8/7. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1434 — Early or Late Witr Prayer
Praying With Witr Before Sleeping
Best Time for Witr Prayer: Early Care and Late Strength
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1434
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1434
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي خَلَفٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو زَكَرِيَّا، يَحْيَى بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ السَّيْلَحِينِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَبَاحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ " مَتَى تُوتِرُ " قَالَ أُوتِرُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ . وَقَالَ لِعُمَرَ " مَتَى تُوتِرُ " . قَالَ آخِرَ اللَّيْلِ . فَقَالَ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ " أَخَذَ هَذَا بِالْحَزْمِ " . وَقَالَ لِعُمَرَ " أَخَذَ هَذَا بِالْقُوَّةِ " .
Abu Qatadah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) asked AbuBakr: When do you observe the witr? He replied: I observe the witr prayer in the early hours of the night. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked Umar: When do you observe the witr? He replied: At the end of the night. He then said to AbuBakr: This has followed it with care; and he said to Umar: He has followed it with strength.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1434In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 19English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1429
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1434
This hadith about the time for witr prayer shows two different habits. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked Abu Bakr when he observed witr, and he said he prayed it in the early hours of the night. Then he asked Umar, who said he prayed it at the end of the night. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said about Abu Bakr that he had taken it with care, and about Umar that he had taken it with strength. The text does not force one single timing in this report. It shows that early witr can be linked with caution, while late witr can be linked with strength. This helps people searching best time for witr prayer understand the wording of this hadith.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Bakr prayed witr in the early part of the night.
- Umar prayed witr at the end of the night.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) responded to each with praise suited to his choice.
