Witr

{{Short description|Muslim nighttime prayer}} {{About|the Muslim prayer|the radio station|WITR}} {{Multiple issues| {{more citations needed|date=April 2015}} {{religious text primary|date=April 2015}} }} {{Infobox holiday |holiday_name = Witr prayer |type = Islam |image = |caption = |official_name = صلاة الوتر |nickname = Imparity prayer |observedby = Muslims |longtype = Islamic |significance = An Islamic prayer offered to God after Isha prayer. |begins = Chafa'a prayer |ends = Fajr nafl prayer |frequency = Daily |observances = Sunnah prayers, Salah times |relatedto = Salah, Nafl prayer, Five Pillars of Islam, Islamic prayers }} {{Islam}} '''Witr''' ({{langx|ar|وتر}}) is an Islamic prayer (''salat'') that is performed at night after ''Isha'' (night-time prayer) or before ''fajr'' (dawn prayer). Witr has an odd number of ''raka'at'' prayed in pairs, with the final raka'ah prayed separately.{{Citation needed|date=October 2014}}

According to Abdullah ibn Umar, Muhammad: "The night prayer is offered as two raka'at followed by two raka'at and so on and if anyone is afraid of the approaching dawn (fajr prayer), he should pray one raka'ah and this will be a witr for all the raka'at which he has prayed before."<ref>''The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih al-Bukhari'' (Muhammad Muhsin Khan's translation of ''Sahih al-Bukhari''): Hadith 539, pg. 282</ref>

In a ''hadith'' transmitted by Abu Darda, he states that Muhammad told him to do three things: to fast three days every month, to offer the witr salat before sleep, and to offer two raka'at sunnah for fajr.<ref>The hadith about this: "Narrated 'Aisha: Allah's Apostle offered Witr prayer at different nights at various hours extending (from the 'Isha' prayer) up to the last hour of the night." (''Sahih Bukhari'', Volume 2, Book 16, Number 110).</ref>

There is a ''hadith'' that says that the best time for the witr salat is at night, and that those who fear that they will not be able to awake, or may die in their sleep, should perform the prayer before sleeping.<ref>The hadith about this: "Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar: The Prophet (Sallah Allah Alahoui wa salam) said, "Make witr as your last prayer at night." (''Sahih Bukhari'', Volume 2 Book 16 112). Also: "Narrated 'Aisha(radia'Allah wa anha): The Prophet used to offer his night prayer while I was sleeping across in his bed. Whenever he intended to offer the Witr prayer, he used to wake me up and I would offer the Witr prayer too." (''Sahih Bukhari'', Volume 2, Book 16, Number 111).</ref>

Ali ibn Abi Talib said, "The witr prayer is not required like your obligatory prayers but the Prophet would perform the witr prayer and say, 'O you people of the Quran, perform the witr prayer, for Allah is One and He loves the witr.'"(this is rated as daif (Weak)) <ref>{{cite web |title=Sunan at-Tirmidhi 453 (Jami-al-Tirmidhi)|url=https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:453 |access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref>

== Du'ā' Salātu 'l-Witr == Narrated by Al-Hasan ibn Ali (who is the grandson of Muhammad) he said he was taught by Muhammad to say the ''qunūt du‘ā’'' in Arabic as follows:

'''<big>اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَّالَيْتَ وَلاَ يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ</big>'''

''Allahumma ’hdi-niy fiyman hadayt, wa-‘āfi-niy fiyman ‘āfayt, wa-tawalla-niy fiyman tawallayt, wa-bārik liy fiy-mā ’a‘ṭayt, wa-qiniy sharra mā qaḍayt, inna-ka taqḍiy wa-lā yuqḍā ‘alayk, wa-inna-hu lā yaḏillu maw wālayt, wa-lā ya‘izzu man ‘ādayt, tabārakta Rabba-nā wa-ta‘ālayt''.

“O Allah guide me among those You have guided, pardon me among those You have pardoned, befriend me among those You have befriended, bless me in what You have granted, and save me from the evil that You have decreed. Indeed You decree, and none can pass decree upon You, and indeed he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, and indeed he is not exalted whom You have taken as your enemy. Blessed are You our Lord and Exalted.”

Followers of the Hanafi school of thought commonly recite a second version of supplication of Witr prayer (Arabic:دعاء صلاة الوتر ''du‘ā’ ṣalātu ’l-Witr'') as follows, which is said in the last raka‘at of ''witr'' (since one raka'at follows the Sunnah, in this case performing in odd numbers - 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 raka'ats)'','' first by saying ''takbir'' with hands up, then saying the following verses while standing after the last ''ruku‘'' and before Prostration:

<big>'''اَللَّهُمَّ إنا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ ,وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ, وَنُثْنِئْ عَلَيْكَ الخَيْرَ. وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَّفْجُرُكَ. اَللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ, وَلَكَ نُصَلِّئ وَنَسْجُدُ, وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعأئ وَنَحْفِدُ, وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشآئ عَذَابَكَ, إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ'''</big>

''Allahumma in-nā nasta‘iynu-ka wa-nastaghfiru-ka wa-nu’minu bi-ka, wa-natawaku ‘alay-ka, wa-nuth-nī ‘alay-ka ’l-khayr(a). Wa-nashkuru-ka wa-lā nakfuru-ka wa-nakhla‘u wa-natru-ku may yafjuru-k(a). Allahumma iyya-ka na‘abudu, wa-laka nuṣallī wa-nasjudu, wa-ilay-ka nas‘ā wa-naḥfidu, wa-narjū raḥmataka wa nakhshā ‘azaba-k(a), in-nā ‘azaba-ka bi’l-kuffāri mulḥiq.''

"O Allah! We invoke you for help, and beg for forgiveness, and we believe in you and have trust in you and we praise you, in the best way we can; and we thank you and we are not ungrateful to you, and we forsake and turn away from the one who disobeys you. O Allah! We worship you and prostrate ourselves before you, and we hasten towards you and serve you, and we hope to receive your mercy and we dread your torment. Surely, the disbelievers shall incur your torment."

Ibn ‘Uqayl al-Hanbali narrated that duas narrated from Muhammad should be what is recited as regular word, and anything added to it is by way of a concession. He said: What is ''mustahabb'' in our view is that which was <u>narrated by al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali from the Prophet</u> (SWS): “''Allahumma ihdini''…” – the well-known ''hadīth''.

He said: "If one adds to that the words narrated from ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), “''Allahumma in-nā nasta‘iynu-ka''… (O Allah, we seek Your help)…”, there is nothing wrong with that. End quote."

This was quoted by Ibn Muflih in his comment on al-Muharrar, 1/89

In some cases, the one who prays can perform the ''du‘ā’ ṣalātu ’l-Witr'', it is permissible to make the ''qunūt'' before going into ''ruku‘'' (bowing), or it may be recited when one stands up straight after the ''ruku‘''.

''"Humaid says: "I asked Anas: 'Is the qunut before or after the ruku?' he said: 'We would do it before or after."''

This hadith was related by Ibn Majah and Muhammad ibn Nasr. In Fath al-Bari, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani comments that its chain is faultless.

==Name variations== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Region/country !! Language !! Main |- | Arab World || Arabic || صلاة الوتر (Ṣalāh al-Witr) |- | Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan || Persian || نماز وتر (Namaz e veter) |- | Pakistan, India || Urdu, Hindi|| وتر, वित्र (Vitr, vitar) |- | Turkey || Turkish || Vitir namazı |- | Azerbaijan || Azerbaijani || Vitr namazı |- | Uzbekistan || Uzbek || Vitr namozi |- | Albania, Kosovo || Albanian || Namazi i vitri, vitrit |- | Balkans ||Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian|| Vitr-namaz |- | Bangladesh, India || Bengali || বিতির (Bitir), বিতর (Bitor) |- | Somalia || Somali || Salaada witir |- | Southeast Asia || Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, Basa Jawa || Salat witir, solat witir |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== *[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/016.sbt.html Translation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205065221/http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/016.sbt.html |date=2004-12-05 }} of ''Sahih Bukhari'', Book 16: Witr Prayer Hadith no 111, 112 *[http://www.renaissance.com.pk/octq993.html The Witr prayer]

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Category:Salah Category:Salah terminology Category:Night in culture