Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah

It is narrated from Hazrat Sa’d bin Hisham that he divorced his wife, then came to Madinah Munawwarah in order to sell his land and garden there, so that he could buy weapons and horses (war equipment) and participate in jihad against the Romans until he would be martyred. He met a group from his people, and they informed him that a group from his people had also wished the same during the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Is there not an example for you in my blessed self?” Thus, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from this intention. Consequently, Hazrat Sa’d made people witnesses when he took his wife back. Then he came to us and informed us that he had met Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and asked him about Witr. He said: “Shall I not tell you about the one among the people of the earth who knows the most about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?” He said: “Yes, please tell me.” He said: “She is Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). Go to her and ask her. Then come back and tell me her answer.” So I went to Hazrat Hakim bin Aflah and asked him to come with me to the service of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), but he said, “I will not go to her. I had forbidden her from saying anything about those two groups (the group of Sayyiduna Ali and the group of Sayyiduna Muawiyah), but she refused and went (for reconciliation).” So I made him agree to come with me by making him swear an oath. So he went with me. When we reached the service of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she asked, “Is Hakim (here)?” and she recognized him. Hazrat Hakim said, “Yes,” or said, “Why not (it is Hakim who has come).” She asked, “Who is with you?” He said, “This is Sa’d bin Hisham.” She asked, “Hisham who?” He replied, “Hisham bin Amir.” So Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) prayed for mercy for Amir and said, “Amir was a very good man.” I said, “O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” She said: “We used to prepare the miswak and water for ablution for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). At night, Allah Almighty would awaken him whenever He wished. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would use the miswak, perform ablution, then he would pray eight rak’ahs, sitting only in the eighth rak’ah. Thus, he would sit, remember Allah Almighty, and supplicate. At this point, Harun has added in his narration that then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand up and would not say salam. Then he would pray the ninth rak’ah, then sit for tashahhud, praise his Lord, send blessings upon the Prophet, then he (peace and blessings be upon him) would say salam, and we would hear it. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) would sit and perform two rak’ahs. O my dear son, thus these became eleven rak’ahs. Both Bundar and Harun have narrated these words: Then when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became old and his blessed body became heavy, he (peace and blessings be upon him) performed seven rak’ahs of Witr, and after saying salam, he would sit and perform two rak’ahs. My dear son, thus these became nine rak’ahs. Bundar has narrated from his chain from Sayyiduna Qatadah these words: And he would say one salam which we would hear. Bundar says: I said to Yahya that other narrators narrate “tasleematahu” (one salam). He said: I have memorized it from Hazrat Sa’id in this way. Harun has also narrated from his chain from Hazrat Sa’id these words: Then he would say salam and we would hear it, as is in the narration of Yahya. And Abdul Samad has narrated from his chain from Hazrat Qatadah in this narration these words: Then he would say one salam and we would hear it.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to perform nine rak‘ahs of Witr. Then, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) became older and his blessed body became heavier, he started performing seven rak‘ahs of Witr. And the Prophet (peace be upon him) would perform two rak‘ahs sitting, in which he would recite Surah ar-Rahman and Surah al-Waqi‘ah. Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: And we would recite short surahs such as « إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا » and « قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ » and surahs like them.