Witr prayer is a special Islamic prayer performed at night after the Isha prayer and before the Fajr prayer (pre-dawn). The term "Witr" in Arabic means "odd," and the Witr prayer is named as such because it is made up of an odd number of rak'ahs (units of prayer). The number of rak'ahs can be one, three, five, seven, or up to eleven, but the most common practice is to perform three rak'ahs.

The Witr prayer holds a special significance in Islam due to its timing and recommended nature. It is considered to be one of the highly recommended non-compulsory (Sunnah) prayers, and Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) emphasized its importance by saying, "Witr is a duty for every Muslim" (Narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Nasaa'i).

The timing for the Witr prayer starts after the obligatory Isha prayer and continues till before the beginning time of the Fajr prayer. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) used to encourage performing the Witr prayer before going to sleep.

It's also worth mentioning that the Witr prayer includes a specific Du'a (supplication) known as Qunoot, typically recited before or after the Ruku (bowing) in the final rak'ah of the Witr prayer.

While Witr prayer is not obligatory (Fard), it is strongly recommended (Sunnah) in Islamic tradition, and Muslims are encouraged to observe it as part of their regular night prayers.

A witr prayer is a unit of prayer that can be performed at night after Isha prayer. The word "Witr" means "odd," and it's named as such because it involves an odd number of rak'ahs (units of prayer). It is strongly recommended in Islamic practice and considered one of the significant non-obligatory prayers.

Here is a simplified step-by-step guide on how to perform the Witr prayer according to authentic Hadiths:

1.    Intention: Start by making the intention in your heart to perform the Witr prayer.

2.    Takbeer: Stand up for prayer and start by saying "Allahu Akbar" (God is the Greatest), raising your hands to your earlobes.

3.    Recitation: Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and then another Surah of your choice.

4.    Ruku: Bow down in Ruku (the position of bowing) and say "Subhaana Rabbiyal 'Azeem" (Glory be to my Lord, the Almighty). Then, stand back up.

5.    Sujood: Perform two prostrations (Sujood) with "Allahu Akbar" and say "Subhaana Rabbiyal 'Alaa" (Glory be to my Lord, the Highest) in each prostration.

6.    Second Rak'ah: Stand back up and repeat steps 3-5 for the second rak'ah.

7.    Third Rak'ah: Stand back up for the third rak'ah. After reciting Surah Al-Fatiha and another Surah, before bowing down for Ruku, you should recite the Du'a Qunoot (a special supplication). After reciting Du'a Qunoot, perform the Ruku and Sujood as usual.

8.    Tashahhud: After the two prostrations in the third rak'ah, sit for the final Tashahhud. Recite "At-tahiyyatu Lillahi..." to the end, and then recite "Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad..."

9.    Tasleem: To finish the prayer, turn your head to the right saying, "Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah," and then to the left, saying the same.

This basic way to perform the Witr prayer follows the most common practices. Note that there are variations and additional practices in different traditions. For example, some people recite Du'a Qunoot after Ruku in the third Rak'ah. It's advisable to follow the specific practice of your tradition or ask a knowledgeable person if you're unsure.

Please note that although Witr prayer is not obligatory, it is highly recommended, and the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) never omitted it, not even while traveling.

The correct time for performing the Witr prayer starts after the Isha prayer (the final obligatory prayer of the day). It continues until just before the Fajr prayer (the pre-dawn prayer).

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "Allah has added one more prayer for you, which is Witr, so pray it between the night prayer (Isha) and the daily prayer (Fajr)" (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi).

However, it's recommended to perform the Witr prayer at the end of all your night prayers, if possible, as Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "Make Witr as your last prayer at night" (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim). If you intend to pray additional voluntary (nafl) prayers during the night, you should perform the Witr prayer after those.

That said, if you fear that you may not wake up in the last third of the night or before Fajr, you can pray Witr before you sleep. The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) occasionally followed this practice to ensure he didn't miss the Witr prayer.

Therefore, the time for Witr prayer is quite flexible, allowing Muslims to incorporate it into their nightly prayer routine to suit their schedule and circumstances best. It's also worth noting that while Witr prayer is not obligatory, it is highly recommended and highly rewarded in Islam.

Praying three Rak'ahs of Witr prayer with one Tashahud at the end is one of the acceptable methods, and it is similar to the method of praying the Maghrib prayer. Here is how you can do it:

1.    First Rak'ah:

·         Make the intention to pray Witr.

·         Start the prayer with Takbeer ("Allahu Akbar").

·         Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and then another Surah of your choice.

·         Perform Ruku (bowing down) and then stand back up.

·         Perform two Sujoods (prostrations) with a standing position in between.

2.    Second Rak'ah:

·         Stand for the second Rak'ah without uttering Salam.

·         Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and then another Surah of your choice.

·         Perform Ruku and then stand back up.

·         Perform two Sujoods again.

3.    Third Rak'ah:

·         Stand for the third Rak'ah.

·         Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and another Surah of your choice.

·         After the recitation and before going into Ruku, you may recite the Du'a Qunoot. However, some traditions recommend reciting Du'a Qunoot after rising from Ruku, right before going into Sujood.

·         Perform Ruku and then stand back up.

·         Perform two Sujoods.

4.    Final Tashahhud and Salam:

·         After the second Sujood of the third Rak'ah, sit for the final Tashahhud. Recite "At-tahiyyatu Lillahi..." to the end, and then recite "Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad..."

·         Finally, turn your head to the right saying, "Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah," and then to the left, saying the same to finish your prayer.

This is one of the methods to pray three Rak'ahs Witr prayer with one Tashahud at the end. However, the exact practice can differ based on various schools of thought within Islam, so it's always a good idea to consult with a local religious scholar or trusted religious source if you're unsure about the specific practices within your tradition.

In this method, you would essentially pray 2 Rak'ahs (units of prayer), complete them with Tashahhud and Tasleem, and then pray an additional single Rak'ah with its own Tashahhud and Tasleem. Here is how you can do it:

First 2 Rak'ahs:

1.    First Rak'ah:

·         Make the intention to pray Witr.

·         Start the prayer with Takbeer ("Allahu Akbar").

·         Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and then another Surah of your choice.

·         Perform Ruku (bowing down) and then stand back up.

·         Perform two Sujoods (prostrations) with a standing position in between.

2.    Second Rak'ah:

·         Stand for the second Rak'ah.

·         Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and then another Surah of your choice.

·         Perform Ruku and then stand back up.

·         Perform two Sujoods again.

3.    First, Tashahhud and Tasleem:

·         After the second Sujood of the second Rak'ah, sit for the Tashahhud. Recite "At-tahiyyatu Lillahi..." to the end, and then recite "Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad..."

·         Finish the prayer by turning your head to the right and saying, "Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah," and then to the left, saying the same.

The Additional Single Rak'ah:

1.    Third Rak'ah:

·         Make the intention to pray the final Rak'ah of Witr.

·         Start the prayer with Takbeer.

·         Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and then another Surah of your choice.

·         After the recitation and before going into Ruku, you may recite the Du'a Qunoot. However, some traditions recommend reciting Du'a Qunoot after rising from Ruku, right before going into Sujood.

·         Perform Ruku and then stand back up.

·         Perform two Sujoods.

2.    Final Tashahhud and Tasleem:

·         After the second Sujood of the third Rak'ah, sit for the final Tashahhud. Recite "At-tahiyyatu Lillahi..." to the end, and then recite "Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad..."

·         Finish the prayer by turning your head to the right and saying, "Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah," and then to the left, saying the same.

This is how you can pray the Witr prayer as 3 Rak'ahs with two Tashahhuds. Please note that there are variations in practice among different Islamic traditions, so it's recommended to consult with a knowledgeable person in your community if you have any questions.

Related Posts