How should the Witr prayer be performed concerning the Taslim (salutation)?
Chapter on the Times When Prayer is Prohibited
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
The Witr prayer can consist of one, three, five, seven, nine, or eleven rak'ahs. If one performs three rak'ahs, it is preferred to have two rak'ahs concluded with a Taslim, followed by a final single rak'ah with a Taslim. This is supported by the statement attributed to Ibn Umar: 'Separate the odd (Witr) from the even (Mathna) by a Taslim.' This is also the position of Malik, Al-Shafi'i, Ishaq, and the narration from the Prophet, 'The night prayer is two by two; so if you fear the coming of dawn, make it one (Witr).' Ibn Umar clarified that 'two by two' means Taslim after every two rak'ahs.
Supporting text
Abu Hanifa holds that the Witr prayer consisting of three rak'ahs should not be separated by a Taslim in the middle. The evidence for this view, cited by those who omit the intermediate Taslim, is the narration from Aisha that the Prophet would perform Witr in sequences of four and three, or six and three, or eight and three, implying a single Taslim for the three rak'ahs, and another narration stating he would perform five rak'ahs without sitting until the last one.