The Ruling on Abandoning the Witr Prayer and Making It Up

Question:
The questioner asks: Is the one who abandons the witr prayer considered a sinner, even if he did so out of forgetfulness?

Answer:
He is not considered a sinner, but he is considered negligent, and there is a deficiency in this on his part. However, if he is overcome by sleep and does not get up for the witr, he can make it up during the day and pair it. If he usually prays witr with three rak'ahs, he should pray four rak'ahs with two taslims. If he usually prays five, he should make it six with three taslims, and so on. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), if he missed the witr of the night, would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. He used to pray witr with eleven, so he would make it twelve rak'ahs in the make-up, with every two rak'ahs having a taslim. But if you do not trust that you will get up in the last part of the night, pray witr before you sleep. Pray witr before you sleep, and then if you wake up and Allah makes it easy for you to get up, get up and pray whatever is easy for you of the night prayer, and be content with the first witr. Do not repeat the witr in the beginning of the night and in the end of it. The first witr is sufficient, and you pray whatever is easy for you in the last part of the night. Yes.