حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ حَدَّثَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ حُدَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَقِيقٍ الْعُقَيْلِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ وَأَنَا بَيْنَ السَّائِلِ وَبَيْنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِرَكْعَةٍ قَالَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ عِنْدَ قَرْنِ الْحَوْلِ وَأَنَا بِذَاكَ الْمَنْزِلِ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ السَّائِلِ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى فَإِذَا خَشِيتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِرَكْعَةٍ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 5217
It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said; A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and asked him about prayers at night, and l was between the one who asked and the Prophet (PBUH). He said; "Two (rak'ahs) by two, then ii you are afraid that dawn is approaching, pray Witr with one rak'ah." Then he came at the end of the year, and I was in the same position between him and the one who asked the question, and he asked him (again) and he said: "Two (rak'ahs) by two, then if you are afraid that dawn is approaching, pray Witr with one rak'ah.”
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020