Source: Ahkam wa Masā’il – The Chapter of Mosques, Vol. 1, p. 102
In the Ḥaram (Kaʿbah) and Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ, is the multiplied reward (100,000 and 1,000 times respectively) limited to obligatory prayers only, or does it apply to nafl prayers as well? And in Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ, is it better to perform Ṣalāt al-Witr at the beginning of the night or in the last part of the night?
Alhamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd!
«فَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الصَّلَاةِ صَلَاةُ الْمَرْءِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا الْمَكْتُوبَةَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – Kitāb al-Adhān, Bāb Ṣalāt al-Layl)
"Indeed, the best prayer of a man is in his house, except for the obligatory prayers."
This indicates virtue in terms of place (makān).
During Ramadan, there are 8 possible combinations of performing Witr. The most virtuous among them is:
❀ In the last part of the night
❀ At one’s residence
❀ In congregation
This combination is superior to all the other seven possibilities.
هٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
❖ The Question
In the Ḥaram (Kaʿbah) and Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ, is the multiplied reward (100,000 and 1,000 times respectively) limited to obligatory prayers only, or does it apply to nafl prayers as well? And in Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ, is it better to perform Ṣalāt al-Witr at the beginning of the night or in the last part of the night?
❖ The Answer
Alhamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd!
◈ Virtue of Prayer in Masjid al-Ḥarām and Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ
- The multiplied reward (100,000 times in Masjid al-Ḥarām, 1,000 times in Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ) applies to both obligatory and voluntary (nafl) prayers.
- This means that even nafl prayers performed in these sacred mosques carry the same multiplied reward mentioned in the narrations.
◈ Witr Prayer – Early or Late Night?
- Performing Witr in the last part of the night is better than performing it in the early part of the night.
- This virtue is due to the timing (zaman) of the prayer.
◈ Witr Prayer in Makkah and Madinah – In the Mosque or at Home?
- Even while being in these blessed mosques, praying Witr at one’s residence (home) is more virtuous than praying it inside the mosque.
- Evidence: The Prophet ﷺ said:
«فَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الصَّلَاةِ صَلَاةُ الْمَرْءِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا الْمَكْتُوبَةَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – Kitāb al-Adhān, Bāb Ṣalāt al-Layl)
"Indeed, the best prayer of a man is in his house, except for the obligatory prayers."
This indicates virtue in terms of place (makān).
◈ Congregational Witr or Individual Witr?
- Congregational Witr is more virtuous than individual Witr.
◈ Eight Possible Scenarios of Witr in Ramadan
During Ramadan, there are 8 possible combinations of performing Witr. The most virtuous among them is:
❀ In the last part of the night
❀ At one’s residence
❀ In congregation
This combination is superior to all the other seven possibilities.
❖ Conclusion
- The multiplied reward in Masjid al-Ḥarām and Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ applies to both obligatory and voluntary prayers.
- Witr in the last part of the night is more virtuous than in the early night.
- Praying Witr at home is more virtuous than in the mosque, even in Makkah and Madinah.
- Congregational Witr holds superiority over individual Witr.
- In Ramadan, the best form is to pray Witr in the last part of the night, at home, in congregation.
هٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
