8/8. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1435 — The Prophet's Witr at Different Times
The Time Of The Witr Prayer
Witr Prayer Time: Early Night, Midnight, or Before Dawn
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1435
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1435
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ مَتَى كَانَ يُوتِرُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَتْ كُلَّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ فَعَلَ أَوْتَرَ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ وَوَسَطَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَلَكِنِ انْتَهَى وِتْرُهُ حِينَ مَاتَ إِلَى السَّحَرِ .
Masruq Narrated from:
I asked 'Aishah: When would the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observe the witr prayer ? She replied: Any time he observed the witr, sometimes in the early hours of the night, sometimes at midnight and sometimes towards the end of it. But he used to observe the witr just before the dawn when he died.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1435In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 20English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1430
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1435
This hadith about witr prayer time comes from Aishah through Masruq. When he asked when the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) observed witr, she answered that he did all of that: sometimes in the early hours of the night, sometimes at midnight, and sometimes toward the end of it. She then said that his witr, when he died, had reached the time just before dawn. For someone searching when did the Prophet pray witr, this narration gives a broad answer from the text. It shows that witr was observed at different times, while also noting the final practice mentioned by Aishah.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed witr at different times of the night.
- Aishah mentioned early night, middle night, and the end of the night.
- She said his witr near the time of death was just before dawn.
