5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1358 — Eight Rak'ahs and Five Witr
On The Night Prayer
Eight Rak'ahs in Pairs and Five Witr: A Night Prayer Hadith
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1358
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1358
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَجِيدِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبَّادٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، حَدَّثَهُ فِي، هَذِهِ الْقِصَّةِ قَالَ : فَقَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، حَتَّى صَلَّى ثَمَانِيَ رَكَعَاتٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ بِخَمْسٍ لَمْ يَجْلِسْ بَيْنَهُنَّ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
He (the Prophet) got up and prayed eight rak'ahs in pairs, and then observed witr with five rak'ahs and he did not sit between them.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1358In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 109English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1353
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1358
This Hadith is a concise report from Ibn Abbas through Sa'id b. Jubair. It says that the Prophet got up and prayed two rak'ahs at a time until he completed eight rak'ahs. Then he observed witr with five rak'ahs and did not sit between them. The text is short, so the explanation should stay short and clear as well. For people searching for eight rak'ahs tahajjud hadith or five rak'ah witr without sitting, this narration gives the main pattern: pairs of two before witr, then five connected rak'ahs for witr. It is one of the reports showing the Prophet's night prayer described in a specific form.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet prayed eight rak'ahs in pairs in this report.
- The witr is described as five rak'ahs.
- He did not sit between the five witr rak'ahs.
- The narration gives a specific night prayer pattern from Ibn Abbas.
