20/31. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1684 — Pray Witr Before Fajr
The command to pray witr before dawn
Witr Before Fajr: The Simple Prophetic Instruction
Sunan an-Nasai : 1684
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1684
أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ دُرُسْتَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْقَنَّادُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ - عَنْ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَوْتِرُوا قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ " .
Au Sa'eed Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Pray witr before dawn (fajr)."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1684In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 87English translation : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1685
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1684
This narration is a short hadith about Witr before Fajr. Abu Sa'eed reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: pray Witr before dawn. The meaning is easy to grasp. Witr is connected to the night, and this hadith points to the end limit of that time. It does not mention a long method or a full prayer plan, so the explanation should stay close to the words. People searching for when to pray Witr before Fajr can see that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave a direct answer. The hadith encourages a person not to delay Witr past the start of Fajr. This keeps the reader focused on the stated time before Fajr begins.
What we learn from this hadith
- Witr is to be prayed before Fajr enters.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave a short and clear instruction.
- The hadith teaches attention to prayer timing.
- It supports ending night worship before dawn.
