5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1359 — Thirteen Rak'ahs and Five Witr
On The Night Prayer
Thirteen Rak'ahs Hadith: Six in Pairs and Five Witr
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1359
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1359
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْحَرَّانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ : كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً بِرَكْعَتَيْهِ قَبْلَ الصُّبْحِ : يُصَلِّي سِتًّا مَثْنَى مَثْنَى، وَيُوتِرُ بِخَمْسٍ لاَ يَقْعُدُ بَيْنَهُنَّ إِلاَّ فِي آخِرِهِنَّ .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs, observing six rak'ahs in pairs including the two rak'ahs of dawn prayer. He would observe witr and five rak'ahs. He sat only in the last of them.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1359In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 110English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1354
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1359
This Hadith from Aishah describes the Prophet's prayer as thirteen rak'ahs, including the two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer. In the report, he prayed six rak'ahs two by two, then observed witr with five rak'ahs. It also says he did not sit between the five except in the last of them. This is a useful text for searches like thirteen rak'ahs night prayer, five rak'ah witr hadith, and Aishah witr prayer narration. The wording should be kept as it is: the thirteen count here includes the two before Fajr, and the witr pattern in this report is five with sitting only at the end.
What we learn from this hadith
- The thirteen rak'ahs in this report include the two before the dawn prayer.
- The Prophet prayed six rak'ahs in pairs.
- Witr is described as five rak'ahs.
- He sat only in the last of the five witr rak'ahs.
