Should Qunoot in Witr Be Before or After Ruku?

Should Duʿā Qunūt in Witr Prayer Be Recited Before or After Rukūʿ?​

Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulām Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri

❖ Question:​

Should Duʿā Qunūt in Witr be recited before rukūʿ or after rukūʿ?

✿ Answer:​

Reciting Qunūt both before and after rukūʿ in Witr prayer is established from authentic narrations.

❀ Sayyidunā Ubayy ibn Kaʿb رضي الله عنه reported:​

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would offer three rakʿāt of Witr. In the first rakʿah he would recite Sūrah al-Aʿlā, in the second, Sūrah al-Kāfirūn, and in the third, Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ. After completing Witr, he would say: Subḥānal-Malikil-Quddūs three times, and would raise his voice the third time."


Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 1700; Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1182 – Chain is authentic
Supported in Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī: 1644 by Sufyān al-Thawrī via Fitr ibn Khalīfah (trustworthy)

❀ Sayyidunā Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī رضي الله عنهما reported:​

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me to say this supplication after I completed the recitation in Witr..."


Kitāb al-Tawḥīd by Ibn Mandah (2/191) – Ḥasan chain
Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī (3/38–39)

❀ Another version in al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim (3/173):​

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me to say this supplication in my Witr, after I had raised my head (from rukūʿ), when only sujūd remained."


This shows that Duʿā Qunūt can be recited either before or after rukūʿ.

❀ Al-Aswad ibn Yazīd رحمه الله stated:​

"ʿAbdullāh (ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه) would not recite Qunūt in any prayer except in Witr, and that too before rukūʿ."


al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr by al-Ṭabarānī (9/238, ḥadīth 9165) – Authentic chain

❀ Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAbd al-Malik رحمه الله said:​

"He (Saʿīd ibn Jubayr رحمه الله) would recite Qunūt in Witr before rukūʿ."


Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (2/302) – Authentic chain


Some of the early Salaf used to recite Qunūt after rukūʿ, as well. Sayyidunā Ubayy ibn Kaʿb رضي الله عنه recited both Qunūt al-Witr and Qunūt Nāzilah after rukūʿ.


Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 1100 – Authentic chain

Conclusion:​

There are authentic narrations supporting both practices—reciting Qunūt before and after rukūʿ. Therefore, strictness on one position is unwarranted. This is a matter of ijtihād (juristic reasoning), and it should be left as such—not a point of contention.

✧ Some Weak Narrations on This Topic:​

① ʿAlqamah رحمه الله reported:


"Ibn Masʿūd and the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to recite Qunūt in Witr before rukūʿ."


Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (2/302)
Chain is weak due to ʿanʿanah (ambiguous transmission) of Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī.


② Al-Aswad رحمه الله narrated:


"ʿUmar رضي الله عنه recited Qunūt in Witr before rukūʿ."


Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (2/301–302)
Chain is weak due to ʿanʿanah of Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī.


③ Al-Aswad رحمه الله said:


"ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه would recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ in the last rakʿah of Witr, then raise his hands and recite Qunūt before rukūʿ."


al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr by al-Ṭabarānī (9/2327, ḥadīth 9425)
Chain is weak due to Layth ibn Abī Sulaym – considered weak and poor in memory by the majority of scholars.


④ Sā’ib رحمه الله reported:


"ʿAlī رضي الله عنه used to recite Qunūt in Witr after rukūʿ."


Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (2/302)
Chain is weak due to Shurayk ibn ʿAbdullāh being a mudallis (ambiguous narrator) without clarification of hearing.


⑤ Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān رحمه الله said:


"ʿAlī رضي الله عنه used to recite Qunūt in Witr after rukūʿ."


Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (2/302)
Chain is weak due to ʿAṭāʾ ibn Sā’ib being confused (mukhtaliṭ) and Hushaym ibn Bashīr narrating from him after his confusion.

Summary Points:​

① Both positions—before rukūʿ and after rukūʿ—are authentically reported.
② Scholars and Companions differed in practice.
③ The correct approach is tolerance and not being rigid in this matter.
④ It is a matter of juristic interpretation (ijtihād), not a basis for division.