SahihNarrated by Ibn Majah - al-Nasa'i - Narrated by Abu Dawud
The Witr is due, so whoever wants to pray the Witr as seven (units of prayer), let him do so; whoever wants to pray the Witr as five, let him do so; whoever wants to pray the Witr as three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray the Witr as one, let him do so
Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Witr is due, so whoever wants to pray the Witr as seven (units of prayer), let him do so; whoever wants to pray the Witr as five, let him do so; whoever wants to pray the Witr as three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray the Witr as one, let him do so."
HasanIbn Khuzaymah
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer during the month of Ramadan, offering eight Rak‘ahs as well as the Witr. The next night, we gathered in the mosque and hoped that he would come out to us. However, we remained in the mosque until the morning
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer during the month of Ramadan, offering eight Rak‘ahs as well as the Witr. The next night, we gathered in the mosque and hoped that he would come out to us. However, we remained in the mosque until the morning. Thereafter, we entered the Messenger’s place and said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, we were hoping that you would come out and lead us in prayer." He replied: "I feared that the Witr might be made obligatory upon you."
SahihNarrated by Ahmad
Indeed, Allah, the Almighty,, has added a prayer for you, so offer it in the period between ‘Ishā' prayer and Fajr prayer; (it is) the Witr, (it is) the Witr
Abu Tamīm al-Jayshāni reported: I heard ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās say: "A man from the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed me that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Indeed, Allah, the Almighty, has added a prayer for you, so offer it in the period between the ‘Ishā' prayer and the Fajr prayer; (it is) the Witr, (it is) the Witr.' Behold, this Companion was Abu Basrah al-Ghifāri." Abu Tamīm said: "Abu Dharr and I were sitting, so Abu Dharr took me by the hand and we set off to Abu Basrah. We found him at the door next to the house of ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās. Abu Dharr said: 'O Abu Basrah, did you hear the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Indeed, Allah, the Almighty, has added a prayer for you, so offer it in the period between the ‘Ishā' prayer and the Fajr prayer; (it is) the Witr, (it is) the Witr?' He replied: 'Yes.' Abu Dharr asked: 'You heard him?' He replied: 'Yes.' He asked again: 'You heard him?' He replied: 'Yes.'"
SahihNarrated by al-Bukhari & Muslim
O ‘Ā'ishah, indeed, my eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep
Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān (may Allah have mercy upon him) reported that he asked ‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) how the Prophet's prayer was in Ramadan. She said: "Neither in Ramadan, nor in any other month, did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) exceed the eleven Rak‘ahs of prayer. He would pray four – and do not ask about their beauty and length; then he would pray another four, and do not ask about their beauty and length either, then he would pray three." ‘Ā'ishah then added: "I asked him: 'O Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before performing the Witr prayer?' he said: 'O ‘Ā'ishah, indeed, my eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.'"
SahihNarrated by Ibn Majah - Narrated by al-Tirmidhi - al-Nasa'i - Narrated by Abu Dawud - Narrated by Ahmad
O people of the Qur'an, perform the Witr Prayer for, verily, Allah is Witr (single) and loves what is Witr (single, odd)
‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O people of the Qur'an, perform the Witr Prayer for, verily, Allah is Witr (single) and loves what is Witr (single, odd)."
SahihNarrated by al-Bukhari & Muslim
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give up a deed, even though he liked to perform it, for fear that people would follow him and perform it, and it would thus become obligatory for them
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give up a deed, even though he liked to perform it, for fear that people would follow him and perform it, and it would thus become obligatory for them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) never prayed the Duha prayer, but I offer it.
SahihNarrated by al-Bukhari
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was once riding a horse and fell down from it, injuring his right side
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was once riding a horse and fell down from it, injuring his right side. He led one of the prayers while sitting, and we prayed behind him sitting as well. When he finished the prayer, he said: "The Imām is meant to be followed, so when he prays standing, then pray standing; and when he bows, bow; and when he rises from bowing, rise; and when he says: 'Allah hears those who praise Him)', then say: 'Our Lord, for You is all praise'; and when he prays standing, then pray standing; and when he prays sitting, then all of you pray sitting."
SahihNarrated by al-Bukhari & Muslim
O people, pray at your homes, for a person’s best prayer is the one he performs at his home except the obligatory prayer
Zayd ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took for himself a room in the mosque made of straw mats. He prayed in it for a few nights until some people gathered with him for the night prayer. One night they did not hear his voice and thought he had slept, so some of them started to attract his attention to their presence by clearing their throats so that he would come out. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then said: "You kept doing what I saw you doing till I feared that this prayer might become obligatory upon you, and if it were to become obligatory upon you, you would not be able to observe it. O people, pray at your homes, for a person’s best prayer is the one he offers at his home except the obligatory prayer."
SahihNarrated by al-Bukhari
I went to ‘Ā’ishah and asked her to describe to me the Messenger's illness. ‘Ā’ishah said: Yes. The Prophet became seriously ill and asked whether the people had prayed. We replied: No, O Messenger of Allah! They are waiting for you
‘Ubaydullāh ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Utbah reported: I went to ‘Ā’ishah and asked her to describe to me the Messenger's illness. ‘Ā’ishah said: "Yes. The Prophet became seriously ill and asked whether the people had prayed. We replied: 'No, O Messenger of Allah! They are waiting for you.' He added: 'Put water for me in a trough.'" ‘Ā’ishah added: "We did so. He took a bath and tried to get up but fainted. When he recovered, he again asked whether the people had prayed. We said: 'No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah!' He again said: 'Put water in a trough for me.' He sat down and took a bath and tried to get up but fainted again. Then he recovered and said: 'Have the people prayed?' We replied: 'No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah!' He said: 'Put water for me in the trough.' Then he sat down and washed himself and tried to get up but he fainted. When he recovered, he asked: 'Have the people prayed?' We said: 'No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah! The people were in the mosque waiting for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for the ‘Ishā' prayer. The Prophet sent for Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer. The Prophet's messenger went to Abu Bakr and said: 'The Messenger orders you to lead the people in the prayer.' Abu Bakr was a softhearted man, so he asked ‘Umar to lead the prayer but ‘Umar replied: 'You are more rightful.' So Abu Bakr led the prayer in those days. When the Prophet felt a bit better, he came out for the Zhuhr prayer with the help of two persons one of whom was Al-‘Abbās, while Abu Bakr was leading the people in the prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him, he wanted to retreat but the Prophet beckoned him not to do so and asked them to make him sit beside Abu Bakr and they did so. Abu Bakr was following the Prophet (in the prayer) and the people were following Abu Bakr. The Prophet (prayed) sitting." ‘Ubaydullāh added: "I went to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās and said: 'Shall I tell you what ‘Ā’ishah has told me about the fatal illness of the Prophet?' Ibn ‘Abbās said: 'Go ahead.' I told him her narration and he did not deny anything of it but asked whether ‘Ā’ishah told me the name of the second person (who helped the Prophet along with Al-‘Abbās. I said. 'No.' He said: 'He was ‘Ali (ibn Abi Tālib).'"
SahihNarrated by al-Bukhari
O people, you cause aversion to others. Whoever leads people in prayer should make it brief, for among them are the sick, the weak, and those with needs to be fulfilled
Abu Mas‘ūd al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, I would almost fail to attend the prayer because so-and-so prolongs it when he leads us." I never saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) more angry in giving admonition than he was on that day. He said: "O people, you cause aversion to others. Whoever leads people in prayer should make it brief, for among them are the sick, the weak, and those with needs to be fulfilled."
SahihNarrated by al-Bukhari
Offer this prayer at this time and that prayer at that time. When the time for a prayer is due, let one of you call the Adhān, and let the one who knows the Qur’an most lead the prayer
Ayyūb reported from Abu Qilābah from ‘Amr ibn Salamah: Abu Qilābah said to me: "Will you not meet and ask him (‘Amr ibn Salamah)" I said: "I met him and asked him, so he said: ‘We were at a water place that was a thoroughfare for people. Riders would pass by us, and we would ask them: 'What are people up to? What are people up to? Who is that man?' They would say: 'He claims that Allah has sent him and revealed to him. Or Allah has revealed such and such.'' So I used to memorize that speech, as if it was instilled in my heart. Meanwhile, the Arabs (Bedouin tribes) delayed their conversion to Islam until the Conquest. So they would say: 'Leave him and his people, for indeed if he prevails over them, he is a true Prophet.' When the incident of the people of Conquest took place, every tribe rushed to embrace Islam, and my father hurried to embrace Islam before (the rest of) my tribe. When he came back, he said: 'By Allah, I have come to you from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for sure! He said: 'Offer this prayer at this time and that prayer at that time. When the time for a prayer is due, let one of you call the Adhān, and let the one who knows the Qur’an most lead the prayer.'' They checked and found none with more Qur’an than me, for I used to meet the riders. Therefore, they made me to lead them, when I was only six or seven years old. I had on me a garment, which would recede when I would prostrate. A lady from the tribe thus said: 'Will you not cover the bottom of your reader from us?' So they bought (a piece of cloth) and cut me an apparel. I had never been so happy with anything as I was with that apparel."
