the second, “Say, O disbelievers”; and in the third, “Say, He is Allah, the One,” together with the two surahs of refuge.” Recorded by al-Tirmidhī. (1)
It should be noted that these hadiths suggest that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would separate the two-rakʿah shafʿ prayer from Witr. This is explicitly stated in the following report:
Ibn Umar said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would separate the shafʿ prayer from Witr with a salutation that we could hear.” Recorded by Ibn Hibbān. (2)
This does not mean that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, never performed Witr as three continuous rakʿahs. One version of the aforementioned hadith of Ubayy ibn Kaʿb states: “In Witr, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would recite ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High’; in the second rakʿah, ‘Say, O disbelievers’; and in the third, ‘Say, He is Allah, the One.’ He would give the salutation only at the end of all three, and would say—that is, after the salutation—three times: ‘Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy.’” Recorded by al-Nasā’ī. (3)
(1) This is an authentic hadith.
It was recorded by al-Tirmidhī in *The Chapters on Witr*, chapter “What Has Been Related concerning What Is Recited in Witr” (hadith no. 462). Ibn Hibbān authenticated it in *al-Ihsān* (6/188, 201; hadith nos. 2432 and 2448). Al-Tirmidhī graded the hadith *hasan*, and Sheikh Ahmad Shākir concurred. It was also authenticated by the editor of *al-Ihsān* and by al-Albānī in *Sahīh Sunan al-Tirmidhī* (1/144).
(2) Its chain of transmission is *hasan* (good).
It was recorded by Ahmad in *al-Musnad* (2/76; 7/230, hadith no. 5461, Shākir ed.), and Ibn Hibbān authenticated it in *al-Ihsān* (6/191, hadith no. 2435).
Sheikh Ahmad Shākir deemed its chain authentic. The hadith master Ibn Hajar judged its chain strong, as Sheikh Ahmad Shākir noted, and the editor of *al-Ihsān* likewise judged it strong.
(3) This is an authentic hadith.
It was recorded by al-Nasā’ī in *The Book of Night Prayer and Voluntary Prayer during the Day*, chapter “The Variant Wordings Transmitted in the Report of Ubayy ibn Kaʿb concerning Witr” (3/335–336).
The hadith was authenticated by al-Albānī in *Sahīh Sunan al-Nasā’ī* (1/372).
[p. 67]
A useful note: Al-Nasā’ī recorded in *The Book of Night Prayer and Voluntary Prayer during the Day*, chapter “Recitation in Witr,” that Abū Mūsā, while travelling between Mecca and Medina, performed the Isha prayer as two rakʿahs. He then stood and performed a single rakʿah as Witr, in which he recited one hundred verses from Surat al-Nisā’. He then said: “I spared no effort to place my feet where the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, placed his feet, while reciting what the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, recited.”
I say: In my view, this hadith does not explicitly establish that reciting one hundred verses from Surat al-Nisā’ in Witr is religiously sanctioned without qualification. It does, however, establish that this is sanctioned when Witr is performed as a single rakʿah. Does the same apply when one is not travelling? The former possibility—that this is specific to travel—appears stronger to me. Allah knows best.