The Witr Prayer

Bismillâh wal-hamdulillâh

Witr prayer is one of the greatest acts of worship that draw one closer to Allâh. Its importance is so great that the Hanafis consider it Wâjib (necessary) to perform it. However, the view of the majority is that it is one of the confirmed Sunnahs (Sunnah mu’akkadah) which the Muslim should observe regularly and not neglect.

Imâm Ahmad (رحمه الله)  said, "Whoever neglects Witr is a bad man whose testimony should not be accepted." This indicates that Witr prayer is something that is confirmed.

Its Timing

Witr prayer is performed after a person has prayed `Isha', even if it is joined to Maghrib at the time of Maghrib, and lasts until dawn begins, because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “Allâh has prescribed for you a prayer (by which He may increase your reward), which is Witr; Allâh has enjoined it for you during the time between ‘Isha’ prayer until dawn begins.” [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (425) classed as sahîh by al-Albâni in Sahîh al-Tirmidhi]

The Sunnah indicates that one should delay the prayer until the end of the night if a person thinks he will be able to get up at the end of the night, because prayer at the end of the night is better and is witnessed by the angels. But whoever fears that he will not get up at the end of the night should pray Witr before he goes to sleep, because of the hadîth of Jâbir (رضي الله عنه) who said: "The Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) said, 'Whoever fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the beginning of the night, but whoever thinks that he will be able to get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is better.” [Narrated by Muslim (755)]

Imâm an-Nawawi (رحمه الله) said, "This is the correct view. Other ahâdîth which speak of this topic in general terms are to be interpreted in the light of this sound, specific and clear report, such as the hadîth, 'My close friend advised me not to sleep without having prayed Witr.' This is to be understood as referring to one who is not sure that he will be able to wake up (to pray Witr at the end of the night). [Sharh Muslim (3/277)]

The Number of Rak’ât

The minimum number of rak’ât for Witr is one rak’ah, because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “Witr is one rak'ah at the end of the night.” [Narrated by Muslim (752)] And he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “The night prayers are two (rak’ât) by two, but if one of you fears that dawn is about to break, let him pray one rak’ah to make what he has prayed odd-numbered.” [Narrated by al-Bukhâri (911) Muslim (749)]

If a person limits himself to praying one rak’ah, then he has performed the Sunnah. But Witr may also be three or five or seven or nine rak`ât, hence the name Witr, meaning odd-numbered.

If a person prays three rak’ât of Witr this may be done in two ways, both of which are prescribed in the sharî’ah:

1. To pray them one after another, with one tashahhud (i.e. the last tahsahhud only), because of the hadîth of ‘Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) who said, The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used not to say the taslîm in the (first) two rak`ât of Witr. According to another version: “He used to pray Witr with three rak'ât and he did not sit except in the last of them.” [Narrated by an-Nasâ’i (3/234) al-Bayhaqi (3/31)]

2. Saying the taslîm after two rak`ât, then praying one rak’ah on its own, because of the report narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما), that he used to separate the two rak'ât from the single rak'ah with a taslîm, and he said that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to do that. [Narrated by Ibn Hibbân (2435); Ibn Hajar said in al-Fath (2/482): its isnaad is qawiyy (strong)]

But if he prays Witr with five or seven rak’ât, then they should be continuous, and he should only recite one tashahhud in the last of them and say the taslîm, because of the report narrated by ‘Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) who said: The Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to pray thirteen rak’ât at night, praying five rak’ât of Witr, in which he would not sit except in the last rak’ah. [Narrated by Muslim, 737]

And it was narrated that Umm Salâmah (رضي الله عنها) said: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to pray Witr with five or seven (rak’ât) and he did not separate between them with any salâm or words. [Narrated by Ahmad (6/290) al-Nasâ’i (1714)]

If he prays Witr with nine rak’ât, then they should be continuous and he should sit to recite the tashahhud in the eighth rak`ah, then stand up and not say the taslîm, then he should recite the tashahhud in the ninth rak’ah and then say the taslîm. ‘Â’ishah (رضي الله عنها) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to pray nine rak’ât in which he did not sit except in the eighth, when he would remember Allâh, praise Him and call upon Him, then he would get up and not say the taslîm, and he would stand up and pray the ninth (rak`ah), then he would sit and remember Allâh and praise Him and call upon Him, then he would say a taslîm that we could hear. [Narrated by Muslim (746)]

If he prayed Witr with eleven rak’ahs, he would say the taslîm after each two rak’ahs, then pray one rak’ah at the end.

The Least Perfect Way of Praying Witr

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymîn (رحمه الله) said: “The least perfect of Witr is to pray two rak’ahs and say the salâm, then perform one rak'ah and say the salâm. It is permissible to do it with one salaam, but with one tashahhud and not two, because if you do it with two tashahhuds it will resemble Maghrib prayer, and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forbade making it resemble Maghrib prayer. [Quoted from al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/21]

What is to be Recited During the Witr Prayer

In the first rak’ah one should recite Sûrah al-'A`lâ (87). In the second one should recite Sûrah al-Kâfirûn (109), and in the third rak`ah Sûrah al-Ikhlâs (112).

Al-Nasâ’i (1729) narrated that Ubayy ibn Ka’b said: The Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to recite in Witr Sabbihi-sma rabbika-l-'a`lâ (al-'A`lâ), Qul yâ ayyuha-l-kâfirûn (al-Kâfirûn) & Qul huwa-l-lâhu ahad (al-Ikhlâs). [Classed as sahîh by al-Albâni in Sahîh al-Nasâ’i]

Qunut

Du`â’ al-Qunût is recited in the last rak’ah of Witr prayer. Ibn Taymiyah (رحمه الله) said in Majmû’ al-Fatâwa (23/100): "With regard to qunût: there are two extreme views and one middle (or moderate) view. Some say that qunoot should only be recited before bowing and some say that it should only be recited after bowing. The fuqahâ’ among the scholars of hadîth, such as Ahmad and others, say that both are allowed, because both are mentioned in the sahîh Sunnah, but they preferred reciting qunût after bowing because this is mentioned more often."

Raising the hands for Du`â’ al-Qunût is mentioned in a sahîh report from `Umar (رضي الله عنه), as was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in a report which he classed as saheeh (2/210).

There is no extra takbîr before the Du’â’ al-Qunût. And as there is no evidence for this, it should not be done.

As for Du`â' al-Qunût itself, there are two, both of which can be found in the book 'Hisnul-Muslim', by Sa`îd bin `Ali bin Wahaf Al-Qahtâni.

All these ways of offering Witr prayer have been mentioned in the Sunnah, but the best way is not to stick to one particular way; rather one should do it one way one time and another way another time, so that one will have done all the Sunnahs.

And Allâh knows best