Ibn 'Umar reported: A person called (the attention) of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as he was in the mosque, and said: Messenger of Allah, how should I make the rak'ahs of the night prayer an odd number? Upon this the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) (way peace he upon him) said: He who prays (night prayer) he should observe it in pairs, but if he apprehends the rise of morning, he should observe one rak'ah; that would make the number odd (for the rak'ahs) observed by him. This was narrated by Abd Kuraib 'Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah and Ibn 'Umar did not make mention of it.

Anas bin Sirin reported: I asked Ibn 'Umar to tell me about the practice of the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) in regard to two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer: Should I make lengthy recitation in them? He said: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) used to observe, the night prayer in pairs and then made the number odd by observing one rak'ah. I said: I am not asking you about it. He said: You are a bulky man, will you not show me the patience to narrate to you the hadith completely? The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) used to observe the night prayer in pairs and then made the number odd by observing one rak'ah, and then he observed two rak'ahs before dawn quite close to the call for prayer (Khalaf said:" Did you see [yourself the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) observing] the two rak'ahs before the dawn?" and he made no mention of prayer.)

Anas bin Sirin reported: I asked Ibn 'Umar like this (as recorded in the previous hadith) and he made this addition:" And he (the Holy Prophet) made the end of the night prayer as odd number by one rak'ah." And there is also (this addition):" Stop, stop, you are bulky."

Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as saying: The night prayer consists of pairs and when you see the approach of dawn, make this number odd by one rak'ah. It was said to Ibn 'Umar (RA): What does the (word) pair imply? He said: (It means) that salutation is uttered after every two rak'ahs.

Abu Sa'id (al Khudri) reported Allah's Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as saying: Observe Witr prayer before it is morning. Abu Sa'id reported that they (the Prophet's Companions) asked the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) about Witr (prayer). (In reply to their inquiry) he said: Observe Witr prayer before it is morning.

Abu Sa'id reported that they (some of the Companions) of the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) asked the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) about Witr. He said: Observe Witr before morning.

Jabir reported Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as saying: If anyone is afraid that he may not get up in the latter part of the night, he should observe Witr in the first part of it; and if anyone is eager to get up in the last part of it, he should observe Witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is preferable.

Jabir reported Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as saying: He who amongst you is afraid that he may not be able to get up at the end of the night should observe Witr (in the first part) and then sleep, and he who is confident of getting up and praying at night (i. e. Tahajjud prayer) should observe it at the end of it, for the recitation at the end of the night to visited (by angels), and that is excellent.

Jabir reported Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) as saying: The most excellent prayer is that in which the duration of standing is longer.

Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was asked about the prayer which was most excellent. He said: That in which the standing is longer. (This hadith is narrated by another chain of transmitters too.)