What is the time limit for the witr prayer, its beginning and end?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : The question—may Allah reward you—contains some ambiguity. Who is it that says the time for witr extends until after the dawn?
The questioner : This question... I intended, for example, to pray witr, then the adhan for Fajr was called while I was in the fourth rak'ah. I said it is permissible for you to complete it as an even number, and likewise if one forgets, let him pray it when he remembers. So... did he pray twelve rak'ahs?
The Shaykh : Yes, but the scenario you are asking about now is that he started the witr prayer before the dawn.
The questioner : Before the dawn.
The Shaykh : Okay; so if the obligatory prayer was started before the setting of the sun, and he caught one rak'ah of the obligatory prayer, why does he not complete it here?
The questioner : Because...
The Shaykh : There is no need to repeat it. We say, why does he not complete it?
The questioner : The prayer ended, meaning...
The Shaykh : How did the prayer end!
The questioner : I prayed witr with six...
The Shaykh : And the witr prayer did not end—may Allah reward you. He prayed even numbers, even numbers. Turn the issue around now: he intended to pray seven consecutive rak'ahs. Is that permissible for him or not?
The questioner : There is no reason. If it were permissible, it would be permissible.
The Shaykh : Yes, that's it; the adhan for Fajr was called while he was, for example, in the third or fourth rak'ah. Does he complete it or not?
The questioner : That was my question.
The Shaykh : No problem—may Allah reward you. Give and take with me. Does he complete it or not?
The questioner : If it was seven, either he stops and prays witr.
The Shaykh : Does he complete it or not? He intended seven consecutive rak'ahs, and in the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth—picture whatever scenario you like—does he complete it so that he prays witr with the last rak'ah, or not, because the dawn appeared?
The questioner : This hadith is sufficient for witr, meaning, for example, he prayed three...
The Shaykh : Why not?
The questioner : Because he went... one.
The Shaykh : It is not that the 'Asr prayer is more important than the witr prayer. If he catches one rak'ah of the 'Asr prayer, he has caught the 'Asr. So witr is not just one rak'ah. The entire night prayer is witr, but he prays even numbers, four by four, as is known in the Sunnah. But this does not become witr except with the last rak'ah. So if this last rak'ah occurs after the appearance of the dawn, this is the completion of the night prayer.
The questioner : ...seven or three, because if I pray, I would pray three, four.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : I found that the Fajr adhan was called; so we settle for one.
The Shaykh : —And upon you be peace and Allah's mercy and blessings—this does not help us—may Allah reward you. Because we will picture the scenario with the fewest rak'ahs. In the second rak'ah, the adhan for Fajr was called. What does he do? The dawn appeared.
The questioner : The dawn appeared?
The Shaykh : Ah; what is the difference then between three, or five, or seven, or eleven? So this rak'ah that you said is the last one, he prays one rak'ah, why? It is to make the even number odd. So he intended seven, and he had one rak'ah remaining. The dawn appeared, so he must complete it. This is even more so if the obligatory prayer was caught with one rak'ah; the three rak'ahs are considered part of the completion of this prayer. So if the voluntary prayer—and it is the standing in night prayer, as is clear to everyone—had one rak'ah remaining, or two rak'ahs remaining, the point is that this is the completion of the night prayer. And the night prayer must, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:, so this rak'ah must be performed for the completion.
The questioner : .. .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : .. .
The Shaykh: Whoever it is.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The one who intended, and there is no difference then between adding one rak'ah after the dawn, or adding three, or adding five.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Does he pray what?
The questioner : Witr or even?
The Shaykh : Not odd.
The questioner : If he slept through the witr...
The Shaykh : No, he did not sleep. We mentioned this that night. If it was missed from him, in any case—may Allah reward you all—we must remember on this occasion: whoever sleeps through his witr or forgets it, let him pray the witr.
The questioner : Does he pray the witr?
The Shaykh : Oh?
The questioner : He prays his witr.
The Shaykh : That is it. Is it the witr or the even? The talk is about the witr, exactly like the obligatory prayer.
The questioner : This question... I intended, for example, to pray witr, then the adhan for Fajr was called while I was in the fourth rak'ah. I said it is permissible for you to complete it as an even number, and likewise if one forgets, let him pray it when he remembers. So... did he pray twelve rak'ahs?
The Shaykh : Yes, but the scenario you are asking about now is that he started the witr prayer before the dawn.
The questioner : Before the dawn.
The Shaykh : Okay; so if the obligatory prayer was started before the setting of the sun, and he caught one rak'ah of the obligatory prayer, why does he not complete it here?
The questioner : Because...
The Shaykh : There is no need to repeat it. We say, why does he not complete it?
The questioner : The prayer ended, meaning...
The Shaykh : How did the prayer end!
The questioner : I prayed witr with six...
The Shaykh : And the witr prayer did not end—may Allah reward you. He prayed even numbers, even numbers. Turn the issue around now: he intended to pray seven consecutive rak'ahs. Is that permissible for him or not?
The questioner : There is no reason. If it were permissible, it would be permissible.
The Shaykh : Yes, that's it; the adhan for Fajr was called while he was, for example, in the third or fourth rak'ah. Does he complete it or not?
The questioner : That was my question.
The Shaykh : No problem—may Allah reward you. Give and take with me. Does he complete it or not?
The questioner : If it was seven, either he stops and prays witr.
The Shaykh : Does he complete it or not? He intended seven consecutive rak'ahs, and in the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth—picture whatever scenario you like—does he complete it so that he prays witr with the last rak'ah, or not, because the dawn appeared?
The questioner : This hadith is sufficient for witr, meaning, for example, he prayed three...
The Shaykh : Why not?
The questioner : Because he went... one.
The Shaykh : It is not that the 'Asr prayer is more important than the witr prayer. If he catches one rak'ah of the 'Asr prayer, he has caught the 'Asr. So witr is not just one rak'ah. The entire night prayer is witr, but he prays even numbers, four by four, as is known in the Sunnah. But this does not become witr except with the last rak'ah. So if this last rak'ah occurs after the appearance of the dawn, this is the completion of the night prayer.
The questioner : ...seven or three, because if I pray, I would pray three, four.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : I found that the Fajr adhan was called; so we settle for one.
The Shaykh : —And upon you be peace and Allah's mercy and blessings—this does not help us—may Allah reward you. Because we will picture the scenario with the fewest rak'ahs. In the second rak'ah, the adhan for Fajr was called. What does he do? The dawn appeared.
The questioner : The dawn appeared?
The Shaykh : Ah; what is the difference then between three, or five, or seven, or eleven? So this rak'ah that you said is the last one, he prays one rak'ah, why? It is to make the even number odd. So he intended seven, and he had one rak'ah remaining. The dawn appeared, so he must complete it. This is even more so if the obligatory prayer was caught with one rak'ah; the three rak'ahs are considered part of the completion of this prayer. So if the voluntary prayer—and it is the standing in night prayer, as is clear to everyone—had one rak'ah remaining, or two rak'ahs remaining, the point is that this is the completion of the night prayer. And the night prayer must, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Make the last of your prayers at night witr
اجعلوا آخر صلاتكم في الليل وترًاThe questioner : .. .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : .. .
The Shaykh: Whoever it is.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : The one who intended, and there is no difference then between adding one rak'ah after the dawn, or adding three, or adding five.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Does he pray what?
The questioner : Witr or even?
The Shaykh : Not odd.
The questioner : If he slept through the witr...
The Shaykh : No, he did not sleep. We mentioned this that night. If it was missed from him, in any case—may Allah reward you all—we must remember on this occasion: whoever sleeps through his witr or forgets it, let him pray the witr.
The questioner : Does he pray the witr?
The Shaykh : Oh?
The questioner : He prays his witr.
The Shaykh : That is it. Is it the witr or the even? The talk is about the witr, exactly like the obligatory prayer.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.