309 – Ubayy ibn Kaʿb (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform Witr reciting ‘Sabbih isma rabbika al-Aʿlā’ (Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High), ‘Qul yā ayyuhal kāfirūn’ (Say: O disbelievers), and ‘Qul huwa Allahu aḥad’ (Say: He is Allah, the One).” Reported by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd and al-Nasāʾī, who add: “and he would not give the salām except at the end of them.” ⦗1⦘

Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī have a similar report from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) which states: “One surah in each rakʿah, and in the last rakʿah: ‘Qul huwa Allahu aḥad’ and the two chapters of refuge (al-Muʿawwidhatayn).” ⦗2⦘

Hadith status
The report from ʿĀʾishah is weak, though it has a supporting narration; al-ʿUqaylī judged its isnād acceptable. Ibn Ḥajar said: “The hadith of Ubayy is sounder than the hadith of ʿĀʾishah.”

The author here cites two narrations concerning what is to be recited in Witr:
• The first, from Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, mentions ‘Sabbih’, ‘al-Kāfirūn’ and ‘al-Ikhlāṣ’.
• The second, from ʿĀʾishah, adds the Muʿawwidhatayn.

Regarding the hadith of Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, he says in al-Talkhīṣ: “The narration of Ubayy ibn Kaʿb without the Muʿawwidhatayn is the more authentic.”

Ibn al-Jawzī observed: “Aḥmad and Ibn Maʿīn rejected the addition of the Muʿawwidhatayn.” The hadith of Ubayy was transmitted by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Ibn Ḥibbān and al-Ḥākim.