Which is better for the night prayer, performing it early or delaying it, and how many rak'ahs does it consist of?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner: If we assume, my master, that the witr prayer is the night prayer, is it permissible to perform it after 'Isha' before sleeping?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner: Performing the night prayer immediately after 'Isha' is permissible, but is it not the case that one sleeps and then prays?
The Shaykh: It is permissible, but it is not obligatory, though it is the best.
The questioner: What is the best?
The Shaykh: The delay.
The questioner: Is delaying it better?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: And exactly how many rak'ahs, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh: From one rak'ah to eleven!!
The questioner: Eleven with the sunnah or without the sunnah, meaning?
The Shaykh: Without the sunnah.
The questioner: Ah, so with the sunnah it is thirteen, meaning?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
The questioner: If we assume, my master, that the witr prayer is the night prayer, is it permissible to perform it after 'Isha' before sleeping?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner: Performing the night prayer immediately after 'Isha' is permissible, but is it not the case that one sleeps and then prays?
The Shaykh: It is permissible, but it is not obligatory, though it is the best.
The questioner: What is the best?
The Shaykh: The delay.
The questioner: Is delaying it better?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: And exactly how many rak'ahs, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh: From one rak'ah to eleven!!
The questioner: Eleven with the sunnah or without the sunnah, meaning?
The Shaykh: Without the sunnah.
The questioner: Ah, so with the sunnah it is thirteen, meaning?
The Shaykh: Yes.
Source
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