Part 16

Based upon this, if a person began to pray Wifr with the intention of offering two Rak‘ahs, then he made the Taslim and then offered a third Rak‘ah, but he forgot and stood up for the third Rak‘ah without making the Taslim, then we say to him: Complete the third Rak‘ah, because it is permissible in Witr to exceed two Rak‘ahs.

Q. 274. A worshipper in prayer stood up instead of sitting for the Tashahhud and before he started the recitation, he remembered, should he sit down in Tashahhud? And when should he perform the prostration of forgetfulness in this situation, before the Taslim, or after it?

A. In this situation, he should not go back, because he has completely left the Tashahhud since he has reached the next pillar. It is therefore disliked for him to go back. Although going back does not invalidate his prayer, because he has not done anything unlawful. However, he must perform the prostration of forgetfulness and it should be before the Taslim.

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Q. 275. What is the ruling on Witr, and is it something peculiar to Ramadan?

A. Witr is a compulsory Sunnah in Ramadan and at other times, so much so that Imam Ahmad and others said: Whoever abandons Witr then he is a bad man, and his testimony should not be accepted.

So, it is a compulsory Sunnah, and it is not befitting for a Muslim to abandon it neither in Ramadan, nor at any other time and Witr is to seal the night prayer with a single Rak‘ah; it is not, as some of the common people think, Qunut. Qunut is one thing, and Witr is another: Witr is that one seals the night prayer with a single Rak‘ah or three together.

In any case, Witr is a compulsory Sunnah in Ramadan and in other months, so it is not befitting for a Muslim to abandon it.

Q. 276. We request that Your Eminence describe the Sunnah regarding the supplication of Qunut and tell us if there are special! supplications for it? And is it prescribed to make it long in the Witr prayer?

A. Included in the supplication of Qunut is that which was taught by the Prophet # to Hasan bin ‘Ali bin Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with them:

(Allahummahdini Feeman Hadait, Wa ‘Afini Feeman ‘Afait.) “Oh, Allah! Guide me among those whont You guide and pardon me among those whom You pardon.’""}

"I Reported by At-Tirmithi, in the Chapters on Prayer, Chapter: What Has Been Said Regarding Qunut in Witr (464).

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Allahummahdina (Oh, Allah! Guide us) using the first person plural pronoun, because he is supplicating for himself and for those behind him.

If he said anything suitable, there is no sin, but it is not fitting for him to prolong the supplication to such an extent that it becomes difficult for those being led in prayer, or causing them to become bored. The Prophet #8 became angry with Mu’ath, may Allah be pleased with him, when he prolonged the prayer with his people and said:

“Are you one who is a cause of trial, oh, Mu‘ath?.")

Q. 277. Is it part of the Sunnah to raise the hands when making the supplication of Qunut, and what is the evidence for that?

A. Yes, itis part of the Sunnah for a person to raise his hands when he makes the supplication of Qunut. This has been reported from the Messenger of Allah #8 in his Qunut, when he used to perform Qunut in the obligatory prayers at times of calamity. Likewise, it has been authentically reported from the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, that he raised his hands in the Qunut of Witr and he was one of the righteous caliphs whom we were ordered to follow.

So, raising the hands when making the Qunut of Witr is a Sunnah whether it be for an Imam or one who is led in prayer, or a single worshipper. Therefore, whenever you make Qunut, raise your hands.

Q. 278. What is the ruling on Qunut in the obligatory prayers? And what is the ruling if the Muslims are afflicted by some calamity?

"1 Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of the adhan, in the Chapter: Whoever Complained of His Imam if He Prolonged the Prayer (705).

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A. Qunut in the obligatory prayers is not legislated, and it is not desirable that it should be done. However, if the Imam performs Qunut, you should follow him, because discord is evil.

If the Muslims are afflicted by some calamity, then there is no objection in that case to their making Qunut in order to ask Allah, the Most High to remove it.

Q. 279. What is the ruling on Tarawih and how many Rak‘ahs is it?

A. The Tarawih prayer is a Sunnah which was prescribed by the Messenger of Allah #% and it is reported in the Two Sahihs on the authority of ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet #% prayed in the Masjid one night and some people prayed with him. Then he prayed on the next night and the people had become numerous, then they gathered on the third night or the fourth night, but the Messenger of Allah 2% did not come out. Then in the morning, he said:

Ff) 8 Ley at eres if odes @ of ec SY SS Al & pee Ab epee gill Ci15 Sao “I saw what you did, and nothing prevented me from coming out to you except that I feared it would become an obligation upon

As for the number of Rak‘ahs, it is eleven Rak‘ahs according to what has been reported in the the Two Sahihs on the authority of ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her. She was asked how the prayer of the Prophet # was in Ramadan, and she said: “He did not pray more than eleven Rak‘ahs, neither in Ramadan, nor in

"1 Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Tahajjud, in the Chapter: The Encouragement of the Prophet #% to Offer the Night Prayer (1129); and by Muslim in the Book of the Travellers’ Prayers, in the Chapter: The Encouragement of Offering the Night Prayer in Ramadan (177).

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If one prayed thirteen Rak‘ahs, then there is no objection, according to the words of Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them: “The Prayer of the Prophet #¢ was thirteen Rak‘ahs. that is, the night prayer.”7!

Eleven Rak‘ahs is what has been confirmed from ‘Umar bin AlKhattab, may Allah be pleased with him, as reported in (Imam Malik’s) Al-Muwatta’ with a chain of narrators that is one of the most authentic of chains.!*!

If one prayed more than this, then there is no objection, according to the words of the Prophet #¢, when he was asked about the night prayer, he said:

He did not define a number. A number of different forms have been reported from the Salaf, and there is room for choosing in the matter. But it is preferable to restrict oneself to what has been reported from the Prophet #%, which is eleven Rak’ahs, or thirteen Rak‘ahs.

1 Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Tahajjud, in the Chapter: The Night Prayer of the Prophet # (1147); and by Muslim in the Book of the Travellers’ Prayers, in the Chapter: The Night Prayer (125).

'2) Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Tahajjud, in the Chapter: The Manner of the Prophet's Prayer, Hadith (1138); and it was reported by Muslim in the Book of the Travellers’ Prayers, in the Chapter: The Supplication in the Night Prayer, Hadith 194 (764).

'3) Reported by Imam Malik in the Book of Prayers, in the Chapter: What Has Been Said Regarding the Night Prayer in Ramadan 1:110 (280).

'] Reported by Al-Bukhari in the Book of Witr, in the Chapter: What Has Been Said Regarding Witr (990); and by Muslim in the Book of Prayer, in the Chapter: The Night Prayer Two by Two (145).

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It has not been authentically reported from the Prophet #% that he or any of the caliphs that they prayed twenty-three; rather what is confirmed from ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, is that he prayed eleven Rak‘ahs, since he ordered Ubayy bin Ka’b and Tamim Ad-Dari, may Allah be pleased with them, to stand for the people and pray eleven Rak‘ahs.!"!

This is what was deemed proper by such as ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that his way in this matter be that of the Messenger of Allah ¢.

We are unaware that any of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, prayed more than twenty-three Rak‘ahs; indeed it is clear that the opposite is the case. And we have already mentioned the saying of ‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her: “He did not pray more than eleven Rak‘ahs, neither in Ramadan, nor in any other month.”

As for the consensus of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, there is no doubt that it is an evidence, because among them are the righteous caliphs whom the Prophet 2 ordered us to follow, and because they are the best of generations from this (Muslim) nation.

You should know that the difference of opinion regarding the number of Rak‘ahs in Tarawih and the like is in a matter in which it is permissible to exercise Ijtihad. It is undesirable that it should be a cause of differing and schism between the people, especially since the Salaf differed in the matter. There is nothing in the matter to prevent the exercise of Ijtihad. How fine is the saying of one of the scholars, when a person differed with him in his Ijtihad in a matter in which it was permissible: By _ contradicting me, you have agreed with me, for both of us consider that it is obligatory to follow what one sees to be the

''l Reported by Malik in the Book of Prayer, in the Chapter on the Night Prayer in Ramadan (280).

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truth, since it is permissible to exercise Jjtihad. We ask Allah, the Most High that He grant us all success in attaining that which He loves and is pleasing to Him.

Q. 280. What is the ruling on making the supplication for completing the recitation of the Qur’an during the night prayer in the month of Ramadan?