❖ Fiqhi Rulings Regarding Witr Prayer in Light of Authentic Ahadith ❖
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
Besides the commonly known three Rak‘ahs, performing nine, seven, five, or a single Rak‘ah of Witr is also authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. However, only when praying nine Rak‘ahs will there be two Tashahhud—the first after eight Rak‘ahs, and the second in the final Rak‘ah. In all other forms, only one Tashahhud is performed in the last Rak‘ah.
✔ Evidence:
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed nine Rak‘ahs of Witr, sat only after the eighth, then performed the ninth and concluded with Taslim.
[Muslim: 746; Abu Dawood: 1342; Nasa’i: 3/240; Bayhaqi: 3/30]
➋ Narrated by Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would pray seven or five Witr Rak‘ahs without separating them by Taslim or speech.
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 980; Ibn Majah: 1192; Ahmad: 3/239; Nasa’i: 3/239]
➌ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ would pray five Witr Rak‘ahs, sitting only in the last one.
[Muslim: 237; Abu Dawood: 1338; Tirmidhi: 459; Darimi: 1/371]
➍ Narrated by Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
Witr is a right upon every Muslim. Whoever wants to pray five Rak‘ahs may do so, or three, or even one.
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1260; Abu Dawood: 1422; Ibn Majah: 1190; Nasa’i: 3/238; Ahmad: 5/418]
➎ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
Do not pray Witr with three Rak‘ahs in the manner of Maghrib.
[Daraqutni: 2/24; Bayhaqi: 3/31; Hakim: 1/304]
According to Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) and Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri (رحمه الله), this prohibition applies to Witr prayed like Maghrib (with two Tashahhuds). Thus, Witr should be prayed with only one Tashahhud.
✔ Viewpoints:
✔ Preferred (Rajih) Opinion: The view of the majority is preferred and supported by the earlier mentioned Ahadith.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/565]
There is a difference of opinion regarding the obligation of Witr:
✔ Viewpoints:
✔ Preferred (Rajih) Opinion: Witr is Sunnah Mu’akkadah, not obligatory.
✔ Supporting Evidence:
➊ Narrated by ʿAli (رضي الله عنه):
Witr is not obligatory like the prescribed (fard) prayers, but a Sunnah established by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
[Sahih: Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 453-454; Abu Dawood: 1416; Nasa’i: 3/228; Ibn Majah: 1169]
➋ The narration stating:
"Witr is a right, and whoever does not pray it is not one of us" is weak.
[Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 417; Abu Dawood: 1419; Ahmad: 5/357; Hakim: 1/305]
✔ Starts: After ʿIshaʾ
✔ Ends: At dawn (Fajr)
➊ Narrated by Kharijah ibn Hudhafah (رضي الله عنه):
“The time of Witr is between ʿIshaʾ and Fajr.”
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 597; Irwaʾ al-Ghalil: 423]
➋ Narrated by Abu Saʿid (رضي الله عنه):
“Pray Witr before dawn.”
[Muslim: 754; Tirmidhi: 467; Nasa’i: 3/231]
✔ If there is fear of missing the last portion of night, one may pray Witr before sleeping. Otherwise, the last part of the night is preferable.
[Muslim: 755; Ahmad: 3/315]
➊ Narrated by Abu Saʿid (رضي الله عنه):
“Whoever misses Witr due to sleep or forgetfulness should pray it when he remembers or wakes up.”
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 386; Abu Dawood: 1431; Ibn Majah: 1188; Ahmad: 3/31]
➋ Another narration:
"Whoever sleeps through his Witr should pray it in the morning."
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 378]
➌ The Prophet ﷺ would pray twelve Rak‘ahs during the day if prevented from Qiyam al-Layl due to illness or sleep.
[Darimi: 1439]
✔ Majority (Sahabah, Tabiʿin, Imams): Witr can and should be made up.
✔ Disagreement is on timing:
✔ Narrated by Ubayy ibn Kaʿb (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ would recite:
✔ Qunoot is authentically established before Rukuʿ in Witr.
➊ Narrated by Ubayy ibn Kaʿb (رضي الله عنه):
“The Prophet ﷺ used to perform Qunoot in Witr before Rukuʿ.”
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 970]
✔ The narration mentioning Qunoot before and after Rukuʿ refers to Fajr prayer, not Witr.
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 971]
✔ Post-Rukuʿ Qunoot is permissible, based on the practice of the Khulafaʾ al-Rashidun and in cases of Qunoot Nazilah.
[Bukhari: 1002; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/258]
✔ No authentic Hadith proves the raising of hands in Qunoot during Witr.
[Sahih Nasa’i: 1649]
✔ However, the practice of ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿood (رضي الله عنه) indicates raising hands, as mentioned by Imam Bukhari in Juzʾ Rafaʿ al-Yadayn.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/580]
✔ Imam Tawoos held that Qunoot in Witr is an innovation, but this view is rejected due to clear authentic Ahadith.
[Al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir: 5/207]
➊ Taught to Hasan ibn ʿAli (رضي الله عنه) by the Prophet ﷺ:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ...
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1263; Tirmidhi: 464; Ibn Majah: 1178]
➋ Narrated by ʿAli (رضي الله عنه):
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ...
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1265; Tirmidhi: 3566; Ahmad: 1/96]
✔ Saying "وصلى الله على النبي" at the end of Qunoot is not established from any authentic Hadith.
[Daʿif Nasa’i: 106]
✔ After Witr, saying "سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ" three times is Sunnah.
[Sahih Nasa’i: 1604]
✔ It is reported that Witr should be the last prayer of the night,
[Bukhari: 998; Muslim: 751]
but this is recommended, not obligatory.
✔ Narrated by Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ would pray two Rak‘ahs after Witr.
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 392; Ibn Majah: 1195]
✔ One who wakes later in the night may pray additional Nawafil, but should not repeat Witr, as per the Hadith:
"There are no two Witr prayers in one night."
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 391; Abu Dawood: 1439]
✔ This is also the view of Ahmad, Shafiʿi, Malik, Sufyan al-Thawri, Ibn al-Mubarak, and Ibn Hazm.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/588]
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
◈ Number of Rak‘ahs in Witr
Besides the commonly known three Rak‘ahs, performing nine, seven, five, or a single Rak‘ah of Witr is also authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. However, only when praying nine Rak‘ahs will there be two Tashahhud—the first after eight Rak‘ahs, and the second in the final Rak‘ah. In all other forms, only one Tashahhud is performed in the last Rak‘ah.
✔ Evidence:
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed nine Rak‘ahs of Witr, sat only after the eighth, then performed the ninth and concluded with Taslim.
[Muslim: 746; Abu Dawood: 1342; Nasa’i: 3/240; Bayhaqi: 3/30]
➋ Narrated by Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would pray seven or five Witr Rak‘ahs without separating them by Taslim or speech.
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 980; Ibn Majah: 1192; Ahmad: 3/239; Nasa’i: 3/239]
➌ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ would pray five Witr Rak‘ahs, sitting only in the last one.
[Muslim: 237; Abu Dawood: 1338; Tirmidhi: 459; Darimi: 1/371]
➍ Narrated by Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
Witr is a right upon every Muslim. Whoever wants to pray five Rak‘ahs may do so, or three, or even one.
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1260; Abu Dawood: 1422; Ibn Majah: 1190; Nasa’i: 3/238; Ahmad: 5/418]
➎ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
Do not pray Witr with three Rak‘ahs in the manner of Maghrib.
[Daraqutni: 2/24; Bayhaqi: 3/31; Hakim: 1/304]
According to Ibn Hajar (رحمه الله) and Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri (رحمه الله), this prohibition applies to Witr prayed like Maghrib (with two Tashahhuds). Thus, Witr should be prayed with only one Tashahhud.
✔ Viewpoints:
- Majority (Jumhoor, Malik, Shafiʿi, Ahmad): All forms supported by authentic narrations are permissible.
- Hanafi: Witr must be three Rak‘ahs only, neither less nor more.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/230; Al-Umm: 1/259; Al-Mabsut: 1/156; Al-Mughni: 2/578]
✔ Preferred (Rajih) Opinion: The view of the majority is preferred and supported by the earlier mentioned Ahadith.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/565]
◈ Ruling of Witr
There is a difference of opinion regarding the obligation of Witr:
✔ Viewpoints:
- Jumhoor (Ahmad, Shafiʿi, Malik): Witr is Sunnah Mu’akkadah, not Wajib.
- Abu Hanifah: Witr is Wajib, with some narrations even stating Fard.
[Al-Umm: 1/257; Bada’iʿ al-Sana’iʿ: 1/270; Al-Mughni: 2/578; Al-Hidayah: 1/65]
✔ Preferred (Rajih) Opinion: Witr is Sunnah Mu’akkadah, not obligatory.
✔ Supporting Evidence:
➊ Narrated by ʿAli (رضي الله عنه):
Witr is not obligatory like the prescribed (fard) prayers, but a Sunnah established by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
[Sahih: Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 453-454; Abu Dawood: 1416; Nasa’i: 3/228; Ibn Majah: 1169]
➋ The narration stating:
"Witr is a right, and whoever does not pray it is not one of us" is weak.
[Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 417; Abu Dawood: 1419; Ahmad: 5/357; Hakim: 1/305]
◈ Time for Witr
✔ Starts: After ʿIshaʾ
✔ Ends: At dawn (Fajr)
➊ Narrated by Kharijah ibn Hudhafah (رضي الله عنه):
“The time of Witr is between ʿIshaʾ and Fajr.”
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 597; Irwaʾ al-Ghalil: 423]
➋ Narrated by Abu Saʿid (رضي الله عنه):
“Pray Witr before dawn.”
[Muslim: 754; Tirmidhi: 467; Nasa’i: 3/231]
✔ If there is fear of missing the last portion of night, one may pray Witr before sleeping. Otherwise, the last part of the night is preferable.
[Muslim: 755; Ahmad: 3/315]
◈ Qada’ (Make-up) of Witr
➊ Narrated by Abu Saʿid (رضي الله عنه):
“Whoever misses Witr due to sleep or forgetfulness should pray it when he remembers or wakes up.”
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 386; Abu Dawood: 1431; Ibn Majah: 1188; Ahmad: 3/31]
➋ Another narration:
"Whoever sleeps through his Witr should pray it in the morning."
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 378]
➌ The Prophet ﷺ would pray twelve Rak‘ahs during the day if prevented from Qiyam al-Layl due to illness or sleep.
[Darimi: 1439]
✔ Majority (Sahabah, Tabiʿin, Imams): Witr can and should be made up.
✔ Disagreement is on timing:
- Shafiʿi: Any time after remembering, even after Fajr.
- Malik, Ahmad: Should not be prayed after Fajr.
✔ Preferred View: Shafiʿi’s opinion is stronger based on authentic narrations.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/582]
◈ Recitation in Witr
✔ Narrated by Ubayy ibn Kaʿb (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ would recite:
- 1st Rak‘ah: Surah Al-Aʿla (سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى)
- 2nd Rak‘ah: Surah Al-Kafirun (قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ)
- 3rd Rak‘ah: Surah Al-Ikhlas (قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ)
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 961; Nasa’i: 3/235]
◈ Qunoot in Witr
✔ Qunoot is authentically established before Rukuʿ in Witr.
➊ Narrated by Ubayy ibn Kaʿb (رضي الله عنه):
“The Prophet ﷺ used to perform Qunoot in Witr before Rukuʿ.”
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 970]
✔ The narration mentioning Qunoot before and after Rukuʿ refers to Fajr prayer, not Witr.
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 971]
✔ Post-Rukuʿ Qunoot is permissible, based on the practice of the Khulafaʾ al-Rashidun and in cases of Qunoot Nazilah.
[Bukhari: 1002; Nayl al-Awtar: 2/258]
✔ No authentic Hadith proves the raising of hands in Qunoot during Witr.
[Sahih Nasa’i: 1649]
✔ However, the practice of ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿood (رضي الله عنه) indicates raising hands, as mentioned by Imam Bukhari in Juzʾ Rafaʿ al-Yadayn.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/580]
✔ Imam Tawoos held that Qunoot in Witr is an innovation, but this view is rejected due to clear authentic Ahadith.
[Al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir: 5/207]
◈ Duas of Qunoot in Witr
➊ Taught to Hasan ibn ʿAli (رضي الله عنه) by the Prophet ﷺ:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ...
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1263; Tirmidhi: 464; Ibn Majah: 1178]
➋ Narrated by ʿAli (رضي الله عنه):
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ...
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1265; Tirmidhi: 3566; Ahmad: 1/96]
✔ Saying "وصلى الله على النبي" at the end of Qunoot is not established from any authentic Hadith.
[Daʿif Nasa’i: 106]
✔ After Witr, saying "سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ" three times is Sunnah.
[Sahih Nasa’i: 1604]
◈ Voluntary Prayers After Witr
✔ It is reported that Witr should be the last prayer of the night,
[Bukhari: 998; Muslim: 751]
but this is recommended, not obligatory.
✔ Narrated by Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ would pray two Rak‘ahs after Witr.
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 392; Ibn Majah: 1195]
✔ One who wakes later in the night may pray additional Nawafil, but should not repeat Witr, as per the Hadith:
"There are no two Witr prayers in one night."
[Sahih Tirmidhi: 391; Abu Dawood: 1439]
✔ This is also the view of Ahmad, Shafiʿi, Malik, Sufyan al-Thawri, Ibn al-Mubarak, and Ibn Hazm.
[Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 2/588]
