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Assalam alay kum wa rahmattullahi wa barkataho,

vitar sala which is the Afzal 5 rakat, 3 rakat, or 1 rakat, & If 3 rakat so in how many salam 1 or 2 ?????????

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Answer:

How to pray witr

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.

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 him, 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 he would be in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Basically the wisdom or concept is to conclude the day prayers with ‘witr’ or an odd number of rakahs which is fulfilled by the three rakahs of the obligatory Magrib prayers, and the end the night prayers with ‘witr’ or an odd number of rakahs.

Your Question: vitar sala which is the Afzal 5 rakat, 3 rakat, or 1 rakat, & If 3 rakat so in how many salam 1 or 2 ?????????

One is permitted to pray any number of rakahs in one’s night supererogatory prayers, and when one wishes to complete one’s night prayers, one should offer a one-rakah prayer, thus making all the prayers of the night as ‘witr’ or an odd number.

Praying only 1-rakah of ‘witr’ alone without any ‘nafl’ prayers before is not the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws); thus one is recommended to offer at least a minimum of two-rakah ‘nafl’ prayer, and then the one-rakah of ‘witr’; thus making all the three rakahs as ‘witr’ or odd numbered.

Thus because five-rakahs is more than three-rakahs, obviously the five-rakah prayer would be superior to the three-rakah prayer.

If one wishes to offer only 2+1 rakah as their last prayers of the night, one may offer all the three-rakahs together with only one set of tasleems, or offer a set of tasleems after the first two-rakahs, and another after the one-rakah prayer. There is evidence in the Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah (saws) performed the night prayers in both ways, and either way the believers choose would be in accordance with the Sunnah Insha Allah.

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