Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them
5/116. Chapter:
What was narrated concerning Praying one Rak’ah for Witr
Sunan Ibn Majah
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُطَّلِبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَأَلَ ابْنَ عُمَرَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ أُوتِرُ قَالَ أَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ . قَالَ إِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَقُولَ النَّاسُ الْبُتَيْرَاءُ فَقَالَ سُنَّةُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ . يُرِيدُ هَذِهِ سُنَّةُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ .
A man asked Ibn ‘Umar: “How should I perform Witr?” He said: “Pray Witr with one Rak’ah.” He said: “I am afraid that the people will say that I am cutting the prayer short.” He said: “The Sunnah of Allah and His Messenger.” Meaning “This is the Sunnah of Allah and His Messenger.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1176In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 374English translation : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1176