and became weak, he performed Witr with seven rakʿahs.” Recorded by al-Tirmidhī and al-Nasāʾī. (1)
c) The aforementioned hadith of Ibn Umar: “The night prayer is performed two rakʿahs at a time…”
d) Aisha reported: “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, performed Witr with nine rakʿahs, he would sit only after the eighth. He would praise Allah, remember Him, and supplicate; then he would rise without giving the salām and perform the ninth. He would then sit, remember Allah, Glorified and Exalted, and supplicate, after which he would give the salām once, audibly enough for us to hear. He would then perform two rakʿahs while seated. When he grew old and became weak, he performed Witr with seven rakʿahs, sitting only after the sixth. He would then rise without giving the salām, perform the seventh, and give the salām once. He would then perform two rakʿahs while seated.” Recorded by Muslim and al-Nasāʾī. (2)
- (6-4-3) Witr with Nine Rakʿahs:
It is prescribed for a Muslim to perform Witr with nine rakʿahs, and this may be done in either of the following two ways:
The first is to perform eight rakʿahs, two at a time, and then perform one rakʿah as Witr.
The second is to perform nine consecutive rakʿahs, sitting only after the eighth to recite the tashahhud. One then performs the ninth, sits for the second tashahhud, and gives the salām.