Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Shafa prayer. I saw that mentioned along with Witr and Julus prayers. I understand Witr,but what is Shafa and Julus?

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Answer:

Shafa’a and Julus Prayers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Shafaa prayers are any prayers whose rakahs are in even numbers… (2,4,6,8, etc.)

Witr prayers are any prayers whose rakahs are in odd numbers… (1,3,5,7, etc.)

The two, four, six, or any even numbers of rakah one prays before the witr prayers, are known as the shafaa prayers.

Julus is basically the Arabic term for ‘sit’; but there is no specific prayers prayed or taught by the Prophet (saws) as the Julus prayers. It is the Sunnah of The Messenger of Allah (saws) that he would make his ‘witr’ prayers the last prayers of the night, and commanded the believers to do the same. One should always try to make the ‘witr’ prayers the last prayers of the night.

Samurah ibn Jundub says: "The Messenger of Allah ordered us to pray during the night, a little or a lot, and to make the last of the prayer the witr prayer." (This is related by at-Tabarani and al-Bazzar.)

At-Tirmidhi recorded : "It has been related from the Prophet (saws), that he would perform the witr prayer with thirteen, nine, seven, five, three rak'at or one rak'ah."

Abu Basra related that the Prophet (saws) said: 'Verily, Allah has added a prayer for you, and it is the witr prayer. Pray it between salatul 'isha and salatul fajr.'" (Recorded by Ahmad).

Hadrat Imam Ali ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.) narrated: "The witr prayer is not required like your obligatory prayers, but the Prophet (saws) would perform the witr prayer and say: 'O you people of the Qur'an, perform the witr prayer, for Allah is one and He loves the witr.'" (Related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, at-Tirmidhi and Al Hakim.)

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan