He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The witr* is a rak'a at the end of the night.” * Literally ‘single’, or ‘odd’, used of an odd number of rak'as prayed at some time during the night. Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Salama said the Prophet used to pray two rak'as after the witr. Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah added that they were short ones which he prayed while sitting.

"The Messenger of Allah taught me the Adhan with nineteen phrases and the Iqamah with seventeen. The Adhan is: Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar; Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah; Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah; Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah; Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah; Hayya 'alal-salah, Hayya 'alal-salah; Hayya 'alal-falah, Hayya 'alal-falah; Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar; La ilaha illallah (Allah is the Most great, Allah is the most Great, Allah is the most Great, Allah is the most Great; I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; Come to the Prayer, Come to the Prayer; Come to the prosperity, Come to the prosperity; Allah is the Most great, Allah is the Most Great; None has the right to be worshipped but Allah). And the Iqamah is seventeen phrases: Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar; Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah; Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah; Hayya 'alal-salah, Hayya 'alal-salah; Hayya 'alal-falah, Hayya 'alal-falah; Qad qamatis-salah, qad qamatis-salah; Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar; La ilaha illallah (Allah is the Most great, Allah is the most Great, Allah is the most Great, Allah is the most Great; I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; Come to the Prayer, Come to the Prayer; Come to the prosperity, Come to the prosperity; The prayer is about to begin, the prayer is about to begin; Allah is the Most great, Allah is the Most Great; None has the right to be worshipped but Allah)."

My friend (i.e. the Prophet) instructed me to observe three practices that I do not leave while traveling nor while resident, to pray two rak`ahs in the forenoon, to fast three days every month and not to sleep but after observing the witr.

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever leaves his house for the prayer and says: 'Allahumma inni asa'luka bi-haqqis-sa'ilina 'alaika, wa as'aluka bi-haqqi mamshaya hadha, fa inni lam akhruj asharan wa la batran, wa la riya'an, wa la sum'atan, wa kharajtu-ttiqa'a sukhtika wabtigha'a mardatika, fa as'aluka an tu'idhani minan-nari wa an taghfira li dhunubi, Innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Anta. (O Allah, I ask You by the right that those who ask of You have over You, and I ask by virtue of this walking of mine, for I am not going out because of pride or vanity, or to show off or make a reputation, rather I am going out because I fear Your wrath and seek Your pleasure. So I ask You to protect me from the Fire and to forgive me my sins, for no one can forgive sins except You),' Allah will turn His Face towards him and seventy thousand angels will pray for his forgiveness."

"Part of the Talbiyah of the Messenger of Allah was 'Labbaika Allahumma labbbaik, Labbaika la sharika laka labbaik, Innal-hamda wan-ni'mata laka wal-mulk, (Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours)"

“The Talbiyah of the Messenger of Allah (saw) was: ‘Labbaika Allahumma labbaik, (labbaika) la sharika laka labbaik. Innal-hamd wan-ni’mata laka, wal-mulk. La sharika laka (Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner).’”

He and Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s Messenger established the practice of praying two rak'as when travelling, they constituting a complete observance and not an abbreviation; and the witr while travelling is a sunna. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

The Prophet (SAW) said, "When the dawn breaks, then the time of all night prayers including the Witr is over, so observe the Witr before dawn." [Reported by at-Tirmidhi].

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) dispatched a contingent of the Muslims to a tribe of the polytheists. The two sides met (in combat) at one place. A man among the polytheists was so dashing that, whenever he intended to kill a man from Muslims, he killed him. Amongst the Muslims, too, was a man looking forward to (an opportunity of) his (polytheist's) unmindfulness. He (the narrator) said: We talked that he was Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him). When he raised his sword, he (the soldier of the polytheists) uttered: "La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah)." But he (Usamah bin Zaid) killed him. When the good news of victory reached Messenger of Allah (PBUH) he asked him (about the events of the battle), and he informed him about the man (Usamah) and what he had done. He (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) sent for him and asked him why he had killed him. He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah, he struck the Muslims and killed such and such of them." And he named some of them. (He continued): "I attacked him and when he saw the sword he said: 'La ilaha illallah."' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Did you kill him?" He (Usamah) replied in the affirmative. The Messenger of Allah then remarked, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?" He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah! Beg forgiveness for me". He (the Prophet (PBUH)) said, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?" He (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) added nothing to it but kept repeating, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?".

[Muslim].

He asked Aishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) at night. She said: "He used to pray thirteen rak'ahs. He would pray eight rak'ahs then pray witr, then pray two rak'ahs sitting down. When he wanted to bow he would stand and bow, and he prayed two rak'ahs between the adhan and iqamah of subh prayer.

It was narrated from Umm Salamah that the Prophet (saw) used to pray two short Rak’ah after Witr, sitting down.

Allah's Messenger said: 'Whoever performs Wudu, making Wudu well, then says: (Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, wahdahu la sharika lahu, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan-abduhu wa rasuluhu, Allahummajalni minat tawwabin, waj'alni minal mutatahhirin) 'I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone, there are no partners for Him. And I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O Allah! Make me among the repentant, and make me among those who purify themselves.' Then eight gates of Paradise are opened for him, that may enter by whichever of them wishes."

Allah's Messenger said: "Whoever says, when he hears the Mu'adh-dhin: (Wa Ana Ashadu An La Ilaha Illallah, Wahdahu La Sharika Lahu, Wa Anna Muhammadan Abduhu Wa Rasuluhu, Radittu Billahi Rabban Wa Bil-Islam Dinan, Wa Bi Muhammadin Rasulan) 'I too testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah, Alone without partners, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion and Muhammad as a Messenger.' - Allah will pardon his sins for him."

When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) stood to offer a voluntary prayer he would say: " Allahu Akbar Wajahtu wajhi lilladhi fataras-samawatiwal-arda hanifan musliman wa ma ana minal-mushrikin. Inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati lillahi rabbil-alamin, la sharika lahu, wa bidhalika umirtu wa ana awwalul-muslimin. Allahumma antal-maliku la ilaha illa anta subhanaka wa bihamdik (Allah is Most Great. Verily, I have turned my face toward Him who created the Heavens and the Earth hanifa (worhsipping none but Allah Alone), as a Muslim, and I am not of the idolaters. Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the all that exists. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the Sovereign and there is none worthy of worship but You, glory and praise be to You.)" Then he would recite.

"When the Messenger of Allah died, and Abu Bakr became the Khalifah after him, and some of the 'Arabs reverted to disbelief. 'umar said to Abu Bakr: 'How can you fight the people when the Messenger of allah said: "I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship but Allah). Whoever says La ilaha illah, his wealth and his life safe from me, unless he deserves a legal punishment justly, and his reckoning will be with Allah?"' Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'I will fight anyone who separates prayer and Zakah; Zakah is the compulsory right to be taken from wealth. By Allah, if they withhold from me a rope that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah, I will fight them for wiholding it.' 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'By Allah, it was as if I saw that Allah has opened the heart of Abu Bakr for fighting, and I knew that I was the truth."'

“Al-hamdu lillahi hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan ghaira makfiyyin wa la muwadda’in wa la mustaghnan ‘anhu, Rabbana (Praise is to Allah, abundant good and blessed praise, a never-ending praise, a praise that we will never bid farewell to and an indispensible praise, He is our Lord).”

"Allah's Messenger would recite during Al-Witr: "Glorify the Name of your Lord the Most High' and, 'Say: O you disbelievers!' and, 'Say: Allah is One,' in each Rak'ah."

The Prophet (PBUH) performed the night prayer in pairs (i.e., Rak'ah) and made it odd number by observing one Rak'ah (as Witr).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: `O people of the Qur`an, pray Witr, for Allah, may He Be glorified and exalted, is One and loves that which is odd numbered.`

'Mu'adh b. Jabal al-Ansari led his companions in the night prayer and prolonged it for them. A person amongst us said prayer (after having separated himself from the congregation). Mu'adh was informed of this, and he remarked that he was a hypocrite. When it (the remark) was conveyed to the man, he went to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and informed him of what Mu'adh had said. Upon this the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to him: Mu'adh, do you want to become a person putting (people) to trial? When you lead people in prayer, recite:" By the Sun and its morning brightness" (Surat ash-Shams)," Glorify the name of thy most high Lord" (Surat al-A`la) and" Read in the name of Lord" (Surat al-`Alaq), and" By the night when it spreads" (Surat al-Lail).

he said: "I said to Abu Mahdhurah: 'I am going to Ash-Sham and I am afraid that I will be asked about how you say the Adhan. "'He told me that Abu Mahdhurah said to him, I went out with a group of people and we were somewhere on the road to Hunain when the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) was coming back from Hunain. The Messenger of Allah met us somewhere on the road and the Muadhdhin of the Messenger of Allah called the Adhan for prayer in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W). We heard the voice of the Muadh'dhin and we were careless about it (the Adhan), so we started yelling, immitating and mocking it. The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) heard us, so he sent some people who brought us to stand in front of him. He said, 'Who is the one whose voice I heard so loud?' The people all pointed to me, and they were telling the truth. He sent them all away, but kept me there and said to me: 'Stand up and call the Adhan for the Prayer.' I stood up and the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) taught me the Adhan himself. He Said, 'Say: 'Allahu Akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah (Allah is the Greatest,Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah,I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger Allah).' Then he said: 'Then repeat and say in a loud voice:Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah; Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah, Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulallah; Hayya 'alas-salah, Hayya 'ala-salah; Hayya 'alal-falah Hayya 'alal-falah; Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; La ilaha ill-Allah (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; Come to prayer, come to prayer; come to prosperity, come to prosperity; Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is none worthy of worship except Allah).' Then he called me when I had finished saying the Adhan, and he gave me a bundle in which there was some silver. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (S.A.W), let me be the one doing the Adhan in Makkah.' He said: 'I command you to do so.' Then I came to 'Attab bin Asid who was the governor of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) in Makkah, and I called the Adhan for prayer with him upon the orders of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W)."

‘Urge your dying ones to say La ilaha illallah.”

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to recite: "Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High;" in witr, in the second rak'ah he would recite: "Say: O you disbelievers!"; and in the third "Say: He is Allah, (the) One". And he only said the taslim at the end, and he would say- meaning after the taslim: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy)' three times."

Abu Musa was between Makkah and Al-Madinah. He prayed 'Isha with two rak'ahs, then he stood and prayed one rak'ah of witr in which he recited one hundred verses from An-Nisa'. Then he said: "I tried my best to place my feet where the Messenger of Allah (SAW) placed his, and to recite what the Messenger of Allah (SAW) recited."

Ubayy bin Ka'b said: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to recite in Witr: "Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High;" and "Say: O you disbelievers!;' and 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One.' And when he said the salam, he would say: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times."

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to recite in witr: "Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High;' and "Say: O you disbelievers!'; and 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One." And after he had said the salam, he would say: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) raising his voice the third time."

His father said: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to recite in witr: Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High;' and "Say: O you disbelievers!'; and 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One." And after he had said the salam, he would say: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times, raising his voice with it."

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to recite in witr: Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High;' and "Say: O you disbelievers!'; and 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One." And after he had said the salam, he would say: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times, raising his voice with it."

My friend (i.e. the Prophet) instructed me to observe three practices which I never leave: he instructed me to fast three days every month, and not to sleep but after observing the witr, and to observe supererogatory prayer in the forenoon while traveling and while resident.

The Prophet (saws) said: The witr is a duty for every Muslim so if anyone wishes to observe it with five rak'ahs, he may do so; if anyone wishes to observe it with three, he may do so, and if anyone wishes to observe it with one, he may do so.

"Whoever says, when he enters the marketplace: 'La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamdu, yuhyi wa yumitu, wa Huwa hayyun la yamutu, bi yadihil-khairu kulluhu, wa Huwa ala kulli shay’in Qadir (None has the right to be worshiped but Allah alone, with no partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and to Him is the praise, He gives life and gives death, and He is Ever-Living and does not die; in His Hand is all goodness and He is Able to do all things),' Allah will record for him one million good deeds, and will erase from him one million bad deeds, and will build for him a house in Paradise. "

Ali said: "Al-Witr is not incumbent like the status of the obligatory prayers, but it is a Sunnah which Allah's Messenger practiced."

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say the taslim between the two rakas and the one raka of witr so that he could order something he needed.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: `Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is One and loves that which is odd-numbered, so pray Witr, O people of the Qur`an.`

Is there not for you a model pattern in me? And when they narrated this to him (Sa'd b. Hisham), he returned to his wife, though he had divorced her and made (people) witness to his reconciliation. He then came to Ibn 'Abbas and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). Ibn 'Abbas said: Should I not lead you to one who knows best amongst the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)? He said: Who is it? He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: It is 'A'isha. So go to her and ask her (about Witr) and then come to me and inform me about her answer that she would give you. So I came to Hakim b. Aflah and requested him to take me to her. He said: I would not go to her, for I forbade her to speak anything (about the conflict) between the two groupS, but she refused (to accept my advice) and went (to participate in that corflict). I (requested) him (Hakim) with an oath to lead me to her. So we went to 'A'isha and we begged permission to meet her. She granted us permission and we went in. She said: Are you Hakim? (She recognised him.) He replied: Yes. She said: Who is there with you? He said: He is Sa'd b. Hisham. She said: Which Hisham? He said: He is Hisham b. 'Amir. She blessed him ('Amir) with mercy from Allah and spoke good of him (Qatada said that he died as a martyr in Uhud). I said: Mother of the Faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). She said: Don't you read the Qur'an? I said: Yes. Upon this she said: The character of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) was the Qur'an. He said: I felt inclined to get up and not ask anything (further) till death. But then I changed my mind and said: Inform me about the observance (of the night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). She said: Did you not recite:" O thou wrapped up"? He said: Yes. She said: Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, made the observance of the night prayer at the beginning of this Surah obligatory. So the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him and his Companions around him observed this (night prayer) for one year. Allah held back the concluding portion of this Surah for twelve months in the Heaven till (at the end of this period) Allah revealed the concluding verses of this Surah which lightened (the burden of this prayer), and the night prayer became a supererogatory prayer after being an obligatory one. I said: Mother of the Faithful, inform me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). She said: I used to prepare tooth stick for him and water for his ablution, and Allah would rouse him to the extent He wished during the night. He would use the tooth stick, and perform ablution, and would offer nine rak'ahs, and would not sit but in the eighth one and would remember Allah, and praise Him and supplicate Him, then he would get up without uttering the salutation and pray the ninth rak'ah. He would then sit, remember, praise Him and supplicate Him and then utter a salutation loud enough for us to hear. He would then pray two rak'ahs sitting after uttering the salutation, and that made eleven rak'ahs. O my son, but when the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) grew old and put on flesh, he observed Witr of seven, doing in the two rak'ahs as he had done formerly, and that made nine. O my son, and when the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed prayer, he liked to keep on observing it, and when sleep or pain overpowered him and made it impossible (for him) to observe prayer in the night, he prayed twelve rak'ahs daring the day. I am not aware of Allah's Prophet (may peace be upon him) having recited the whole Qur'an during one single night, or praying through the night till morning, or fasting a complete month, except Ramadan. He (the narrator) said: I then went to Ibn 'Abbas and narrated to him the hadith (transmitted from her), and he said: She says the truth If I went to her and got into her presence, I would have listened to it orally from her. He said: If I were to know that you do not go to her. I would not have transmitted this hadith to you narrated by her.

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "He who says after the Adhan: 'Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah Wah-dahu la sharika Lahu; wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasuluhu, radhitu Billahi Rabban, wa bi Muhammadin Rasulan, wa bil Islami Dinan [I testify that there is no true god except Allah Alone; He has no partners and that Muhammad (PBUH) is His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allah as my Rubb, with Muhammad as my Messenger and with Islam as my Deen],' his sins will be forgiven."

[Muslim].

"O Abu Hamzah, what makes the blood and wealth of a Muslim forbidden?" He said: "Whoever bears witness to La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah [SAW], faces our Qiblah, prays as we pray, and eats our slaughtered animals, he is a Muslim, and has the same rights and obligations as the Muslims."

"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'By the One besides Whom there is no other god, it is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim who bears witness to La ilaha illalla (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) and that I am the Messenger of Allah, except in three cases: One who leaves Islam and splits away from the Jama'ah, a person who has been married and then commits adultery, and a life for a life.'"

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Salat during the night should consist of pairs of but if you fear that morning is near, then pray one Rak'ah as Witr."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone over-sleeps and misses the witr, or forgets it, he should pray when he remembers and when he awakes.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

It is not like the obligatory prayer, but it is a Sunnah that was done by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his Companions, and they continued doing it until the end of their lives.

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to recite in witr: Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High;" and "Say: O you disbelievers!;' and 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One.' And when he had finished praying, he said: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times."

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to recite in witr: Glorify the Name of Your Lord, the Most High;' and "Say: O you disbelievers!'; and 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One." And after he had said the salam, he would say: Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy) three times, elongating the words the third time, then raising it."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Exhort your dying men to recite: 'La ilaha illallah' (There is no true god except Allah)."

[Muslim].

I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "The best way to celebrate the remembrance of Allah is to say: La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah)."

[At-Tirmidhi].

that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "Faith has seventy-some odd doors, the lowest of which is removing something harmful from the road, and its highest is the statement 'La Ilaha Illallah.'"