Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ جَابِرًا عَنْ الرَّجُلِ يُوتِرُ عِشَاءً ثُمَّ يَرْقُدُ قَالَ جَابِرٌ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ مَنْ خَافَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ لَا يَقُومَ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ ثُمَّ لِيَرْقُدْ وَمَنْ طَمِعَ مِنْكُمْ الْقِيَامَ فَلْيُوتِرْ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ قِرَاءَةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَحْضُورَةٌ وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ.
English Translation
Musa told us, Ibn Lahi'ah told us, from Abu al-Zubayr, who said: I asked Jabir about a man who prays the witr early in the night and then sleeps. Jabir said: I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say, "Whoever among you fears he will not rise during the night, let him pray witr and then sleep; and whoever hopes to rise, let him pray witr at the end of the night, for recitation at the end of the night is attended, and that is better."