What was narrated concerning Praying one Rak’ah for Witr

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray (voluntary prayers) at night two by two, and he would pray one Rak’ah of Witr.”

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى. وَيُوتِرُ بِرَكْعَةٍ ‏.‏

Abu Mijlaz narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Night prayers are to be offered two by two, and Witr is one Rak’ah.’ I said: ‘What do you think if I become drowsy and I want to sleep?’ He said: ‘Put “what do you think” up there with that star? (i.e., don’t think about it at all).’ I raised my head and saw As- Simak.* He repeated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Night prayers are to be offered two by two, and Witr is one Rak’ah, before dawn.’” * Here, As-Simak refers to a star or stars, either Arcturus (As-Simak Ar-Ramih) or Spica, also called Alpha Virginis (As-Simak Al-A'zal).

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي الشَّوَارِبِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ، عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏"‏ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى وَالْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ ‏"‏ قُلْتُ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ غَلَبَتْنِي عَيْنِي أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ نِمْتُ قَالَ اجْعَلْ أَرَأَيْتَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ النَّجْمِ ‏.‏ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا السِّمَاكُ ثُمَّ أَعَادَ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏"‏ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى. وَالْوِتْرُ رَكْعَةٌ قَبْلَ الصُّبْحِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

A man asked Ibn ‘Umar:

“How should I perform Witr?” He said: “Pray Witr with one Rak’ah.” He said: “I am afraid that the people will say that I am cutting the prayer short.” He said: “The Sunnah of Allah and His Messenger.” Meaning “This is the Sunnah of Allah and His Messenger.”

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُطَّلِبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَأَلَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ أُوتِرُ قَالَ أَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ إِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَقُولَ النَّاسُ الْبُتَيْرَاءُ فَقَالَ سُنَّةُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ‏.‏ يُرِيدُ هَذِهِ سُنَّةُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ‏.‏

It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say Taslim after every two Rak’ah, and he would perform Witr with one Rak’ah.”

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يُسَلِّمُ فِي كُلِّ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَيُوتِرُ بِوَاحِدَةٍ ‏.‏