The Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer after the witr
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In the book *Zad al-Ma'ad* by Ibn al-Qayyim, the Shaykh Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in the course of his discussion on the night prayer that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray two rak'ahs after the witr while sitting. Is this part of the Sunnah that was reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? And what is the manner of the witr prayer?
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes used to pray two rak'ahs after the witr while sitting, so the scholars differed regarding the derivation of this,How can he say: (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) and then pray two rak'ahs after the witr while sitting?! So some of the scholars said: We follow the saying of the Messenger, as for his action, it is specific to him; because if we face Allah the Exalted and Majestic on the Day of Resurrection and say: We pray two rak'ahs after the witr because your Prophet prayed them,Allah the Exalted and Majestic will say: Did not my Prophet say to you: (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) ?! And did He say: Pray two rak'ahs after the witr while you are sitting?So: So follow the saying,And on this assessment, there is no problem if they say: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed these two rak'ahs, and we do not know whether they are a legislation for the Ummah, or whether they are among his specific characteristics (peace and blessings be upon him).
And some scholars said: These two rak'ahs do not contradict the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) because these two rak'ahs are in the position of the rawatib for the obligatory prayer, so they are lower in rank than the witr, for this reason he prays them while sitting, not standing, so they are to the witr what the rawatib are to the obligatory prayer.
And on this basis, there is no contradiction in the hadith with his saying: (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) .
And this is the position adopted by Ibn al-Qayyim and a group of the scholars of knowledge.
The questioner: O Shaykh! And do we act upon this Sunnah?The Shaykh: Act upon it sometimes.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes used to pray two rak'ahs after the witr while sitting, so the scholars differed regarding the derivation of this,How can he say: (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) and then pray two rak'ahs after the witr while sitting?! So some of the scholars said: We follow the saying of the Messenger, as for his action, it is specific to him; because if we face Allah the Exalted and Majestic on the Day of Resurrection and say: We pray two rak'ahs after the witr because your Prophet prayed them,Allah the Exalted and Majestic will say: Did not my Prophet say to you: (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) ?! And did He say: Pray two rak'ahs after the witr while you are sitting?So: So follow the saying,And on this assessment, there is no problem if they say: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed these two rak'ahs, and we do not know whether they are a legislation for the Ummah, or whether they are among his specific characteristics (peace and blessings be upon him).
And some scholars said: These two rak'ahs do not contradict the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) because these two rak'ahs are in the position of the rawatib for the obligatory prayer, so they are lower in rank than the witr, for this reason he prays them while sitting, not standing, so they are to the witr what the rawatib are to the obligatory prayer.
And on this basis, there is no contradiction in the hadith with his saying: (Make the last of your prayer at night the witr) .
And this is the position adopted by Ibn al-Qayyim and a group of the scholars of knowledge.
The questioner: O Shaykh! And do we act upon this Sunnah?The Shaykh: Act upon it sometimes.