حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنِي نَافِعٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ قَالَ يُصَلِّي أَحَدُكُمْ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيَ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ صَلَّى رَكْعَةً تُوتِرُ لَهُ صَلَاتَهُ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 5159
It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said: A man asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) about prayers at night. He said: "Let one of you pray two by two, then if he fears that dawn is approaching, he should pray one rak'ah (Witr), which will make what he has prayed during the flight odd-numbered.”
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020