Source: Extracted from Hudiyyat al-Muslimīn – Namāz ke Aham Masāʾil maʿ Maqmal Namāz al-Nabawiyyah ﷺ by Shaykh Zubair ʿAlī Zai رحمه الله
From al-Ḥasan bin ʿAlī (رضي الله عنهما):
*"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me some words to say in the Witr prayer:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، إِنَّهُ لا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ"*
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1/208–209, Ḥadīth 1425]
① This marfūʿ narration is the most authentic wording regarding Qunūt al-Witr.
② A mوقوف narration from ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) with the wording "Allāhumma innā nastaʿīnuka..." is also authentic, but the above wording is stronger due to its explicit attribution to the Prophet ﷺ.
③ According to Sunan al-Nasāʾī (1/248, Ḥadīth 1700), the Prophet ﷺ recited the Qunūt before rukūʿ, and this is the prevalent practice.
④ Qunūt al-Nāzilah (for calamities) is also established; in it, the Prophet ﷺ recited the Qunūt after rukūʿ and raised both hands in supplication.
[Musnad Aḥmad: 3/137, Ḥadīth 12429]
⑤ By analogy with Qunūt al-Nāzilah, it is permissible to raise the hands in Qunūt al-Witr. Some weak reports mention it, but the stronger opinion is that not raising the hands is preferable. Wallāhu Aʿlam.
⑥ In the narrations mentioning hand-raising, the reference is to the supplication-style raising of hands, not the raising done at the start of prayer or before/after rukūʿ. Thus, confusing these with each other is incorrect.
⑦ Wiping the face after Qunūt or Qunūt al-Nāzilah is not authentically established; however, in general duʿā’, it is permissible.
⑧ From al-Ḥakam bin ʿUtaybah, Ḥammād bin Abī Sulaymān, and Abū Isḥāq al-Sabīʿī (تابعين) it is proven that when they intended to recite Qunūt in prayer, they would say the takbīr after finishing the recitation, then recite the Qunūt.
[Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/307, Ḥadīth 6951 – authentic chain]
Note: Raising the hands at every takbīr before rukūʿ is proven. [See p. 46 in source]
Ḥadīth Evidence
From al-Ḥasan bin ʿAlī (رضي الله عنهما):
*"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me some words to say in the Witr prayer:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، إِنَّهُ لا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ"*
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1/208–209, Ḥadīth 1425]
- Imām al-Tirmidhī (1/106, Ḥadīth 464) graded it ḥasan.
- Ibn Khuzaymah (2/251–252, Ḥadīth 1095–1096) and Imām al-Nawawī graded it ṣaḥīḥ.
Benefits and Rulings
① This marfūʿ narration is the most authentic wording regarding Qunūt al-Witr.
② A mوقوف narration from ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) with the wording "Allāhumma innā nastaʿīnuka..." is also authentic, but the above wording is stronger due to its explicit attribution to the Prophet ﷺ.
③ According to Sunan al-Nasāʾī (1/248, Ḥadīth 1700), the Prophet ﷺ recited the Qunūt before rukūʿ, and this is the prevalent practice.
④ Qunūt al-Nāzilah (for calamities) is also established; in it, the Prophet ﷺ recited the Qunūt after rukūʿ and raised both hands in supplication.
[Musnad Aḥmad: 3/137, Ḥadīth 12429]
⑤ By analogy with Qunūt al-Nāzilah, it is permissible to raise the hands in Qunūt al-Witr. Some weak reports mention it, but the stronger opinion is that not raising the hands is preferable. Wallāhu Aʿlam.
⑥ In the narrations mentioning hand-raising, the reference is to the supplication-style raising of hands, not the raising done at the start of prayer or before/after rukūʿ. Thus, confusing these with each other is incorrect.
⑦ Wiping the face after Qunūt or Qunūt al-Nāzilah is not authentically established; however, in general duʿā’, it is permissible.
⑧ From al-Ḥakam bin ʿUtaybah, Ḥammād bin Abī Sulaymān, and Abū Isḥāq al-Sabīʿī (تابعين) it is proven that when they intended to recite Qunūt in prayer, they would say the takbīr after finishing the recitation, then recite the Qunūt.
[Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2/307, Ḥadīth 6951 – authentic chain]
- Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī said:
"In the last rakʿah of Witr, when you finish recitation, say the takbīr and recite Qunūt aloud; when you want to perform rukūʿ, say the takbīr again."
[Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 3/34, Ḥadīth 4702 – authentic chain; Sufyān al-Thawrī narrates from Manṣūr without tadlīs, so it is sound]
Note: Raising the hands at every takbīr before rukūʿ is proven. [See p. 46 in source]
