❖ Sharʿi Ruling on Praying Tahajjud After Witr
In Light of Authentic and Reliable Evidences
Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Page 412
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on offering Tahajjud prayer after having already prayed Witr?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
✦ Emphasis on Making Witr the Last Prayer of the Night
If a person has already offered Witr during the earlier part of the night, then it is preferable that he does not perform Tahajjud afterward.
This is based on the directive of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ:
((اجعلوا آخر صلاتكم بالليل وترا))
“Make Witr the last of your prayers at night.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 998 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 794 (with some variation in wording)✦ Permissibility of Praying Tahajjud After Witr
However, if a person does choose to offer Tahajjud after Witr, it is not ḥarām — rather, it is permissible.
✔ Supporting Evidence:
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ prayed two rakʿāt after Witr during travel.
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, Vol. 2, p. 159, Ḥadīth 1106 — Chain: Ḥasan Ibn Ḥibbān authenticated this narration (Mawārid al-Ẓamʾān: 683) Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth 738b (Dār al-Salām: 1724)✦ Practice of the Companions
There is an incident from Sayyidunā Ṭalq ibn ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
He offered Qiyām (night prayer) in Ramaḍān and performed Witr. Later, he went to the mosque and led his companions in prayer.
✔ He did not repeat Witr, and said:
"I heard the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ say: (لا وتران في ليلة)"
“There are no two Witr prayers in one night.”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1439 — Chain: Ṣaḥīḥ❖ Conclusion:
✔ It is permissible to perform Tahajjud after Witr, even though it is preferable to make Witr the final prayer of the night.
✘ However, repeating Witr after Tahajjud is not allowed.
ھذا ما عندي، واللّٰه أعلم بالصواب
This is what I hold; and Allāh knows best what is correct.
