عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُمَا: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى، فَإذَا خِفْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَوْتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ» مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The night prayer is two [rak'ahs] by two, so when you fear [the approach of] dawn, pray a single [rak'ah] as witr." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
مثنى مثنى: ركعتان ركعتان. خفت الصبح: خشيت طلوعه بأن بدا ما يكون قبله.
"Two by two": two rak'ahs at a time. "You fear dawn": you fear its breaking, when the signs preceding it appear.
الدروس · lessons
أنّ الأصل في صلاة اللّيل وهو الأفضل أن تكون ركعتين ركعتين، ثم تختم بالوتر.
The basic and preferred manner of the night prayer is that it be performed two rak'ahs at a time, then concluded with the witr.