Partial Translation of Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 8:

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Allah is single (witr) and loves what is single, so observe the witr, you who follow the Qur'an.

Narrated Kharijah ibn Hudhafah al-Adawi:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came out to us and said: Allah the Exalted has given you an extra prayer which is better for you then the red camels (i.e. high breed camels). This is the witr which Allah has appointed for you between the night prayer and the daybreak.

Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib:

I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: The witr is a duty, so he who does not observe it does not belong to us; the witr is a duty, so he who does not observe it does not belong to us; the witr is a duty, so he who does not observe it does not belong to us.

Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit:

Ibn Muhayriz said: A man from Banu Kinanah, named al-Makhdaji, heard a person called AbuMuhammad in Syria, saying: The witr is a duty (wajib).

Al-Makhdaji said: So I went to Ubadah ibn as-Samit and informed him.

Ubadah said: AbuMuhammad told a lie. I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: There are five prayers which Allah has prescribed on His servants. If anyone offers them, not losing any of them, and not treating them lightly, Allah guarantees that He will admit him to Paradise. If anyone does not offer them, Allah does not take any responsibility for such a person. He may either punish him or admit him to Paradise.

Narrated AbuAyyub al-Ansari:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The witr is a duty for every Muslim so if anyone wishes to observe it with five rak'ahs, he may do so; if anyone wishes to observe it with three, he may do so, and if anyone wishes to observe it with one, he may do so.

Narrated Ubayy ibn Ka'b:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to observe witr with (reciting) "Glorify the name of thy Lord, the most High" (Surah 87), "Say O disbelievers" (Surah 109), and "Say, He is Allah, the One, Allah, the eternally besought of all" (112).

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

AbdulAziz ibn Jurayj said: I asked Aisha, mother of the believers: With which (surah) the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to observe witr? (She reported same as in the hadeeth of Ubayy ibn Ka'b, No. 1418)

This version adds: In the third rak'ah he would recite: "Say, He is Allah, the One" (Surah 112), and "Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak" (Surah 113), and "Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind" (Surah 114).

Narrated Al-Hasan ibn Ali:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) taught me some words that I say during the witr. (The version of Ibn Jawwas has: I say them in the supplication of the witr.) They were: "O Allah, guide me among those Thou hast guided, grant me security among those Thou hast granted security, take me into Thy charge among those Thou hast taken into Thy charge, bless me in what Thou hast given, guard me from the evil of what Thou hast decreed, for Thou dost decree, and nothing is decreed for Thee. He whom Thou befriendest is not humbled. Blessed and Exalted art Thou, our Lord."

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to say at the end of his witr: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thy good pleasure from Thy anger, and in Thy forgiveness from Thy punishment, and I seek refuge in Thy mercy from Thy wrath. I cannot reckon the praise due to Thee. Thou art as Thou hast praised Thyself."

Narrated Ubayy ibn Ka'b:

Al-Hasan reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab gathered the people (in tarawih prayer) behind Ubayy ibn Ka'b (who led them). He used to lead them for twenty days (during Ramadan, and would not recite the supplication except in the second half of it (i.e. Ramadan). When the last ten days remained, he kept away from them, and prayed in his house. They used to say: Ubayy ran away.

Narrated Ubayy ibn Ka'b:

When the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) offered salutation in the witr prayer, he said: Glorify be to the king most holy.

Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If anyone oversleeps and misses the witr, or forgets it, he should pray when he remembers.

Narrated AbuQatadah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) asked AbuBakr: When do you observe the witr?

He replied: I observe the witr prayer in the early hours of the night.

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) asked Umar: When do you observe the witr?

He replied: At the end of the night.

He then said to AbuBakr: This has followed it with care; and he said to Umar: He has followed it with strength.

Narrated Talq ibn Ali:

Qays ibn Talq said: Talq ibn Ali visited us on a certain day during Ramadan. He remained with us till evening and broke fast with us. He then stood up and led us in the witr prayer.

He then went to his mosque and led them in prayer. When the witr remained, he put forward another man and said: Lead your companions in the witr prayer, for I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) as saying: There are no two witrs during one night.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) recited the supplication (Qunut) daily for a month at the noon, afternoon, sunset, night and morning prayers. When he said: "Allah listens to him who praises Him" in the last rak'ah, invoking a curse on some clans of Banu Sulaym, Ri'l, Dhakwan and Usayyah, and those who were standing behind him said: Amen.

Narrated Someone who prayed with the Prophet:

Muhammad ibn Sirin said: Someone who prayed the morning prayer along with the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) narrated to me: When he raised his head after the second rak'ah, he remained standing for a short while.

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: May Allah show mercy to a man who gets up during the night and prays, who wakens his wife and she prays; if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. May Allah show mercy to a woman who gets up during the night and prays, who wakens her husband and he prays; if he refuses she sprinkles water on his face.

Narrated AbuSa'id ; AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When a man himself wakes at night and wakens his wife and they pray two rak'ahs together, they are recorded among the men and women who make much mention of Allah.

Narrated Mu'adh al-Juhani:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If anyone recites the Qur'an and acts according to its contents, on the Day of Judgment his parents will be given to wear a crown whose light is better than the light of the sun in the dwellings of this world if it were among you. So what do you think of him who acts according to his.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) was given seven repeated long surahs, while Moses was given six, When he threw the tablets, two of them were withdrawn and four remained.

Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir:

I was driving the she-camel of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) during a journey. He said to me: Uqbah, should I not teach you two best surahs ever recited? He then taught me: "Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn," and "Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of men." He did not see me much pleased (by these two surahs).

When he alighted for prayer, he led the people in the morning prayer and recited them in prayer. When the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) finished his prayer, he turned to me and said: O Uqbah, how did you see.

Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir:

White I was travelling with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) between al-Juhfah and al-Abwa', a wind and intense darkness enveloped us, whereupon the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) began to seek refuge in Allah, reciting: "I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn," and "I seek refuge in the Lord of men."

He then said: Uqbah, use them when seeking refuge in Allah, for no one can use anything to compare with them for the purpose.

Uqbah added: I heard him reciting them when he led the people in prayer.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: One who was devoted to the Qur'an will be told to recite, ascend and recite carefully as he recited carefully when he was in the world, for he will reach his abode when he comes to the last verse he recites.

Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin:

Ya'la ibn Mumallak said that he asked Umm Salamah about the recitation and prayer of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him).

She said: What have you to do with his prayer? He would pray, then sleep as long as he had prayed, till morning. She then described his recitation and did so with an exposition word by word.

Narrated Al-Bara' ibn Azib:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Beautify the Qur'an with your voices.

Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: He who does not chant the Qur'an is not one of us.

(Sub-narrator Qutaybah said: This hadeeth according to my collection is on the authority of Sa'id ibn AbuSa'id.)

Narrated AbuLubabah:

Ubaydullah ibn Yazid said: AbuLubabah passed by us and we followed him till he entered his house, and we also entered it.

There was a man in a rusty house and in shabby condition. I heard him say: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: He is not one of us who does not chant the Qur'an.

I (the narrator AbdulJabbar) said to Ibn AbuMulaykah: AbuMuhammad, what do you think if a person does not have pleasant voice? He said: He should recite with pleasant voice as much as possible.

Narrated Sa'd ibn Ubadah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: No man recites the Qur'an, then forgets it, but will meet Allah on the Day of Judgment in a maimed condition (or empty-handed, or with no excuse).

Narrated An-Nu'man ibn Bashir:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Supplication (du'a') is itself the worship.

(He then recited:) "And your Lord said: Call on Me, I will answer you" (xI.60).

Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:

Ibn Sa'd said: My father (Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas) heard me say: O Allah, I ask Thee for Paradise, its blessings, its pleasure and such-and-such, and such-and-such; I seek refuge in Thee from Hell, from its chains, from its collars, and from such-and-such, and from such-and-such. He said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: There will be people who will exaggerate in supplication. You should not be one of them. If you are granted Paradise, you will be granted all what is good therein; if you are protected from Hell, you will be protected from what is evil therein.

Narrated Fudalah ibn Ubayd,:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) heard a person supplicating during prayer. He did not mention the greatness of Allah, nor did he invoke blessings on the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him).

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: He made haste.

He then called him and said either to him or to any other person: If any of you prays, he should mention the exaltation of his Lord in the beginning and praise Him; he should then invoke blessings on the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him); thereafter he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Do not cover the walls. He who sees the letter of his brother without his permission, sees Hell-fire.

Supplicate Allah with the palms of your hands; do not supplicate Him with their backs upwards. When you finish supplication, wipe your faces with them.

Narrated Malik ibn Yasar as-Sakuni, al-Awfi:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: When you make requests to Allah, do so with the palms of your hands, and not backs, upwards.

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

I saw the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) supplicating Allah in this manner with the palms of his hands and also with their backs upwards.

Narrated Salman al-Farsi:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Your Lord is munificent and generous, and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

Ikrimah quoted Ibn Abbas as saying: When asking for something you should raise your hands opposite to your shoulders; when asking for forgiveness you should point with one finger; and when making an earnest supplication you should spread out both your hands.

Narrated Yazid ibn Sa'id al-Kindi:

When the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) made supplication (to Allah) he would raise his hands and wipe his face with his hands.

Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) heard a man saying: O Allah, I ask Thee, I bear witness that there is no god but Thou, the One, He to Whom men repair, Who has not begotten, and has not been begotten, and to Whom no one is equal, and he said: You have supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when asked with this name He gives, and when supplicated by this name he answers.

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

I was sitting with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and a man was offering prayer. He then made supplication: O Allah, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee, there is no deity but Thou, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One.

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) then said: He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He gives.

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

Ata' said: The quilt of Aisha was stolen. She began to curse the person who had stolen it. The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) began to tell her: Do not lighten him.

Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab:

I sought permission of the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) to perform umrah. He gave me permission and said: My younger brother, do not forget me in your supplication.

He (Umar) said: He told me a word that pleased me so much so that I would not have been pleased if I were given the whole world.

The narrator Shu'bah said: I then met Asim at Medina. He narrated to me this tradition and reported the wordings: "My younger brother, share me in your supplication."

Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) passed by me while I was supplicating by pointing with two fingers of mine. He said: Point with one finger; point with one finger. He then himself pointed with the forefinger.

Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas:

Once Sa'd, with the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), visited a woman in front of whom were some date-stones or pebbles which she was using as a rosary to glorify Allah. He (the Prophet) said: I tell you something which would be easier (or more excellent) for you than that. He said (it consisted of saying): "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created in Heaven; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created on Earth; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created between them; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He is creating; "Allah is most great" a similar number of times; "Praise (be to Allah)" a similar number of times; and "There is no god but Allah" a similar number of times; "There is no might and no power except in Allah" a similar number of times.

Narrated Yusayrah, mother of Yasir:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) commanded them (the women emigrants) to be regular (in remembering Allah by saying): "Allah is most great"; "Glory be to the King, the Holy"; "there is no god but Allah"; and that they should count them on fingers, for they (the fingers) will be questioned and asked to speak.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:

I saw the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) counting the glorification of Allah on fingers.

Ibn Qudamah said (in his version: "With his right hands".

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) went out from Juwayriyyah (wife of the Prophet). Earlier her name was Barrah, and he changed it. When he went out she was in her place of worship, and when he returned she was in her place of worship.

He asked: Have you been in your place of worship continuously? She said: Yes. He then said: Since leaving you I have said three times four phrases which, if weighed against all that you have said (during this period), would prove to be heavier: "glory be to Allah", and I begin with praise of Him to the number of His creatures, in accordance with His good pleasure, to the weight of His throne and to the ink (extent) of His words.

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

AbuDharr said: Prophet of Allah. The wealthy people have all the rewards; they pray as we pray; they fast as we fast; and they have surplus wealth which they give in charity; but we have no wealth which we may give in charity.

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: AbuDharr, should I not teach you phrases by which you acquire the rank of those who excel you? No one can acquire your rank except one who acts like you.

He said: Why not, Apostle of Allah? He said: Exalt Allah (say: Allah is Most Great) after each prayer thirty-three times; and praise Him (say: Praise be to Allah) thirty-three times; and glorify Him (say: Glory be to Allah) thirty-three times, and end it by saying, "There is no god but Allah alone, there is no partner, to Him belongs the Kingdom, to Him praise is due and He has power over everything". His sins will be forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea.

Narrated Zayd ibn Arqam:

I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saying (the version of Sulayman has: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to say) after his prayer:-

"O Allah, our Lord and Lord of everything, I bear witness that Thou art the Lord alone Who hast no partner; O Allah, Our Lord and Lord of everything, I bear witness that Muhammad is Thy servant and Thy apostle ; O Allah, our Lord and Lord of everything, I bear witness that all the servants are brethren; O Allah, our Lord and Lord of everything make me sincere to Thee, and my family too at every moment, in this world and in the world hereafter, O Possessor of glory and honour, listen to me and answer. Allah is incomparably great. O Allah, Light of the heavens and of the earth".

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) used to supplicate Allah: "My Lord, help me and do not give help against me; grant me victory, and do not grant victory over me; plan on my behalf and do not plan against me; guide me, and made my right guidance easy for me; grant me victory over those who act wrongfully towards me; O Allah, make me grateful to Thee, mindful of Thee, full of fear towards Thee, devoted to Thy obedience, humble before Thee, or penitent. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash away my sin, answer my supplication, clearly establish my evidence, guide my heart, make true my tongue and draw out malice in my breast."

Narrated AbuBakr as-Siddiq:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: He who asks pardon is not a confirmed sinner, even if he returns to his sin seventy times a day.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:

We counted that the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) would say a hundred times during a meeting: "My Lord, forgive me and pardon me; Thou art the Pardoning and forgiving One".

Narrated Zayd, the client of the Prophet:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If anyone says: "I ask pardon of Allah than Whom there is no deity, the Living, the eternal, and I turn to Him in repentance," he will be pardoned, even if he has fled in time of battle.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If anyone continually asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.

Narrated AbuBakr as-Siddiq:

Asma' bint al-Hakam said: I heard Ali say: I was a man; when I heard a tradition from the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him), Allah benefited me with it as much as He willed. But when some one of his companions narrated a tradition to me I adjured him. When he took an oath, I testified him.

AbuBakr narrated to me a tradition, and AbuBakr narrated truthfully. He said: I heard the apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) saying: When a servant (of Allah) commits a sin, and he performs ablution well, and then stands and prays two rak'ahs, and asks pardon of Allah, Allah pardons him. He then recited this verse: "And those who, when they commit indecency or wrong their souls, remember Allah" (iii.134).

Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) commanded me to recite Mu'awwidhatan (the last two surahs of the Qur'an) after every prayer.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) liked to supplicate three times and to ask pardon (of Allah) three times.

Narrated Asma' daughter of Umays:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said to me: May I not teach you phrases which you utter in distress? (These are:) "Allah , Allah is my Lord, I do not associate anything as partner with Him."

Narrated AbuMusa al-Ash'ari:

Once we accompanied the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) on a journey. When we reached near Medina, the people began to say aloud: "Allah is most great," and they raised their voice.

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: O people, you are not supplicating one who is deaf and absent, but you are supplicating One Who is nearer to you than the neck of your riding beast.

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) then said: AbuMusa, should I not point out to you one of the treasures of Paradise?

I asked: What is that?

He replied: "There is no might and there is no power except in Allah"

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: If anyone invokes blessings on me once, Allah will bless him ten times.

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:

A woman said to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him): Invoke blessing on me as well as on my husband. The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: May Allah send blessing on you and your husband.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The supplication which gets the quickest answer is that made by one distant Muslim for another.

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three supplications are answered, there being no doubt about them; that of a father, that of a traveller and that of one who has been wronged.

Narrated AbuMusa al-Ash'ari:

When the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) feared a (group of) people, he would say: "O Allah, we make Thee our shield against them, and take refuge in Thee from their evils."

Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) used to seek refuge in Allah from five things; cowardliness, niggardliness, the evils of old age, evil thoughts, and punishment in the grave.

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) used to say: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from poverty", lack and abasement, and I seek refuge in Thee lest I cause or suffer wrong."

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to supplicate by saying: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from divisiveness, hypocrisy, and evil character."

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to say: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from hunger, for it is an evil bed-fellow; and I seek refuge in Thee from treachery, for it is an evil hidden trait."

Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to say: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from four things: Knowledge which does not profit, a heart which is not submissive, a soul which has an insatiable appetite, and a supplication which is not heard."

Narrated Shakl ibn Humayd:

I said: Apostle of Allah, teach me a supplication.

He said: Say: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what I hear, from the evil of what I see, from the evil of what I speak, from the evil of what I think, and from the evil of my semen" (i.e. sexual passion).

Narrated AbulYusr:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to supplicate: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from my house falling on me, I seek refuge in Thee from falling into an abyss, I seek refuge in Thee from drowning burning and decrepitude. I seek refuge in Thee from the devil harming me at the time of my death, I seek refuge in Thee from dying in Thy path while retreating, and I seek refuge in Thee from dying of the sting of a poisonous creature."

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) used to say: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from leprosy, madness, elephantiasis, and evil diseases."

Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri:

One day the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) entered the mosque. He saw there a man from the Ansar called AbuUmamah.

He said: What is the matter that I am seeing you sitting in the mosque when there is no time of prayer?

He said: I am entangled in cares and debts, Apostle of Allah.

He replied: Shall I not teach you words by which, when you say them, Allah will remove your care, and settle your debt?

He said: Why not, Apostle of Allah?

He said: Say in the morning and evening: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from care and grief, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity and slackness, I seek refuge in Thee from cowardice and niggardliness, and I seek in Thee from being overcome by debt and being put in subjection by men."

He said: When I did that Allah removed my care and settled my debt.