Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 753
sahih

Abu Mijlaz reported:

I asked Ibn 'Abbas about the Witr prayer. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: It is a rak'ah at the end of the night prayer.

وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ، فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَسَأَلْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ رَكْعَةٌ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 6, Hadith 188
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 4, Hadith 1643 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Tābi‘is (may Allah have mercy upon them) were the keenest among people on seeking the Prophet's guidance. This was for them to learn his guidance and Sunnah and then teach it to those who came after them and to those who asked them about the Prophet's circumstances concerning his prayer, Qiyām al-Layl, voluntary worship, and so on. In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Mijlaz Lāhiq ibn Humayd informs that he asked Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Witr prayer, the number of its Rak‘ahs, and the best time for performing it. In response to him, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "One Rak‘ah at the end of the night", i.e., its minimum is one Rak‘ah at the end of the night. This one Rak‘ah which a person offers at the end turns all the prayers he has performed during the night into Witr (odd-numbered), after they were Shaf‘ (even-numbered). The last part of the night is the last time to pray Witr, which is shortly before dawn. It is related in another version by Muslim: "Indeed, prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels)"; as the angels of mercy witness it. This prayer occurs at the time of Sahar (shortly before dawn), when Allah descends to the worldly heaven in a way that befits His majesty; and that is better. There are various forms and ways of the Prophet's performance of Witr, as well as the number of its Rak‘ahs. Based on all of them, it becomes apparent that Witr can be one, three, five, seven, nine, or eleven Rak‘ahs. The Hadīth mentions that the minimum of Witr is one Rak‘ah. It indicates that the last time for praying Witr is the latter part of the night. It also demonstrates the facilitation with regard to this prayer, as it is sufficient to observe it as one Rak‘ah..
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