6/17. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 738b — Night Prayer and Sitting Rak'ahs
Night prayers and the number of rak`ah offered by the Prophet (saws) at night, and that Witr is one rak`ah, and a one-rak`ah prayer is correct
Hadith About Thirteen Rak'ahs, Witr, and Two Sitting Rak'ahs
Sahih Muslim : 738b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 738b
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ صَلاَةِ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ كَانَ يُصَلِّي ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً يُصَلِّي ثَمَانَ رَكَعَاتٍ ثُمَّ يُوتِرُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ قَامَ فَرَكَعَ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَيْنَ النِّدَاءِ وَالإِقَامَةِ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ .
Abu Salama asked 'A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) She said: He observed thirteen rak'ahs (in the night prayer). He observed eight rak'ahs and would then observe Witr and then observe two rak'ahs sitting, and when he wanted to bow he stood up and then bowed down, and then observed two rak'ahs in between the Adhan and lqama of the dawn prayer.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 738bIn-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 153USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1608
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 738b
This hadith about the Prophet’s night prayer gives a fuller order of prayer. Abu Salama asked A'isha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). She said he prayed thirteen rak'ahs: eight rak'ahs, then Witr, then two rak'ahs while sitting. When he wanted to bow, he stood up and bowed. Then he prayed two rak'ahs between the Adhan and Iqama of the dawn prayer. For people searching for Prophet night prayer thirteen rakahs, sitting rakahs after Witr, or Sunnah before Fajr hadith, this report gives clear details. The key is not to merge it with every other narration. This text has its own order: eight, Witr, two sitting rak'ahs, and two before Fajr.
What we learn from this hadith
- A'isha reported thirteen rak'ahs in this narration.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed eight rak'ahs and then Witr.
- He prayed two rak'ahs sitting, then stood to bow.
- He prayed two rak'ahs between the Adhan and Iqama of Fajr.
