I heard that the witr prayer is a single rak'ah, so I hope you will clarify how I should pray the witr if I get up at night to pray?
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Question:
I used to pray 'Isha', then the two rak'ahs of the shafa', and at night I would pray whatever Allah wills, two rak'ahs at a time, then I would conclude with the witr of three rak'ahs, praying them as two rak'ahs then one rak'ah. But I heard that the witr prayer is one rak'ah, so I started praying 'Isha', then intending to pray two rak'ahs as a voluntary night prayer. At night I get up to pray, then I conclude with the two rak'ahs of the shafa', then the one rak'ah of the witr. I hope you will clarify which is correct? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. As for the two rak'ahs after the 'Isha' prayer, they are the rawatib of 'Isha'; because its rawatib are after it, they are among the regular voluntary prayers (sunnah rawatib) attached to the obligatory prayers.
As for the night prayer, if she does not trust that she will get up in the last part of the night, she should pray it before sleeping, praying whatever is easy for her, then concluding it with the witr, because she prays two rak'ahs as the shafa', then comes with the one rak'ah of the witr, which is the third. If she trusts that she will get up in the last part of the night, she should postpone the prayer to the last part of the night, because this is better and it is the time of the Divine Descent, and so that she may be among those who seek forgiveness in the last hours of the night. She gets up in the last part of the night and prays whatever is easy for her, then prays the two rak'ahs of the shafa', then comes with the one rak'ah of the witr after them, and that becomes the conclusion of her prayer in the last part of the night. Both actions are permissible and have merit, and by them one attains standing in night prayer, but the second action, which is in the last part of the night, is better. Yes.
I used to pray 'Isha', then the two rak'ahs of the shafa', and at night I would pray whatever Allah wills, two rak'ahs at a time, then I would conclude with the witr of three rak'ahs, praying them as two rak'ahs then one rak'ah. But I heard that the witr prayer is one rak'ah, so I started praying 'Isha', then intending to pray two rak'ahs as a voluntary night prayer. At night I get up to pray, then I conclude with the two rak'ahs of the shafa', then the one rak'ah of the witr. I hope you will clarify which is correct? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. As for the two rak'ahs after the 'Isha' prayer, they are the rawatib of 'Isha'; because its rawatib are after it, they are among the regular voluntary prayers (sunnah rawatib) attached to the obligatory prayers.
As for the night prayer, if she does not trust that she will get up in the last part of the night, she should pray it before sleeping, praying whatever is easy for her, then concluding it with the witr, because she prays two rak'ahs as the shafa', then comes with the one rak'ah of the witr, which is the third. If she trusts that she will get up in the last part of the night, she should postpone the prayer to the last part of the night, because this is better and it is the time of the Divine Descent, and so that she may be among those who seek forgiveness in the last hours of the night. She gets up in the last part of the night and prays whatever is easy for her, then prays the two rak'ahs of the shafa', then comes with the one rak'ah of the witr after them, and that becomes the conclusion of her prayer in the last part of the night. Both actions are permissible and have merit, and by them one attains standing in night prayer, but the second action, which is in the last part of the night, is better. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، سمعت أن صلاة الوتر ركعة واحدة فأرجو التوضيح كيف أصلي الوتر إذا قمت من الليل أصلي؟ الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.