Bukhari

Hadith Commentary: Hafiz Sahib says:

That is, if a person performs witr and then sleeps, and later wishes to offer voluntary (nafl) prayers, he may perform one rak‘ah to make his previous witr an even number (shaf‘), then offer as many voluntary prayers as he wishes, and then perform witr at the end, in order to act upon the statement: “Make the last of your prayers at night witr.” Or, he may offer as many voluntary prayers as he wishes after waking up at night without invalidating his previous witr, and suffice with the witr he has already performed. The answer given is in favor of choosing the second method, and it is said: If you have already performed witr at the beginning, then there is no need to perform witr again at the end.

There is a difference of opinion among the salaf (pious predecessors) on this issue.

Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu was of the view that witr should be invalidated and performed again, but the correct opinion according to the Shafi‘is is that it should not be invalidated, as is mentioned in the hadith of this chapter. This is also the view of the Malikis.

And Allah knows best.

‘Aidh ibn ‘Amr al-Madani radi Allahu anhu was among those who pledged allegiance at Ridwan (Bay‘at al-Ridwan).

In the end, he settled in Basra.

Most of those who narrate from him are Basrans.

Hadith Commentary:
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The purpose of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah in mentioning this hadith is to show that ‘A’idh bin ‘Amr radi Allahu anhu was among the Companions of the Tree (Ashab al-Shajarah) and that he participated in the Pledge of Ridwan (Bay‘at al-Ridwan).

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Since the issue of “nullifying the witr” (naqs al-witr) is mentioned in this hadith, we will explain it in detail:
If someone performs the witr prayer after ‘Isha and then sleeps, and later wakes up during the night and wishes to perform tahajjud, then making the previously performed witr even (by adding one rak‘ah) is called “nullifying the witr” (naqs al-witr).
There was a difference of opinion among the Companions radi Allahu anhum regarding nullifying the witr.
Some held this view, while the majority were against it. Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah writes:
Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and some of the Tabi‘in rahimahumullah after them held the view of nullifying the witr.
That is, upon waking up again, one should perform one rak‘ah and join it to the previously performed witr, then perform as many nawafil as possible, and at the end, perform witr again, because the hadith states:
“There are not two witr in one night.”
On the other hand, some scholars among the Companions radi Allahu anhum and the Tabi‘in rahimahumullah held the view that if someone performs witr after ‘Isha and sleeps, then wakes up during the night, he should continue to perform nawafil as he is able.
There is no need to nullify the witr; rather, the previously performed witr remain valid, and there is no need to repeat them.
Then he (Imam Tirmidhi) states that this latter view is more correct.
Because it is established from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he performed nawafil after the witr prayer.
After this, Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah mentions the hadith narrated from Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to perform two rak‘ahs after witr.
(Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Witr, Chapter 13: What Has Been Reported That There Are Not Two Witr in One Night)
When ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu was asked about witr, he replied:
If I perform witr before sleeping, then wake up and wish to perform nawafil, I make my previously performed witr even by performing one rak‘ah, then I perform two rak‘ahs of prayer.
At the end, I perform one rak‘ah, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Let the last prayer of your night be witr.”
(Musnad Ahmad: 2/135)
Masruq rahimahullah says that he asked ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu about nullifying the witr, and he replied:
I have no narration in this regard, but I do so based on my own ijtihad.
Masruq rahimahullah says that the companions of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu used to be very surprised at this action.
(Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl, p. 220)
When the issue of nullifying the witr was mentioned to Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhu, he said:
Whoever nullifies the witr is playing with the witr, and he also said:
In this way, witr is performed three times in one night, whereas the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade performing witr twice in one night. ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha said:
Those who nullify the witr are as if they are playing with their prayer.
(Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl, p. 221)
Our position in this matter is that if someone has performed witr in the first part of the night, and later finds time to perform nawafil in the last part of the night, he is permitted to perform additional nawafil.
He should neither nullify the witr nor repeat the witr.
‘A’idh bin ‘Amr radi Allahu anhu adopted this very position in the aforementioned hadith.
For further details, please refer to our detailed fatwa which we wrote in the weekly Ahl-e-Hadith, and which has been published separately in book form.
(Fatawa Ashab al-Hadith: 1/147)