Tirmidhi

1680. Commentary: According to the majority of scholars, the correct view is that if someone has already performed witr at the beginning of the night and then gets another opportunity (to pray), he should continue to pray two (rak‘ahs) at a time, and there is no need to repeat witr. However, it is narrated from Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhuma with a sound chain that in such a case, before starting tahajjud, he would perform one rak‘ah to make the odd-numbered prayer of the night even, and then at the end, he would perform one rak‘ah (of witr). In this way, the total prayer would become odd, and witr would also be at the end. This was the personal practice of Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhuma. See: (Musnad Ahmad: 2/135) This is the opinion and personal practice of Ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhuma, but in this way, witr would come in the middle, contrary to the method mentioned in the hadith of the chapter, whereas the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded that witr be performed at the end of the night prayer. The majority have responded that performing witr at the end is recommended (mustahabb), not obligatory (wajib), because it is established from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he performed two rak‘ahs after witr as well. Moreover, in the early part of the night, witr was performed at the end (of the prayer at that time); if it were performed in the morning, it would also be at the end. The view of the majority of scholars is stronger; otherwise, witr would be performed three times, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam even forbade performing witr twice—so how could it be permissible to perform it three times? For further details, see: (Dhakheerat al-‘Uqba Sharh Sunan al-Nasa’i: 18/39–42)

1439. Commentary: Some scholars hold the view that if a person has performed the witr prayer at the time of ‘Isha, and then later rises for tahajjud, he should first perform one rak‘ah so that the previously performed witr prayer becomes even (jufṭ). After that, he should continue with his prayer, and then finally perform one rak‘ah at the end, so that the instruction is fulfilled in which it is stated: “Make the last part of your night prayer witr.” However, the preferred opinion is that the witr should not be broken, because the narration reported regarding this is weak. Thus, making the already performed witr even by breaking it is not established from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Therefore, for the one who is not accustomed to tahajjud, it is better that he performs witr along with ‘Isha. Then, if he gets the opportunity to rise at the time of tahajjud, he should perform two or four rak‘ahs and offer the tahajjud prayer. There is no need for him to perform witr at the end.

Takhrij:
«أخرجه أبوداود، الصلاة، باب في نقض الوتر، حديث:1439، والترمذي، الوتر، حديث: 470، والنسائي، قيام الليل، حديث:1680، وأحمد:4 /23، وابن حبان (الإحسان): 4 /75، حديث:2440.»©Explanation:
From this hadith, it is understood that one should not perform witr twice in one night.
The opinion of some individuals that if one has performed witr in the early part of the night, and then wakes up in the last part of the night, he should first perform one rak‘ah to make the number even, then offer supererogatory (nafl) prayers, and finally perform witr at the end—this is not correct.
This practice is contrary to this hadith.
For further details, refer to Imam Marwazi rahimahullah’s “Qiyam al-Layl.”