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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Also, please inform me how to properly pray Shafa, Witr, Juloos (sp?) and Tahajud (sp?) salaats. Regards

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Answer:

How to pray shafa witr juloos?

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.)

Ref: Tahajjud Prayers

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 79: And offer Tahajjud prayers at night; this is an additional prayer for you. That time is not far when your Lord may exalt you to a laudable position.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.26

It is preferable to pray eleven or thirteen rak'at for tahajjud

One may choose between praying them all together or to separate them. 'Aishah says: "The Messenger of Allah (saws) never prayed more than eleven rak'at, during Ramadan or otherwise. He (saws) would pray four rak'at, and don't ask about how excellent they were or how lengthy they were. Then, he (saws) would pray four rak'at, and don't ask about how excellent they were or how lengthy they were. Then, he (saws) would pray three rak'at. I asked: 'O Messenger of Allah (saws), do you sleep before praying witr?' He (saws) replied: 'O 'Aishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep."' This is recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim who also record that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said that he heard 'Aishah say: "The Messenger of Allah's (saws) prayer during the night would be ten rak'at and then he would make witr with one rak'ah."

The number of rakah for Tahajjud have not been fixed. There is an authentic narration that the Messenger of Allah (saws) used to pray 11 rakahs including witr, and there is also another narration that states that he (saws) prayed 13 rakahs including witr.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to pray the Tahajjud in the last third part of the night, and he would perform it in a two or four rakah combination and advised the believers to do the same. There is no minimum set, thus the minimum if one wants to pray the voluntary night prayers would be two rakahs. And there is no maximum set, thus one can pray any number of rakahs in a two or four rakah combination and end it with the witr prayers. The Tahajjud or night prayers are voluntary and the more one prays, the more reward he/she will earn from Allah Subhanah.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.25

Best time for tahajjud

It is best to delay this prayer to the last third portion of the night. Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: 'Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?"' (Related by Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Abu Dawood)

Amr ibn Abasah reports that he heard the Prophet (saws) say: "The closest that a slave comes to his Lord is during the middle of the latter portion of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah, the Exalted One, at that time then do so." (Related by al-Hakim, at-Tirmidhi, AnNasa'i and Ibn Khuzaimah)

Abu Muslim asked Abu Dharr: "Which late-night prayer is the best?" He said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (saws) the same that you asked me and he (saws) said, 'The (one done during) middle of the latter half of the night, and very few do it.'" (Related by Ahmad)

Abdullah ibn 'Amr reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "The most beloved fast to Allah is the fast of David. And the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of David. He would sleep half of the night and then pray during the next third of the night and then sleep during the last sixth of the night. And he would fast one day and not fast the next." (Related by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawood)

The number of rak'at to be performed during tahajjud: The tahajjud prayer does not entail a specific number of rak'at which must be performed nor is there any maximum limit which has to be performed. It would be fulfilled even if one just prayed one rak'ah of witr after the obligatory night prayer.

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

Anas relates that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Prayer in my mosque (Medina) is equal to ten thousand prayers [elsewhere]. And prayer in the Inviolable Mosque (in Makkah) is equivalent to one hundred thousand prayers [elsewhere]. And prayer in the battlefield is equivalent to one million prayers [elsewhere]. And what is more than all of that is two rak'at by a slave [of Allah] during the middle of the night (tahajjud)." (Related by Abu ash-Shaikh, Ibn Hibban)

Iyas al-Mazni reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "The night prayer should certainly be performed even if it is for the length of time that it takes one to milk a sheep. And whatever is after the obligatory 'isha is of the tahajjud." (Related by at-Tabarani)

Ibn 'Abbas relates: "I mentioned the tahajjud prayer and some of the people said that the Prophet (saws) said: 'It may be half of the night, a third of the night, a fourth of the night or a fraction of the time for milking a camel or a sheep.""

Ibn 'Abbas also narrates that the Prophet (saws) ordered them and encouraged them to make the tahajjud prayer to the extent that he (saws) said: "You should perform salatul layil (night prayers) even if it is just one rak'ah." (Related by atTabarani)

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