The first is the contextual circumstance of the hadith being spoken during travel, which I have mentioned. The second is that ʿAbdullah ibn Ṣāliḥ corroborated Ibn Wahb, narrating to us from Muʿāwiyah ibn Ṣāliḥ, with the same circumstance and wording. It was reported by al-Dāraquṭnī (p. 177) and al-Ṭabarānī in al-Kabīr (1410). ʿAbdullah ibn Ṣāliḥ was among al-Bukhārī’s shaykhs, so his narration is acceptable when corroborated. All of this shows that the preserved wording of the hadith is “travel,” not “sleeplessness,” as al-Dārimī said.

Imam Ibn Khuzaymah cited this hadith as evidence “that prayer after Witr is permitted for everyone who wishes to pray after it, and that the two rakʿahs which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to pray after Witr were not exclusive to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to the exclusion of his ummah. For the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed us to perform the two rakʿahs after Witr as a recommendation and a virtuous act, not as an obligatory command or religious duty.”

This is an important benefit that we have derived from this hadith. Previously, we had been uncertain how to reconcile his praying the two rakʿahs, peace and blessings be upon him, with his saying: “Make Witr the last of your night prayers.” In the commentary on Ṣifat al-Ṣalāh (p. 123, sixth edition), we said: “The more prudent course is to leave them, in compliance with the command. And Allah knows best.”

It has now become clear to us from this hadith that the two rakʿahs after Witr are not among his special distinctions, peace and blessings be upon him, since he instructed his ummah to perform them in a general command. Thus, the intent behind commanding that Witr be made the final night prayer appears to be that one should not neglect to perform Witr as a single rakʿah; this is not contradicted by praying two rakʿahs afterward, as established by both his practice and his instruction, peace and blessings be upon him. And Allah knows best.