The reciter: Khalaf ibn Hisham and Abu Kamil narrated to us, both saying: Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us from Anas ibn Sirin, who said:
I asked Ibn 'Umar, saying: "What do you say about the two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer? Should I lengthen the recitation in them?" He said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the night prayer in pairs, and he would complete the prayer with one rak'ah." I said: "I am not asking you about that." He said: "You are a big man, will you not let me recite the hadith to you? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the night prayer in pairs, and he would complete the prayer with one rak'ah, and he would pray two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer, as if the adhan was in his ears.
سألت ابن عمر قلت: أرأيت الركعتين قبل صلاة الغداة أأطيل فيهما القراءة؟ قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلّم يصلي من الليل مثنى مثنى ويوتر بركعة ، قال: قلت: إني لست عن هذا أسألك، قال: إنك لضخم ألا تدعني أستقرئ لك الحديث، كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلّم يصلي من الليل مثنى مثنى و يوتر بركعة و يصلي ركعتين قبل الغداة كأن الأذان بأذنيه
Khalaf said:
What do you say about the two rak'ahs before the dawn prayer
أرأيت الركعتين قبل الغداة
and he did not mention the word "prayer."
