❖ Qunūt Nāzilah in Salah Is Legislated During Calamities ❖
✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
✦ What Is Qunūt Nāzilah?
Qunūt Nāzilah refers to a special supplication made in Salah during times of calamity, hardship, or trial. Scholars have differed over its legislation and proper placement.
✿ Scholarly Views
- Imām Aḥmad and Abū Ḥanīfah رحمهما الله:
Qunūt is not Sunnah in any prayer other than Witr, except that Imām Aḥmad allows it in Fajr prayer during hardship. - Imām Mālik and Imām al-Shāfiʿī رحمهما الله:
Qunūt should be recited consistently in Fajr prayer only.
📚 References:
Al-Mughnī: 2/585, Al-Majmūʿ: 3/474, Al-Ḥāwī: 2/150, Radd al-Muḥtār: 2/448, Al-Mabsūṭ: 1/165
- Imām Nawawī رحمه الله:
In our madhhab (Shāfiʿī), Qunūt is only permissible in Ṣubḥ (Fajr) prayer.
📚 Al-Majmūʿ: 3/474 - Imām Ibn Qudāmah رحمه الله:
Qunūt is not legislated in any prayer (besides Witr) except during trials.
📚 Al-Mughnī: 2/585 - Imām Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:
A fair conclusion is that the Prophet ﷺ both performed and left Qunūt, showing it is optional depending on the situation.
📚 Zād al-Maʿād: 1/272
✿ Preferred (Rājiḥ) View:
✔ Qunūt Nāzilah is legislated in all prayers during calamity, without restriction to any specific prayer.
📚 Supported by:
- Imām al-Shawkānī رحمه الله — Nayl al-Awṭār: 2/193
- Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Mubārakpūrī رحمه الله — Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī: 2/450
✦ Evidence Supporting Qunūt Nāzilah
➊ Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه:
After 70 Qurra’ (reciters) were killed by the idolaters, the Prophet ﷺ recited Qunūt for a month, cursing them.
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1002
➋ Anas رضي الله عنه also said:
The Prophet ﷺ did not perform Qunūt except when praying for or against a people.
📚 Ibn Khuzaymah: 1/314, 620
➌ Anas رضي الله عنه:
Qunūt was performed in Maghrib and Fajr prayers.
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 798
➍ Al-Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib رضي الله عنه narrated similarly.
📚 Musnad Aḥmad: 4/285, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 305
➎ Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
He used to recite Qunūt in Ẓuhr, ʿIshāʾ, and Fajr, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers.
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 797, Muslim: 676
➏ Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
The Prophet ﷺ performed Qunūt in all five prayers for one month, after saying “سمع الله لمن حمده“, praying against tribes that betrayed Muslim emissaries.
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1280, Aḥmad: 1/301
✦ Summary from Evidences
✔ Qunūt Nāzilah is not limited to one prayer. It can be done in one, two, or all five prayers depending on the nature of the calamity.
❖ Rulings on Qunūt Nāzilah Practice
✿ Placement in Salah
Qunūt Nāzilah should be recited after rukūʿ (bowing):
“قنت رسول الله بعد الركوع شهراً“
“The Prophet ﷺ recited Qunūt for a month after rukūʿ.”
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4096
✿ The Followers Should Say Āmīn
“ويؤمن من خلفه“
“Those behind him would say Āmīn.”
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 1280
✿ Raising Hands During Qunūt
“رفع يديه فدعا عليهم“
“He raised his hands and made duʿāʾ against them.”
📚 Aḥmad: 3/137, Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 2/181
❖ Sample Supplications for Qunūt Nāzilah
➊ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ…
(Full duʿāʾ from Musnad Aḥmad: 3/137)
➋ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ…
📚 Al-Bayhaqī: 2/210–211
➌ The Prophet ﷺ used to mention specific names of Muslim prisoners in his supplications.
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 804, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 675
📘 Imām Nawawī رحمه الله said:
There is no fixed duʿāʾ for Qunūt Nāzilah. Any relevant duʿāʾ may be used. The commonly recited “اللهم اهدني فيمن هديت…” is recommended, not obligatory.
📚 Sharḥ Muslim: 1/237
✿ Objection and Response
Some object to Qunūt by citing:
Narration of Abū Mālik al-Ashjaʿī:
His father said Qunūt is a bidʿah (innovation).
📚 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī: 330, Aḥmad: 3/472, Ibn Mājah: 1241
📘 Response:
This ḥadīth negates regular Qunūt, not Qunūt during tribulations. Since many authentic narrations affirm Qunūt Nāzilah, affirmative evidence takes precedence over negation.
📚 Nayl al-Awṭār: 2/191
📚 Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī: 2/451
