8/1. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1418 — Witr Between Isha and Fajr
The Recommendation To Pray Witr
Witr Prayer Time Hadith: Between Isha and Daybreak
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1418
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1418
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، - الْمَعْنَى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ الزَّوْفِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي مُرَّةَ الزَّوْفِيِّ، عَنْ خَارِجَةَ بْنِ حُذَافَةَ، - قَالَ أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الْعَدَوِيُّ - قَالَ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ أَمَدَّكُمْ بِصَلاَةٍ وَهِيَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ وَهِيَ الْوِتْرُ فَجَعَلَهَا لَكُمْ فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ " .
Kharijah ibn Hudhafah al-Adawi Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out to us and said: Allah the Exalted has given you an extra prayer which is better for you then the red camels (i.e. high breed camels). This is the witr which Allah has appointed for you between the night prayer and the daybreak.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1418In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 3English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1413
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1418
This hadith gives a clear time frame for Witr prayer. Kharijah ibn Hudhafah reports that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم came out and said that Allah had given the Muslims an extra prayer, better for them than red camels, and that this prayer is Witr. He then said Allah appointed it between the night prayer and the daybreak. For searches like witr prayer time hadith, when to pray Witr, Witr between Isha and Fajr, and extra prayer after Isha, this narration is very focused. The hadith describes Witr as a valuable prayer and names its time window. It does not give all details of how many rak'ahs or how to recite, so those points should not be added here.
What we learn from this hadith
- Witr is described as an extra prayer given by Allah.
- The hadith says it is better for the believers than red camels.
- Its time is stated as between the night prayer and daybreak.
- The report names the prayer clearly as Witr.
