13/67. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1315 — Witr Prayer at Night
The minimum that is required for he prayer to be valid
Witr Prayer of the Prophet: Aishah's Description
Sunan an-Nasai : 1315
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1315
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْبِئِينِي عَنْ وَتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطُهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ لِمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ وَيُصَلِّي ثَمَانِ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهِنَّ إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَجْلِسُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَيَدْعُو ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا .
Sa'd bin Hisham Narrated from:
I said: 'O Mother of the believers! Tell me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' She said: 'We used to prepare his siwak and water for purification, then Allah (SWT) would wake him when He willed to wake him at night. He would use the siwak and perform wudu, then pray eight rak'ahs; not sitting until the eighth rak'ah, when he would sit and remember Allah (SWT) and call upon Him. Then he would say the taslim loud enough for us to hear.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1315In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 137English translation : Vol. 2, Book 13, Hadith 1316
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1315
This Hadith gives a description from Aishah about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). She said that they used to prepare his siwak and water for purification. When Allah willed to wake him at night, he would use the siwak, perform wudu, and pray eight rak'ahs. He would not sit during them until the eighth rak'ah. At that point he would sit, remember Allah, and call upon Him. Then he would say the taslim loudly enough for them to hear. The text focuses on what Aishah observed: preparation, night waking, siwak, purification, prayer, remembrance, dua, and audible taslim.
What we learn from this hadith
- Aishah described the Prophet's night prayer practice in this report.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used siwak and performed wudu before praying at night.
- The eighth rak'ah included sitting, remembrance of Allah, dua, and taslim.
