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:

Dear Brother Burhan,

Assalam Alaikum,

After offering witr at night is it alowed to offer nawafil at any time at night. Also is it allowed to offer t ahjud after offering witr.

Thanks.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Nafl and witr 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.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.112 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

The Prophet (saws) said, "Make Witr as your last prayer at night."

It is reported that Hadrat Ali (r.a.) said: "The witr prayer is not required like your obligatory prayers, but the Prophet (saws) would perform the witr prayer and say: 'O you people [followers] of the Qur'an, perform the witr prayer, for Allah is one and He loves the witr.'"

The witr prayer is one that the Prophet (saws) prayed regularly and which he encouraged others to perform. It is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he always used to make the ‘witr’ prayers, the last prayer of the night.

But if one has already prayed the ‘witr’ prayers, and then after that makes intention to pray additional ‘nafl’ or the ‘tahajjud’ night prayers, there is no harm in praying the optional ‘nafl’ and ‘tahajjud’ prayers after ‘witr’ has already been prayed. This ruling is applicable only in exceptional cases, and one should not make it a regular habit to pray the optional night prayers after witr.

In such cases, where one intends to offer optional ‘nafl’ or ‘tahajjud’ prayers after the witr has already been prayed, one should not pray the ‘witr’ prayer again.

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 and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan