Please advise me on the method of performing Nafl/Sunnah and Witr Prayers.
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:
Salaam.
Can
you please advise me on the method of performing Nafl/Sunnah and Witr Prayers.
From
my understanding, there are no differences, except I have to recite a Sura in
all rakats of a nafl/sunnah rather then just the first 2 rakats in a farz.
I have
been advised I need to recite specific verses in Witr prayers and would
appreciate your help in providing me with an english transcript.
Thanking
you in advance.
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errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
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Answer:
Sunnah and nafl 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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Before we address your specific questions, please allow us
to clarify the difference between Fard, Sunnah and Nafl prayers.
Fard prayers: These are
the five obligatory prayers at their appointed times of the day. If one prays them, he will earn a huge reward from Allah Subhanah; and if one does not pray them, there will be a severe accounting and
punishment.
Nafl prayers: These are
the voluntary or extra prayers. If one
prays them, he will earn a huge reward from Allah Subhanah; and if one does not pray them, there is no
sin.
Sunnah prayers:
These are the Nafl or voluntary prayers which were prayed by the
Messenger of Allah (saws), and thus they
become his (saw’s) Sunnah for us. If
one prays them, he will earn a huge
reward from Allah Subhanah; and if one
does not pray them, there is no
sin. The most that can be said of one
who does not pray the Sunnah prayers is that he lost a great opportunity to
earn huge rewards from Allah Subhanah.
Your Question: Can
you please advise me on the method of performing Nafl/Sunnah and Witr Prayers.
Ref: Sunnah and Nafl prayers.
Although it is permissible for one to offer their ‘nafl’
prayers in a combination of more than two-rakahs, the Messenger of Allah (saws)
himself, more often than not, offered all his extra or voluntary ‘nafl’ prayers
in a two-rakah combination.
Ref: Witr Prayers
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.'"
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.112 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar
The Prophet (saws) said, "Make Witr as your last prayer at night."
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.13
It is permissible to perform the witr prayers
by praying two rak'at combinations[and concluding each of them with a tashahud
and the tasleems] and then praying one rak'ah with a tashahud and taslim. Likewise, it is allowed to pray all the
rak'at with two tashahuds and one taslim. One may pray an even number of
rak'ats, one after another, without making any tashahud, save in the one before
the last rak'ah in which case one makes the tashahud and then stands to perform
the last rak'ah wherein one will make another tashahud and end the prayer with
the taslim. One may also make only one tashahud and the taslim, in the last
rak'ah of witr. All of that is
permissible and can be traced to the Prophet (saws).
Al-Bukhari and Muslim quote 'Aishah saying
that the Prophet (saws) would perform thirteen rak'at during the night and
would make the witr prayer, and he would not 'sit' except in the last rak'ah of
them. In another hadith, 'Aishah reports
that the Prophet (saws) would perform nine rak'at during the night and that he
would not sit during them until the eighth rak'ah in which he would make
remembrance of Allah, praising Him, and would make supplication. Then, he would
stand without making the taslim and pray the ninth rak'ah, after which he would
sit, make the tashahud and make the taslim in such a manner that we could hear
him.
The Prophet (saws) said: 'The night prayer is
sets of two rak'at. If one fears the
coming of the dawn, he should perform one rak'ah, thereby making all of them
odd [witr].'
Since the number of rakahs of the voluntary night prayers
are not specified, one may pray as many rakahs as is easy for them, either in a
two rakah combination with a tashahud and tasleem for each, or all of them
together with only a tashahud at the end of the prayer with no tasleem; then
end these voluntary night prayers with one rakah of witr with a tashahud and
tasleems thus making all of them ‘witr’ or an odd number. The Messenger of Allah (saws) prayed the
night voluntary prayers in both ways, thus if one follows any one of the ways
they would be in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).
Your Question: From
my understanding, there are no differences, except I have to recite a Sura in
all rakats of a nafl/sunnah rather then just the first 2 rakats in a farz.
Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 1.723 Narrated by Ubada bin As Samit
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Whoever
does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."
To recite the Surah Al-Fatihah in every rakah of every
prayer is an absolutely obligatory condition of prayer. If one does not recite
the Surah Fatihah in any rakah, that prayer would be invalid and one would have
to repeat that prayer again.
It is the preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah
(saws) to recite a few verses of the Quran after the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah
in every rakah of his ‘nafl’ prayers, and the first two rakahs of his ‘fard’ or
obligatory prayers; but the recitation of a few verses of the Quran after the
recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah is not a compulsory or obligatory condition of
prayer. If one, for any reason, forgets
to recite other verses of the Glorious Quran after the recitation of the Surah
Al-Fatihah, his prayer will still be regarded as valid in the Sight of Shariah
and of Allah Subhanah.
Your Question: I
have been advised I need to recite specific verses in Witr prayers and would
appreciate your help in providing me with an english transcript.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.15
Topic: Recitation in the witr prayer
It is permissible to recite after al-Fatihah
any Surah which one wishes to recite. Hadrat Ali ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.) said:
"There is not a part of the Qur'an that is obsolete, so make the witr
prayer of whatever you wish from it." However, it is preferred, after the recitation
of Surah Al-Fatihah, to recite the 87th Surah Al-Ala in the first of the three rakahs, Surah 109
Al-Kaaferoon in the second, and the 112th Surah Al-Ikhlaas, 113th
Surah Al-Falaq, and the 114th Surah An-Naas in the last rakah of
witr prayers.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1418 Narrated by Ubayy ibn Ka'b
The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to observe
witr by (reciting) Surah 87 Al-Ala in the first, Surah 109 Al-Kaaferoon in the second, and the
112th Surah Al-Ikhlaas in the last.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1419 Narrated by Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin
AbdulAziz ibn Jurayj said: ‘I asked Aisha, ‘O
mother of the believers: With which (Surah) the Messenger of Allah (saws) used
to observe witr?’ She said: ‘(after the
recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah in each rakah), the Messenger of Allah (saws)
would recite Surah 87 Al-Ala in the first, Surah 109 Al-Kaaferoon in the
second, and the 112th Surah Al-Ikhlaas, 113th Surah
Al-Falaq, and the 114th Surah An-Naas in the last.
The practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was that
just before the one-rakah of ‘witr’ prayer, he (saws) would offer a two-rakah
prayer of ‘shafa’ prayers. In the first
rakah of the ‘shafa’ prayers, he (saws) would, after the recitation of Surah
Al-Fatihah, recite the 87th Surah Al-Ala, and the 109th
Surah Al-Kaaferoon in the second rakah.
Then in the final one-rakah of ‘witr’ prayer, the Messenger of Allah
(saws) would, after the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah, either recite only the
112th Surah Al-Ikhlaas, or at times would recite the last three
Surahs of the Quran one after another (112th Al-Ikhlaas, 113th
Al-Falaq and the 114th An-Naas).
But because the recitation of some verses of the Quran
after the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah are not an obligatory condition of
prayer, the absolute majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the
opinion that although it is best to follow the example of the Messenger of
Allah (saws), if for any reason, one wishes to recites verses or Surahs other
then the ones listed above, there is absolutely no harm.
It is considered a ‘mustahab’ or preferred Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah (saws) to recite the ‘qunoot’ supplications in one’s witr
prayers throughout the year.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.15a
Topic: Al-Qunut in the Witr
It is part of Sunnah to supplicate with ‘qunut’
in the witr prayer during the entire year. Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, Abu
Dawud and Ibn Majah record that al-Hassan ibn Ali (r.a.) said: "The
Messenger of Allah taught me the [following] words to say in (qunut in) the
witr prayer: 'O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided. Grant me safety
among those whom You have granted safety. Take me into Your charge among those
whom You have taken into Your charge. Bless me in what You have given me.
Protect me from the evil that You have Decreed, for You Decree and nothing is
decreed for You. And there is no humiliation for whom You take as a ward.
Blessed and Exalted are You, our Lord. ' "
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister