Witr

The witr prayer is mandatory (wājib). It consists of three rak’āt, prayed together with one set of salāms. In the third rak’ah before bowing, one recites the qunūt (while it is sunnah to recite the supplication noted below, the mandatory requisite can be fulfilled by any supplication); this is performed throughout the year.

The witr prayer is just like Maghrib, except that it is mandatory (wājib) to recite the Fātiḥah and an additional sūrah in the third rak’ah as well. After that, one says “Allāhu Akbar” while raising the hands in the same manner as the opening taḥrīmah; raising the hands for this takbīr is sunnah. One then remains standing and recites the qunūt, which is mandatory (wājib), before bowing and finishing the prayer as normal. Both the takbīr and the qunūt are to be recited silently while standing, by the one praying alone and by both the imām and the follower if prayed in congregation. If the imām goes into the bowing position before the follower finishes (or starts) reciting the qunūt, then he should follow the imām if he fears missing the bowing position. Otherwise, he quickly makes any supplication to fulfill the requisite and then joins the imām in bowing.

If one praying witr alone forget the qunūt and then remembers it while bowing, or after having risen up from it, then he neither recites it in the bowing position nor returns to the original standing position in order to do so. Rather, he completes the prayer and performs the forgetfulness prostration (for having missed a mandatory requisite of the prayer).

Du’ā Qunūt

“O Allāh! Verily we seek Your help and Your guidance. We ask for Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance. We believe in You and place our trust in You. We praise You with every good praise; we thank You, and we do not reject You. We cast out and abandon anyone who disobeys You. O Allāh, You alone do we worship, and for Your sake alone do we pray and prostrate. To You alone do we earnestly strive and hasten. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment; verily, Your true punishment will be meted out to the disbelievers.

May Allāh send blessings and peace upon our leader Muḥammad, the unlettered Prophet, and upon his family and companions.”