Evidence and Manner of Qunoot After Rukuʿ in Witr
Reference: Ahkam wa Masail, Namaz ka Bayan, Vol. 1, p. 224
❖ Question
What is the evidence for Qunoot after Rukuʿ in Witr? Also, please explain the manner of Qunoot.
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
The supplication of Qunoot in Witr:
“اَللّٰهُمَّ اهْدِنِیْ فِيْمَنْ هَدَيْتَ”
is narrated in the Hadith from Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī رضي الله عنهما.
In some chains of this Hadith, the following wording occurs:
“اَنْ أَقُوْلَ اِذَا فَرَغْتُ مِنْ قِرَأَتِیْ فِی الْوِتْرِ”
Regarding these words, Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) has discussed in detail in Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl.
◈ Shaykh al-Albānī’s Research
Shaykh al-Albānī states:
“فَاِنَّ قَوْلَه:’’أَنْ أَقُوْلَ اِذَا فَرَغْتُ مِنْ قِرَائَ تِیْ فِی الْوِتْرِ‘‘ ظَاهِرٌ قَبْلَ الرُّکُوْعِ”
This wording outwardly indicates that Qunoot is recited after completing the recitation, i.e., before Rukuʿ.
However, Imām al-Ḥākim (Vol. 3, p. 172) and after him Imām al-Bayhaqī (Vol. 3, pp. 38–39) have narrated through two other chains with the wording:
“إِذَا رَفَعْتُ رَأسِیْ ، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ السُّجُوْدُ”
These words indicate the opposite of the first narration, as they show that Qunoot was recited after Rukuʿ.
Shaykh al-Albānī comments:
“فَهٰذَا خِلاَفُ الرِّوَايَةِ الْاُوْلٰی فَاﷲُ اَعلم”
◈ The Status of the Narration
Shaykh al-Albānī further explains:
“وَالْاِسْنَادُ حَسَنٌ، رِجَالُه ثِقَاتٌ، رِجَالُ الْبُخَارِیْ، غَيْرَ الشَّعْرَانِیْ”
Imām al-Ḥākim said:
“ثِقَةٌ لَمْ يُطْعَنْ فِيْهِ بِحُجَّةٍ”
Therefore, Imām al-Ḥākim declared this narration:
“صَحِيْحٌ عَلٰی شَرْطِ الشَّيْخَيْنِ”
However, a difference exists in the chain:
“مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِیْ كَثِيْرٍ قَدْ خَالَفَ إِسْمَاعِيْلَ بْنَ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ فِیْ اِسْنَادِه”
The narration continues with the chain:
“عَنْ مُوْسٰی بْنِ عُقْبَةَ، ثَنَآ اَبُوْ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ يَزِيْدَ… بنِ اَبِیْ مَرْيَمَ، عَنْ اَبِیْ الْحَوْرَائِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِیٍّ”
Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) also discussed this in Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr (p. 94).
◈ Important Note by Shaykh al-Albānī
He draws attention to the words:
“اِذَا رَفَعْتُ رَاْسِیْ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ السُّجُوْدُ”
and mentions their importance.
He also cites the isnād from Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn Mihrān al-Aṣbahānī, transmitted by al-Ḥākim, through Muḥammad ibn Yūnus al-Muqriʾ, with additional wording.
Regarding Muḥammad ibn Yūnus al-Muqriʾ, Shaykh al-Albānī notes that al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī mentioned him in Tārīkh (Vol. 3, p. 446) and declared him trustworthy.
Thus, Shaykh al-Albānī concludes:
“وَلِهٰذَا مَالَتْ نَفْسِیْ اِلٰی تَرْجِيْحِ هٰذَا اللَّفْظِ بَعْدَ ثُبُوْتِ هٰذِهِ الْمُتَابَعَةِ ، وَاﷲُ اَعْلم انتهی كَلاَمُ الْأَلْبَانِی (۱۶۸/۲-۱۶۹)”
✅ Summary
① The supplication of Qunoot in Witr — “اَللّٰهُمَّ اهْدِنِیْ فِيْمَنْ هَدَيْتَ” — is authentically established.
② Some narrations indicate it is recited before Rukuʿ.
③ Other narrations, with reliable chains, indicate it is recited after Rukuʿ.
④ Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) gave preference to the post-Rukuʿ narration.
⑤ Raising hands during Qunoot in Witr is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ.
⑥ Raising hands in Qunoot Nāzilah, however, is authentically reported.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
