حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ يَعْنِي أَبَا أَحْمَدَ الزُّبَيْرِيَّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي رَوَّادٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى تُسَلِّمُ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَإِذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَصَلِّ رَكْعَةً تُوتِرُ لَكَ مَا قَبْلَهَا
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 5103
It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and asked him about prayer at night. He said: “The night prayers are two (rak'ahs) by two, saying the tasleem after each two rak'ahs, then when you fear that dawn is approaching, pray one rak'ah (Witr) to make what you already prayed odd- numbered.”
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020