The Ruling on Qunut in Witr and Its Manner
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Our honorable Shaykh! Does the qunut in the witr prayer have a specific supplication, or may the one praying choose whatever supplications he wishes?
First: It is not from the Sunnah for a person to persist in the qunut in the witr prayer; because all those who described the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer in his tahajjud do not mention it, but he (peace and blessings be upon him) taught it to al-Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib in his saying: (O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided) And it is better in every place where there is a narrated supplication to begin with the narrated supplication before anything else, then to supplicate with whatever he wishes. But if he is an imam, he should not prolong it for the people. I have been informed that some people in the qunut remain for half an hour or more, and this is an error, because this bores the people and tires the people. And if we assume it is suitable for 10%, it is not suitable for 90%, and many are those who complain about their imams’ lengthening of the qunut.Therefore we say to the imam: Shorten it as much as you can.And a little supplication after which the people leave while saying: It would be better if it were increased, [but] a little supplication after which the people leave while saying: He prolonged it for us, he cut our necks, he tired our legs, and the like of that.
The questioner: And the one praying alone, O Shaykh?The Shaykh: The one praying alone supplicates with whatever he wishes.
First: It is not from the Sunnah for a person to persist in the qunut in the witr prayer; because all those who described the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) prayer in his tahajjud do not mention it, but he (peace and blessings be upon him) taught it to al-Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib in his saying: (O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided) And it is better in every place where there is a narrated supplication to begin with the narrated supplication before anything else, then to supplicate with whatever he wishes. But if he is an imam, he should not prolong it for the people. I have been informed that some people in the qunut remain for half an hour or more, and this is an error, because this bores the people and tires the people. And if we assume it is suitable for 10%, it is not suitable for 90%, and many are those who complain about their imams’ lengthening of the qunut.Therefore we say to the imam: Shorten it as much as you can.And a little supplication after which the people leave while saying: It would be better if it were increased, [but] a little supplication after which the people leave while saying: He prolonged it for us, he cut our necks, he tired our legs, and the like of that.
The questioner: And the one praying alone, O Shaykh?The Shaykh: The one praying alone supplicates with whatever he wishes.