Sunan Abi Dawud
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Voluntary Prayers — Hadith #1362
Traditional grade: Sahih How we grade
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْمُرَادِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ رضى الله عنها : بِكَمْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُوتِرُ قَالَتْ : كَانَ يُوتِرُ بِأَرْبَعٍ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَسِتٍّ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَثَمَانٍ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَعَشْرٍ وَثَلاَثٍ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يُوتِرُ بِأَنْقَصَ مِنْ سَبْعٍ، وَلاَ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ زَادَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ : وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ . قُلْتُ : مَا يُوتِرُ قَالَتْ : لَمْ يَكُنْ يَدَعُ ذَلِكَ . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَحْمَدُ : وَسِتٍّ وَثَلاَثٍ .
How many rak’ahs would the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray observing the witr ? She said: He used to observe the witr with four and three, six and three, eight and three, and ten and three rak’ahs never observing less than seven or more than thirteen.
The narrator Ahmad added in his version: He would not observe the witr with two rak’ahs before the dawn. I asked: With what would he observe the witr ? She said: He would never leave it. The version of Ahmad does not mention the words “six and three (rak’ahs)”.
Hadith Grading
Each grade below reflects one scholar's assessment of the chain of transmission. The grade describes the chain, not the Prophet's words. How we grade
Traditional grade: Sahih