Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ خَشِيَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ لَا يَقُومَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ قِرَاءَةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَحْضُورَةٌ وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ.
English Translation
Abu Mu'awiyah and Muhammad ibn Ubayd told us, they said: al-A'mash told us, from Abu Sufyan, from Jabir, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever among you fears that he will not rise in the latter part of the night, let him pray Witr at the beginning of the night; but recitation in the latter part of the night is attended (by the angels), and that is more excellent."