Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Discussion on Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 220
If a person prays Witr with ʿIshāʾ and later wakes up in the last part of the night wishing to perform Tahajjud, then:
➊ Can he perform Tahajjud or not?
➋ If yes, what will be its form?
➌ Will the initial Witr suffice, or must he repeat Witr?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
It is established that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ prayed Tahajjud during all three parts of the night. Therefore, performing Tahajjud in the early, middle, or last part of the night is permissible.
Whoever finds it difficult to wake up in the last portion of the night may safely pray Tahajjud and Witr after ʿIshāʾ and then go to sleep.
A ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth states:
“Make Witr the last prayer of the night (after Tahajjud, Tarāwīḥ, Qiyām al-Layl, or Ṣalāt al-Layl).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Bāb Ṣalāt al-Layl Mathnā Mathnā wal-Witr Rakʿah min Ākhir al-Layl)
This indicates that Witr should ideally be the closing prayer of the night.
In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (referenced in Mishkāt, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb al-Witr, al-Faṣl al-Awwal), it is reported that:
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, after performing Witr, would still pray two rakʿahs of nafl.
This proves that if someone prays Witr and later wakes up, he may still pray Tahajjud or Qiyām al-Layl. Even though technically Witr is not the very last prayer in this case, the Prophet ﷺ himself did so, making the practice permissible.
❀ It is best to perform Witr as the last prayer of the night,
❀ Even if Tahajjud is prayed earlier in the night.
Some people adopt the following method:
➊ First, they pray Witr and go to sleep.
➋ On waking, they add one rakʿah to cancel out the earlier Witr.
➌ Then they pray Tahajjud.
➍ Finally, they repeat Witr at the end.
This practice is not established from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
❖ Question:
If a person prays Witr with ʿIshāʾ and later wakes up in the last part of the night wishing to perform Tahajjud, then:
➊ Can he perform Tahajjud or not?
➋ If yes, what will be its form?
➌ Will the initial Witr suffice, or must he repeat Witr?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd!
It is established that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ prayed Tahajjud during all three parts of the night. Therefore, performing Tahajjud in the early, middle, or last part of the night is permissible.
Whoever finds it difficult to wake up in the last portion of the night may safely pray Tahajjud and Witr after ʿIshāʾ and then go to sleep.
❖ Importance of Placing Witr at the End of Night Prayer:
A ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth states:
“Make Witr the last prayer of the night (after Tahajjud, Tarāwīḥ, Qiyām al-Layl, or Ṣalāt al-Layl).”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Bāb Ṣalāt al-Layl Mathnā Mathnā wal-Witr Rakʿah min Ākhir al-Layl)
This indicates that Witr should ideally be the closing prayer of the night.
❖ The Practice of the Messenger ﷺ:
In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (referenced in Mishkāt, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb al-Witr, al-Faṣl al-Awwal), it is reported that:
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, after performing Witr, would still pray two rakʿahs of nafl.
This proves that if someone prays Witr and later wakes up, he may still pray Tahajjud or Qiyām al-Layl. Even though technically Witr is not the very last prayer in this case, the Prophet ﷺ himself did so, making the practice permissible.
❖ The Best Way:
❀ It is best to perform Witr as the last prayer of the night,
❀ Even if Tahajjud is prayed earlier in the night.
❖ An Unproven Practice:
Some people adopt the following method:
➊ First, they pray Witr and go to sleep.
➋ On waking, they add one rakʿah to cancel out the earlier Witr.
➌ Then they pray Tahajjud.
➍ Finally, they repeat Witr at the end.
This practice is not established from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
