two by two, and then adds one rakʿah to make the whole prayer odd. ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “The Messenger of Allah would pray eleven rakʿahs at night, finishing them with a single rakʿah of witr,” Muslim relates this; in another wording, “He would give salām after every two rakʿahs and then make witr with one.”

He may also pray the rakʿahs straight through, sit after the tenth, recite the tashahhud without salām, then rise for the eleventh, after which he recites the final tashahhud and gives salām.

Or he may pray them consecutively and not sit until after the eleventh rakʿah, whereupon he recites the tashahhud and gives salām. The first manner is preferable.

He may perform witr with nine rakʿahs: he prays eight in succession, sits after the eighth, recites the first tashahhud without salām, then stands for the ninth, after which he recites the final tashahhud and gives salām.

He may observe witr with seven or with five rakʿahs, sitting only at the end to recite the tashahhud and give salām. Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah would perform witr with seven and with five, without separating them by any salām or speech.”

He may also make witr with three rakʿahs: he prays two rakʿahs and gives salām, then prays the third by itself. It is recommended that he recite in the first rakʿah Surah al-Aʿlā (“Glorify the Name of your Lord Most High”), in the second Surah al-Kāfirūn (“Say: O you who disbelieve”), and in the third Surah al-Ikhlāṣ (“Say: He is Allah, the One”).