Fatwa: # 16120
Category: Jurisprudence and Rulings...
Country: South Africa
Date: 29th January 2008

Title

Is there any narration in Bukhari or other hadith book that nabi (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) prayed 12 rakaats of Tahajjud without Witr?

Question

Is there any narration in Bukhari or other hadith book that nabi (sallallahu aleyhi wa sallam) prayed 12 rakaats of Tahajjud without Witr?
If so, please quote the hadith.

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful  

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

The Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) did perform twelve rakaats of Tahajjud Salaah. This is established from those ahaadith which state that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed fifteen rakaats of salaat during the night, twelve of which were Tahajjud Salaat and the remainder Witr Salaat, as explained by Mulla Ali Qaari (rahimahullaah). (Mirqaat Al-Mafaateeh, vol 3, pg 122, Imdaadiyya )   

The Prophet’s (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) salaat at night differed. It is established from the ahaadith that he performed seventeen, fifteen, thirteen, eleven, nine, seven and five rakaats of salaat at night. (Sunan Al-Nasaa’ee, vol 1, pg 246, Qadeemi / Dars Al-Tirmidhi, vol 2, pg 212, Darul Uloom Karachi ) 

Haafidh Ibn Hajar(rahimahullaah).says “In Hawaashi Al-Mundhiri, there are ahaadith stating that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed up to seventeen rakaats of salaat during the night. (Talkhees Al-Habeer, vol 2, pg 39, Ilmiyya)

Therefore it is established that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) performed fifteen rakaats of salaat during the night, twelve of which were Tahajjud Salaat.

 

 

وأما رواية خمس عشرة فمحمولة على أنه عليه السلام كان يفتتح صلاة الليل بركعتين خفيفتين كذا قيل والأظهر أنها محمولة على عد ركعتي الصبح من جملتها كما في الحديث السابق مع أنه لا مانع من أن يكون عدد ركعات تهجده اثنتي عشرة ركعة والثلاث وتر ويدل عليه أنه عليه السلام إذا غلبته عيناه ونام عن تهجده صلى بالنهار اثنتي عشرة ركعة (مرقاة المفاتيح 3\122)

 

قوله:لم ينقل زيادة علي ثلاث عشرة و فيه نظر ففي حواشي المنذري قيل أكثر ما روي في صلاة الليل: سبع عشرة وهي عدد ركعات اليوم و الليلة

و روي ابن حبان وابن المنذري و الحاكم من طريق عراك عن ابي هريرة مرفوعا : أوتروا بخمس او بسبع او بتسع او باحدي عشرة او اكثر من ذالك (تلخيص الحبير2\39)

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

 

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa

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