Witr

[Steve940]

Asalamu alaikum,

I saw a thread recently called WITR PRAYER!! and I remembered I needed to learn how to perform this prayer since it is different from regular prayers. I searched this forum and Islam Q&A, but sadly I didn't really find any help on exactly how this prayer is done. I need a step to step, A-Z guide on exactly how this prayer is performed. I am confused, and I think I read it is combined somehow with Isha prayer? I really have NO idea of any of the parts of this prayer, someone please help me

 

[IbnAlAawam]

Salam alaykoum Steve,


TAHAJJUD- PRAYING AT NIGHT


The verb tahajjada means "to stay awake at night, keep a night vigil, spend the night in prayer". Ash Shafi'i stated that 'Prayer at night, whether before sleeping or after and the prayer of witr, is called tahajjud'. Ibn Faris said that a mutahajjid (one who performs tahajjud) was 'one who performs prayer at night'.

Salaatu-t tahajjud is classified as a prayer which is "Sunnatun raatibun Mu'akaadah" (a sunnah prayer which is organised or regulated -regarding time-and the performance of which is emphasised).

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to perform such prayers habitually when resident in a community (hadar) and strongly encouraged his followers to perform them also. Salaatu-t Tahajjud is divided into:

(a) two rak'as iftitaah ("opening" or "beginning"- that is before performing the salaatu-ut tahajjud proper),

(b) eight or ten rak'as of salaatu-t tahajjud, which are finally followed by salaatu-l witr.

The meaning of witr

A proportion of investigators (verifiers- ahlu-t tahqiq) have stated that witr is the name given to one rak'ah which is separated from those proceeding it, or the name given to prayer or an odd number of rak'as; that is five, seven, of nine rak'as offered one after the other. And witr constitutes the conclusion of the prayers at night.

The times for tahajjud and witr

The times for offering the sunnah of tahajjud and witr are from the completion of salaatu-l 'isha' and its sunnah prayers until the time for offering Salaatu-l fajr.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sometimes offered Salaatu-l witr early in the night, sometimes in the middle of the night, and sometimes at the end of the night. Whenever one is unable to offer Salaatu-l witr before Fajr, he should offer it before per- forming Salaatu-l Fajr.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would get up from sleeping after midnight, or sometimes before midnight, and sometimes when the cocks were crowing. After he had got up, he would wipe his eyes with his hand and would then go and brush his teeth and make wudu'. At this time he would recite the ending of Surah Aal 'Imran from ayah 190 to ayah 200 (from inna fi Ahalqi-s samaawaati wa-l ard ... ). Having done this he would quickly begin his praying for the night with two rak'ahs iftitatah offered lightly.

Al Hafiz Ibnu Hajar al Asqalani has stated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not have a definite time for performing Tahajjud, simply following that which he was able to do easiest. However, the best time is that we should delay until the last third of the night. Abu Muslim asked Abu Dharr, "Which time is the best for us to perform the prayers at night?" Abu Dharr replied, "I once asked the Messenger of Allah just as you have asked me. The Messenger replied

(jawfu-l layli-l ghabeer wa qaleelun faa'iluh). 'Past the middle of, the night and few are those who do it' " (Ahmad).

Umar said that those who perform it at the end of the night are better than those who perform it at the beginning of the night.

The number of rak'as is not limited for prayer at night, and it is considered that we have offered it if we offer one rak'ah of witr after offering Salaatul- 'Ishaa'. At Tabarani (in Al habir) reports from 'Abdullah ibnu 'Abbas,

"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded us to perform the prayer at night (amaranaa . . . bi salaati-l layli), and requested us (eagerly) to perform it until he said, 'Look to your prayer at night, even if it be one rak'ah' ".

The best is that we should regularly perform either 11 or 13 rak'as (plus 2 rak'as iftitaah)- that is, eight or ten rak'as plus three rak'as of witr. We can choose whether to offer them one after the other, or to split them up. If we are unable to perform them at night because of illness or other cause, we ought to offer 12 rak'as during the morning.

It is related by the Jama'ah of Muhaddithin (except Bukhari) from 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said

"Whoever over- slept his portion (of prayer, etc.) or anything of it and he recited it between salaatu-ul Fajr and Salaatu-z zuhr it would be written as though he had recited it at night" (man naama 'an hizbihi aw 'an shay'in minhu faqara'ahu maa bayna salaatu-lfajri wasalaatu-z zuhri kataba ka'annamaa qar'ahu mina-l layl).

The manner of performing Prayer at Night

There could be many methods of offering Prayer at Night, and so for simplicity we could adhere to one manner only or follow one manner on one occasion and another on another, The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, performed the Prayer at Night according to two general methods:

(a) combining Salaat ut Tahajjud with Salaatu-l witr, and

(b) offering Salaatu-l witr only.

Salaat-ut Tahajjud combined with witr

Among the ways of offering Salaatu-t Tahajjud combined with Salaatu-l witr are:

1. A method explained by 'Abdullah bn 'Abbas-The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, got up from sleeping, brushed his teeth, made wudu' and recited the last ayats of Surah Aai 'Imran. Then he stood and prayed two rak'as drawing out the standing (qiyam), ruku' and sujud, and after that he slept again.

After sleeping for a while he got up and made wudu', brushing his teeth again, and then recited the last ayats of Surah Aal 'Imran. He then offered two rak'as. Having done that he slept again. Having slept for a while he arose, cleaned his teeth, made wudu' and then recited the last ayats of Surah Aai 'Imran.

Having done that he offered two rak'as and then three rak'as of Salaatu-l witr. When adhan for Fajr sounded, he then went out to the mosque reciting at the same time,

"0 Allah, cause light in my heart and light on my tongue (in my speech) and cause light in my hearing and cause light in my seeing, and cause light behind me and light in front of me and cause light above me and below me, 0 Allah grant me light" (Muslim)

2. A method explained by 'A'ishah-The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, began Prayer at Night with two rak'as offered lightly. After that he performed ten rak'as of Salaatu-t Tahajjud with five salaams, and after that he performed one rak'ah of Salaatu-l witr.

3. A method from lbn Yazid-The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, offered thirteen rak'as, that is: two rak'as iftitaah, eight rak'as of Salatul Tahajjud, and three rak'as of Sunnat-ul Witr.

4. A method from 'A'ishah-The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed two rak'as iftitaah. After that he offered six rak'as of Salaatu-t Tahajjud of three salaams, and after that he offered five rak'as of Salaatu-l witr all at one go, He only sat for tashahhud (saying the shahadah) at the end of the fifth rak'a.

5. A method from 'Umar-The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed eight rak'ahs of Salatul Tahajjud of four salaams and then he performed one rak'ah of Salaatu-l witr.

6. A method from 'A'ishah-The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, offered eight ak'ahs of Salaatu-t Tahajjud with two salaams- and he sat for tashahhud at the end of each four rak'ahs-and after that he offered three ak'ahs of Salaatu-l witr.

Clearly this athar from 'A'ishah is saying that the Prophet offered each four rak'ahs straight off-four rak'ahs, one salaam. (vide Subh-e Salaam - sharh Bulughu-l Maram compiled by lmam 'Amir As San'ani)

7. We could also offer six rak'ahs of Salaatu-t Tahajjud with three salaams and then offer one rak'ah of Salaatu-l witr, just as we could offer four rak'ahs of Salaatu-t Tahajjud with two salaams, and one rak'ah of Salaatu-l witr, by bearing in mind the hadith

"The Prayer at Night is two by two, but if you are afraid you are entering subh then offer an odd one (of witr)" (salaatu-l layli mathnaa mathnaa fa'idha khashiya akhadhukummu-s subha fal youtir waahidatin) (Ahmad, Bukhari and Muslim)

8. We could also offer two rak'ahs only of Salaatu-l-Tahajjud and then conclude with one rak'ah of Salaatu-l witr, in conformity with the above hadith.

These are the ways in which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to offer Salaatu-l Tahajjud when combining it with Salaatu-l witr.

The position of lftitaah

Among the points which we ought to take note of is beginning the Prayer at Night with two rak'ahs of iftitaah. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

"If one of you stands (to pray) at night, then let him begin his praying with two rak'ahs offered lightly" (idha qaama ahadukum inina-l layli fal yaftatih salaataliu bi rak'atayni khafiifatayn). (Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Da'ud)

The quantity recited in each rak'ah of Prayer at Night

Ubay bin Ka'b and Tamin Ad Darimi used to recite as many as two hundred ayats in each rak'ah of Prayer at Night. During the period of the Tabi'in (the generation following the Companions), Suratu-i Baqarah was divided up among eight rak'ahs. Malik and Ishaq used to like to read at the very least ten ayats in each rak'ah.

On one occasion Hudzaifah performed the Prayer at Night behind the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He heard the Messenger recite Suratu-l Baqarah, Surah Aal 'Imran, and Suratu-n Nisaa'. Whenever he reached an ayah which conveyed a warning to be afraid of, he paused for a moment. As a result of this The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had only just completed his two rak'ahs when Bilal entered the mosque to give adhan for Fajr.

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Translated from the Indonesian, and extracted from "Pedoman Shalat", written by Shaikh Muhammad Hasbi As Siddiqi, Jakarta.

The Muslim
Oct-Nov-73

 

[justoneofmillion]

Asalamu alaikum,

I saw a thread recently called WITR PRAYER!! and I remembered I needed to learn how to perform this prayer since it is different from regular prayers. I searched this forum and Islam Q&A, but sadly I didn't really find any help on exactly how this prayer is done. I need a step to step, A-Z guide on exactly how this prayer is performed. I am confused, and I think I read it is combined somehow with Isha prayer? I really have NO idea of any of the parts of this prayer, someone please help me

sala al witr can vary from 1 to 13 rkaat ( prosternation) but it is common consensus among muslims today to keep it at three rakaat you can performe it between ischaa or right after you have the time until fadjr todo so. it is the last prayer of the day and it`s closure.

you performe it by doing three rakaat without any salutation(assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullah you know)to separate them, and this avoid ressembling it white salatu al maghrib as the prophet(saw) recommended. you read al fatiha with another sura at every rakka without sitting att all until the third and last rakka for you to do your salutations.

the prophet saw use to combine . al fathia with al ala(the most high)in the first rakaa
al fatiha and al kafiroon (the unbelievers) in the second rakaa
and al fatiha with surat an nas (the poeple) or al alaq in the third and last one


there are however other ways to performe it i just gave you one of them.

i hope it will help thanks for asking and may Allah swt answer you prayer .ameen

 

[samiha]

:salam2:

Witr prayer can also be done as two rakat then the tasleem (salam) then a single unit of prayer during which you recite a dua while standing up after the ruku. This is called Dua Qunut.

I've read that Witr prayer can also be done as a single unit of prayer, as in only one rakah.

Allah knows best. There are different opinions on the best way to do Witr. But usually i'd go with the two Rakat together and one separate. And there is evidence that this is allowed.

 

[Happy 2BA Muslim]

How to pray Witr



It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed Witr in different ways. He prayed one rak’ah, and three, and five, and seven, and nine. And he prayed three rak’ahs in two different ways, either continuously with one tashahhud, or saying salaam after two rak’ahs and praying one rak’ah and saying salaam after it. He did not pray it like Maghrib, with two tashahhuds and one salaam. Rather he forbade doing that, and said:

“Do not pray Witr with three rak’ahs like Maghrib.”

Narrated by al-Haakim, 1/403; al-Bayhaqi, 3/31; al-Daaraqutni, p. 172. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari (4/301): Its isnaad fulfils the conditions of the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim).

Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said:

It is permissible to pray Witr with three rak’ahs, or with five, or with seven, or with nine. If a person prays Witr with three, it may be done in one of two ways, both of which are prescribed in sharee’ah:

1 – Praying the three rak'ahs continually with one tashahhud.

2 – Saying salaam after two rak’ahs, then praying one rak’ah on its own.

Both of these are narrated in the Sunnah, so if a person does it one way sometimes and the other way sometimes, that is good.

…

It is permissible to say it with one salaam, but it should be with only one tashahhud and not two, because if he does it with two tashahhuds, it will be like Maghrib prayer, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade making it like Maghrib prayer.

Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/14-16

Recitation during three rak’ahs of witr

It is Sunnah to recite Sabbih bi ismi Rabbika al-‘A’laa in the first rak’ah, Qul Yaa ayyuha’l-Kaafiroon in the second rak’ah, and Qul Huwa Allaahu ahad in the third rak’ah. Sometimes Qul a’oodhu bi Rabbi’l-Falaq and Qul a’oodhu bi Rabbi’l-Naas may be added as well.

It was reported in a saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) once recited one hundred aayaat of Soorat al-Nisa’ in one rak’ah of witr.

Du’aa’ al-Qunoot

A person may also humble himself before Allaah by reciting the du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught to his grandson al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), which is:

“Allaahumma’hdinee fiman hadayta wa ‘aafinee fiman ‘aafayta wa tawallanee fiman tawallayta wa baarik lee fimaa a’tayta wa qinee sharra maa qadayt, fa innaka taqdee wa laa yuqdaa ‘alayk. Wa innahu laa yadhillu man waalayta wa laa ya’izzu man ‘aadayt. Tabaarakta Rabbanaa wa ta’aalayt. Laa majaa minka illa ilayk (O Allaah, guide me along with those whom You have guided, pardon me along with those whom You have pardoned, be an ally to me along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless for me that which You have bestowed. Protect me from the evil You have decreed for verily You decree and none can decree over You. For surety, he whom You show allegiance to is never abased and he whom You take an enemy is never honored and mighty. O our Lord, Blessed and Exalted are You. There is no refuge from You except with You).”

Sometimes one may send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and there is nothing wrong with adding other du’aa’s that are known from the Sunnah.

There is nothing wrong with reciting Qunoot after rukoo’, or with adding curses against the kuffaar, sending blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or praying for the Muslims in the second half of Ramadaan, because it is proven that the imaam used to do this at the time of ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him). At the end of the hadeeth of ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Ubayd al-Qaari mentioned above, it says:

“… They used to curse the kuffaar in the middle, saying, ‘Allaahumma qaatil al-kafarata alladheena yasuddoona ‘an sabeelik wa yukadhdhiboona rusulak wa laa yu’minoona bi wa’dik. Wa khaalif bayna kalimatihim wa alqi fi quloobihim al-ru’b wa alqi ‘alayhim rijzaka wa ‘adhaabak ilaah al-haqq (O Allaah, destroy the kuffaar who are trying to prevent people from following Your path, who deny Your Messengers and who do not believe in Your promise (the Day of Judgement). Make them disunited, fill their hearts with terror and send Your wrath and punishment against them, O God of Truth).” Then he would send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and pray for good for the Muslims as much as he could, and seek forgiveness for the believers.

After he had finished cursing the kuffaar, sending blessings on the Prophet, seeking forgiveness for the believing men and women and asking for his own needs, he would say:

“Allaahumma iyyaaka na’bud wa laka nusalli wa najud, wa ilayka nas’aa wa nahfud, wa narju rahmataka rabbanaa wa nakhaafu ‘adhaabak al-jadd. Inna ‘adhaabaka liman ‘aadayta mulhaq (O Allaah, You do we worship, to You do we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive and toil. We place our hope in Your Mercy, O our Lord, and we fear Your mighty punishment, for Your punishment will certainly overtake the one whom You have taken as an enemy.” Then he would say “Allaahu akbar” and go down in sujood.

What should be said at the end of witr

It is Sunnah to say at the end of witr (before or after the salaam):

“Allaahumma innee a’oodhu bi ridaaka min sakhatika wa bi mu’aafaatika min ‘aqoobatika, wa a’oodhu bika minka. La uhsee thanaa’an ‘alayka, anta kamaa athnayta ‘ala nafsik (O Allaah, I seek refuge in Your good pleasure from Your wrath, and in Your protection from Your punishment. I seek refuge with You from You. I cannot praise You enough, and You are as You have praised Yourself.”

When he gave salaam at the end of witr, he said:

“Subhaan il-Malik il-Quddoos, subhaan il-Malik il-Quddoos, subhaan il-Malik il-Quddoos (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy),

elongating the syllables, and raising his voice the third time.

Two rak’ahs after witr

A person may pray two rak’ahs after witr if he wishes, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did this. Indeed, he said,

“This travelling is exhausting and difficult, so after any one of you prays witr, let him pray two rak’ahs. If he wakes up, this is fine, otherwise these two rak’ahs will be counted for him.''

It is Sunnah to recite Idha zulzilat al-ard and Qul yaa ayyuha’l-kaafiroon in these two rak’ahs.

 

[Steve940]

JazakAllah khair everyone, this is exactly what I have been looking for, thank you thank you. So it seems that this prayer isn't actually that different from regular prayers alhamdulilah there is not much more to learn. But I have a question. I understand when you pray 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 rak'ahs, you do 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 sets of 2 rak'ah prayers before it, right? Each one of them with one tashahhud and one tasleem? Then one rak'ah of witr after? Is it permissable to pray say, 7 rak'ah of witr, with only 1 tashahhud and tasleem at the end? And when is the Dua Qunut recited? In the first rak'ah? Second ra'kah? Every rak'ah? I thank you all for your patience and kind understanding, and hope Allah will bless you all in this world and the afterlife.

Wa alaikum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

 

[Happy 2BA Muslim]

:salam2:

I understand when you pray 5, 7, 9, 11, or 13 rak'ahs, you do 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 sets of 2 rak'ah prayers before it, right?

Right Brother!

Each one of them with one tashahhud and one tasleem?

Right again Brother!!

Then one rak'ah of witr after?

Right once more Bro!!!

Is it permissable to pray say, 7 rak'ah of witr, with only 1 tashahhud and tasleem at the end?

Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said:

It is permissible to pray Witr with three rak’ahs, or with five, or with seven, or with nine. If a person prays Witr with three, it may be done in one of two ways, both of which are prescribed in sharee’ah:

1 – Praying the three rak'ahs continually with one tashahhud.

2 – Saying salaam after two rak’ahs, then praying one rak’ah on its own.

Both of these are narrated in the Sunnah, so if a person does it one way sometimes and the other way sometimes, that is good.

And when is the Dua Qunut recited? In the first rak'ah? Second ra'kah? Every rak'ah?

It is recited just after you get up from your very last rak`ah. You recite the dua, and when you`re finished, you continue your prayer with the two sujoods and tasleem.

Barak Allahu feeka ya akhi!!!