two rak'ahs. The Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said: "Witr is a single rak'ah from the end of the night." Recorded by Muslim (7). From Ibn Abi Dhi'b, from Nafi', from Ibn Umar, that a man asked the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) about Witr? The Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said: "Separate between the one [rak'ah] and the two [rak'ahs] with the taslim." Recorded by al-Athram with his chain of transmission. This is an explicit text. As for the hadith of Aishah which they used as evidence, there is no explicit statement in it that it was with one taslim, and she said in the other hadith: "He performs the taslim between every two rak'ahs." As for when one performs Witr with five, the discussion on that will follow. Once this is established, if one is praying behind an imam who prays the three with one taslim, he should follow him so as not to oppose his imam. Malik said this as well. Ahmad said, in a narration by Abu Dawud, regarding one who performs Witr and makes the taslim after the two [rak'ahs], that they [the people] dislike it—meaning the people of the mosque. He said: "If he concedes to what they want!" Meaning that it is easy and following them in it does not harm him.

Section: It is permissible to perform Witr with eleven rak'ahs, nine, seven, five, three, and one, according to the reports we have mentioned. If one performs Witr with eleven, he makes the taslim after every two rak'ahs. If he performs Witr with three, he makes the taslim after the two and performs Witr with one. If he performs Witr with five, he does not sit except at the end of them. If he performs Witr with seven, he sits after the sixth, recites the tashahhud but does not perform the taslim, then he sits after the seventh, recites the tashahhud, and performs the taslim. If he performs Witr with nine, he does not sit except after the eighth, recites the tashahhud, then stands up, performs the ninth, and performs the taslim. Ishaq said something similar to this. Al-Qadi said: In the case of seven, he does not sit except at the end of them as well, like the five. As for the eleven and the three, we have already mentioned them. As for the five, it has been narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit that he used to perform Witr with five, not departing [from the prayer] except at the end of them. Urwah narrated from Aishah, who said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs of the night, performing Witr