5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1356 — Five or Seven Rak'ah Witr
On The Night Prayer
Five or Seven Rak'ah Witr: Ibn Abbas at Maimunah's House
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1356
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1356
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الأَسَدِيُّ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ : بِتُّ عِنْدَ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْدَ مَا أَمْسَى فَقَالَ : " أَصَلَّى الْغُلاَمُ " . قَالُوا : نَعَمْ . فَاضْطَجَعَ حَتَّى إِذَا مَضَى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ قَامَ فَتَوَضَّأَ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى سَبْعًا أَوْ خَمْسًا أَوْتَرَ بِهِنَّ لَمْ يُسَلِّمْ إِلاَّ فِي آخِرِهِنَّ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
I spent a night with my maternal aunt Maimunah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came after the evening has come. He asked: Did the boy pray? She said: Yes. Then he lay down till a part of night had passed as much as Allah willed; he got up, performed ablution and prayed seven or five rak'ahs, observing witr with them. He uttered the salutation only in the last of them.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1356In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 107English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1351
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1356
This Hadith is a short report from Ibn Abbas while he stayed with his maternal aunt Maimunah. The Messenger of Allah came after evening and asked whether the boy had prayed. When they answered yes, he lay down until part of the night had passed as Allah willed. Then he got up, performed ablution, and prayed seven or five rak'ahs, observing witr with them. The important wording is that he gave salam only at the last of them. For search terms like five rak'ah witr hadith, seven rak'ah witr hadith, and Ibn Abbas Maimunah night prayer, this report gives a direct description of a connected witr pattern.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet asked whether Ibn Abbas had prayed.
- He rested before rising later in the night.
- The report mentions seven or five rak'ahs for witr.
- The salam is described as coming only at the end of those rak'ahs.
