Hadith on Tahajjud: Number of raka’at in Witr prayer

Umm Salamah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed the night prayer with Witr by thirteen cycles, but when he became older and weaker, he performed it with seven cycles.

Imam al-Tirmidhi commented, “It has been narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that Witr prayer is by thirteen, eleven, nine, seven, five, three, or even one cycle.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 457

Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Trmidhi

عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُوتِرُ بِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً فَلَمَّا كَبِرَ وَضَعُفَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ

وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْوَتْرُ بِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ وَإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ وَتِسْعٍ وَسَبْعٍ وَخَمْسٍ وَثَلَاثٍ وَوَاحِدَةٍ

457 سنن الترمذي أبواب الوتر باب ما جاء في الوتر بسبع

1/473 المحدث الترمذي خلاصة حكم المحدث حسن في سنن الترمذي

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Abu Amina Elias
Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrott) is an academic librarian, researcher, and translator specializing in the Quran, Hadith, and their commentaries. He is a former instructor of Islamic Creed for Mishkah University.
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