Bughyat al-Mutatawwi fi Salat al-Tatawwu - Muhammad ibn Umar Bazmul - (54)

I say: The hadith indicates that the night prayer is performed two rakʿahs at a time; that Witr is prescribed as the final prayer of the night; and that it is prescribed to perform Witr as a single rakʿah, separate from the prayers preceding it.

Some have cited this hadith as proof that each pair of rakʿahs in the night prayer must be separated, for this is the apparent meaning of the wording, as the subject is restricted to the predicate.

The majority interpreted it as indicating what is preferable for the worshipper, since it is authentically established that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, acted otherwise, as will be discussed, Allah willing.

There is nothing in the hadith establishing that, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, “The night prayer is performed two rakʿahs at a time,” he meant that this was preferable. Rather, it may have been guidance toward what is easier, since concluding the prayer after every two rakʿahs is easier for the worshipper than performing four or more continuously. It generally allows him some respite and enables him to attend to any important matter that may arise. Had joining the rakʿahs been intended merely to demonstrate its permissibility, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would not have observed it consistently. Whoever claims that this practice was exclusive to him must provide evidence. Both separating and joining the rakʿahs are authentically established from him. (1)

Some have also cited the hadith as proof that there is no maximum number of rakʿahs for the night prayer. This argument is open to question on several grounds, including the following:

The first ground is that it is established from the practice of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that he did not exceed eleven rakʿahs in the night prayer and Witr.

The second ground is that another narration of this hadith explains it. This is the narration mentioned previously, which al-Bukhārī recorded with the wording: “A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was delivering a sermon,

(1) *Fath al-Bārī*, 2:479.

قلت: والحديث يدل على أن صلاة الليل تصلى ركعتين ركعتين. وأن الوتر يشرع كونه آخر صلاة الليل. وأن الوتر بركعة واحدة مفصولة عما قبلها مشروع. وقد استدل بعضهم بهذا الحديث على تعين الفصل بين كل ركعتين من صلاة الليل؛ لأن هذا ظاهر السياق؛ لحصر المبتدأ في الخبر. وحمله الجمهور على أنه لبيان الأفضل للمصلي؛ لما صح من فعله ﷺ بخلافه؛ كما سيأتي إن شاء الله. وليس في الحديث ما يعين أن جوابه ﷺ بقوله: "صلاة الليل مثنى مثنى"؛ أن هذا هو الأفضل، بل يحتمل أن يكون للإرشاد إلى الأخف؛ إذ السلام بين كل ركعتين أخف على المصلي من الأربع فما فوقها؛ لما فيه من الراحة غالباً، وقضاء ما يعرض من أمر مهم، ولو كان الوصل لبيان الجواز فقط؛ لما واظب عليه الرسول ﷺ، ومن ادعى اختصاصه به؛ فعليه البيان، وقد صح عنه الفصل كما صح عنه الوصل. (١) وقد استدل بعضهم بالحديث على أن صلاة الليل لا حد لأكثرها، وفيه نظر من وجوه؛ منها: الوجه الأول: أن الثابت من فعله ﷺ في صلاة الليل والوتر أنه لم يزد فيها عن إحدى عشرة ركعة. الوجه الثاني: وردت رواية لهذا الحديث تفسره، وهي الرواية المشار إليها سابقاً، وقد أخرجها البخاري بلفظ: " أن رجلاً جاء إلى النبي ﷺ وهو يخطب،

(١) "فتح الباري" (٢/٤٧٩) .