Witr Prayer

Definition

Witr (وتر) is a prayer performed after Isha, consisting of an odd number of rak'ahs. The word witr means 'odd' in Arabic. The Prophet said: 'Allah is Witr (One) and He loves the witr, so pray the witr, O people of the Quran' (Sunan Abu Dawud 1416).

Ruling

The Hanafi school considers witr to be wajib (obligatory), while the Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools consider it a confirmed sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah). All agree it is one of the most important voluntary prayers. The Prophet never abandoned it, even while traveling.

How to Pray

Witr can be prayed as one, three, five, seven, nine, or eleven rak'ahs. The minimum is one rak'ah. The most common practices are: Three rak'ahs: Either with two salams (two rak'ahs then one) or with one salam (three continuous, sitting only at the end). The Hanafi school prefers three continuous rak'ahs with a sitting only at the end, while others prefer two plus one. One rak'ah: After praying the night prayer in sets of two. The Qunut: A special supplication made in the witr, either before or after the ruku in the last rak'ah. The Hanafi school recites qunut regularly; others primarily recite it during the second half of Ramadan (qunut al-nazilah is separate and can be recited anytime during calamities).

Timing

Witr is prayed anytime between Isha and Fajr. The Prophet said: 'Make witr the last of your night prayer' (Sahih al-Bukhari 998). Those who expect to wake for tahajjud should delay witr; those who do not should pray it before sleeping.