer shows a calm, steady pattern of worship, with careful attention to long, beautiful prayer.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet's night prayer in this report was eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan and outside Ramadan.
- Aishah highlighted the beauty and length of the prayer, not only the number.
- Witr came at the end of this described night prayer.
- The Prophet's sleep was described in a special way: his eyes slept while his heart did not.
