What is the authenticity of the hadith: "If he misses his witr, he prays twelve rak'ahs," and what is its meaning?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : He used to pray twelve rak'ahs of the duha prayer if he slept through his witr or forgot it. He used to pray twelve rak'ahs of the duha if he slept... Does not this explain his saying...
The Shaykh : I do not think the hadith says "if he slept," but rather "if it was missed from him," yes, if it was missed from him, yes, he prays twelve rak'ahs during the day.
The questioner : ... after this ... .
The Shaykh : This is not regarding forgetting or sleeping.
The questioner : If his witr is missed, does he pray... an even number?
The Shaykh : He prays twelve rak'ahs without the witr.
The questioner : ... he slept through five.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He slept through five and woke up; does he pray them as five, or does he pray six? He slept through five and did not wake up until Fajr.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, I did not understand; the search I heard from you last was "it was missed from him," and now you say "he slept."
Another questioner: If his witr is five rak'ahs, does he pray them as six, or does he pray twelve rak'ahs?
The Shaykh : No, he prays twelve rak'ahs, because this is the ruling for what is missed; the ruling for one whose witr is missed is that he prays twelve rak'ahs. But it is not hidden from you that this is all in the chapter of the virtues of deeds; so if he does not do it, he bears no sin. Likewise, we say that if he prays less than twelve rak'ahs, he bears no sin, but the sunnah is this.
Another questioner: I mean, the difference between "it was missed from him" and "he slept through it"; "missed" implies intentionally... .
The Shaykh : As happened to him (peace and blessings be upon him) with the sunnah of the Zuhr prayer, which he was occupied from when the delegation of Banu Qais came to him, so he was occupied from them and he prayed them after 'Asr. So such a thing is excused regarding the sunnahs.
Another questioner: ...
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : ... an even number, or otherwise ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. The prayer is made up as it was missed, yes.
The Shaykh : I do not think the hadith says "if he slept," but rather "if it was missed from him," yes, if it was missed from him, yes, he prays twelve rak'ahs during the day.
The questioner : ... after this ... .
The Shaykh : This is not regarding forgetting or sleeping.
The questioner : If his witr is missed, does he pray... an even number?
The Shaykh : He prays twelve rak'ahs without the witr.
The questioner : ... he slept through five.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He slept through five and woke up; does he pray them as five, or does he pray six? He slept through five and did not wake up until Fajr.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, I did not understand; the search I heard from you last was "it was missed from him," and now you say "he slept."
Another questioner: If his witr is five rak'ahs, does he pray them as six, or does he pray twelve rak'ahs?
The Shaykh : No, he prays twelve rak'ahs, because this is the ruling for what is missed; the ruling for one whose witr is missed is that he prays twelve rak'ahs. But it is not hidden from you that this is all in the chapter of the virtues of deeds; so if he does not do it, he bears no sin. Likewise, we say that if he prays less than twelve rak'ahs, he bears no sin, but the sunnah is this.
Another questioner: I mean, the difference between "it was missed from him" and "he slept through it"; "missed" implies intentionally... .
The Shaykh : As happened to him (peace and blessings be upon him) with the sunnah of the Zuhr prayer, which he was occupied from when the delegation of Banu Qais came to him, so he was occupied from them and he prayed them after 'Asr. So such a thing is excused regarding the sunnahs.
Another questioner: ...
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : ... an even number, or otherwise ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. The prayer is made up as it was missed, yes.