5/27. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1362 — How the Prophet Prayed Witr
On The Night Prayer
Witr Prayer Hadith: How Many Rak'ahs Did the Prophet Pray?
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1362
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1362
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْمُرَادِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ رضى الله عنها : بِكَمْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُوتِرُ قَالَتْ : كَانَ يُوتِرُ بِأَرْبَعٍ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَسِتٍّ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَثَمَانٍ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَعَشْرٍ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يُوتِرُ بِأَنْقَصَ مِنْ سَبْعٍ، وَلاَ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ زَادَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ : وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ . قُلْتُ : مَا يُوتِرُ قَالَتْ : لَمْ يَكُنْ يَدَعُ ذَلِكَ . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَحْمَدُ : وَسِتٍّ وَثَلاَثٍ .
'Abd Allah b. Abi Qais Narrated from:
'Abd Allah b. Abi Qais said that he asked 'Aishah: How many rak'ahs would the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray observing the witr ? She said: He used to observe the witr with four and three, six and three, eight and three, and ten and three rak'ahs never observing less than seven or more than thirteen. The narrator Ahmad added in his version: He would not observe the witr with two rak'ahs before the dawn. I asked: With what would he observe the witr ? She said: He would never leave it. The version of Ahmad does not mention the words "six and three (rak'ahs)".
[1] That is, the author heard this narration from Aḥmad bin Ṣāliḥ and from Muḥammad bin Salamah Al-Murādī. The wording for no. 1362 is from Al-Murādī, and these are the differences narrated by Aḥmad bin Ṣāliḥ.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1362In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 113English translation : Book 5, Hadith 1357
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1362
This witr prayer hadith answers a direct question: how many rak'ahs would the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) pray for witr? Aishah gives several counts: four and three, six and three, eight and three, and ten and three. She also says he did not pray less than seven or more than thirteen. The report then mentions a version that adds he would not observe witr with two rak'ahs before dawn, and when asked what he used for witr, Aishah said he would never leave it. The key point is that witr had a firm place in his night prayer. The hadith also shows that the reported rak'ah counts varied within the practice mentioned here. For readers searching how many rak'ahs in witr, this narration gives a focused answer from Aishah's report without adding extra details outside the text.
What we learn from this hadith
- Witr was a regular part of the Prophet's night prayer.
- The narration mentions different rak'ah patterns for witr.
- Aishah states that he did not leave witr.
- Questions about worship can be answered by carefully reporting the Prophet's practice.
