What is the ruling on praying two rak'ahs after the witr?
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The questioner : We return to the topic of the two rak'ahs after the witr?
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : I recall that on one occasion I asked you about the strength of their obligation, meaning the obligation to perform them. My intention was to know the extent of their obligation. Did I understand that these are like the witr in terms of obligation?
The Shaykh : And we say that the witr is obligatory!
The questioner : No. Not to the same degree of obligation. We do not say the matter is obligatory in the same way.
The Shaykh : If you wish, remove the word "obligatory"!
The questioner : My lord, does the obligation cover them? To what extent?
The Shaykh : You know that the rulings include fard (obligatory). Do you distinguish between fard and wajib? The correct view is that there is no "wajib" in the sense of "fard," and it is the same for us whether we say "fard" or "wajib"; the ruling is one. Then, following the fard or wajib, comes the sunnah. There is no fard in the prayers of every day and night except the five prayers. As for the witr, it is a confirmed sunnah, a confirmed sunnah. But as for these two rak'ahs, we have, and still do, this printed in the description of prayer, that these were a specific practice of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Why? Because of this hadithSahih Muslim 751b. But after that, we found a hadith that indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) permitted the general public to pray these two rak'ahs after the witr. So they are permissible, and the witr is a sunnah.
The questioner : So they are not of the same strength as the witr, meaning the witr is prayed every night, but these are not a condition.
The Shaykh : He prays them every night, but there is no harm in praying them.
The questioner : So if he prays them every night, that is an extra merit.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The questioner : I recall that on one occasion I asked you about the strength of their obligation, meaning the obligation to perform them. My intention was to know the extent of their obligation. Did I understand that these are like the witr in terms of obligation?
The Shaykh : And we say that the witr is obligatory!
The questioner : No. Not to the same degree of obligation. We do not say the matter is obligatory in the same way.
The Shaykh : If you wish, remove the word "obligatory"!
The questioner : My lord, does the obligation cover them? To what extent?
The Shaykh : You know that the rulings include fard (obligatory). Do you distinguish between fard and wajib? The correct view is that there is no "wajib" in the sense of "fard," and it is the same for us whether we say "fard" or "wajib"; the ruling is one. Then, following the fard or wajib, comes the sunnah. There is no fard in the prayers of every day and night except the five prayers. As for the witr, it is a confirmed sunnah, a confirmed sunnah. But as for these two rak'ahs, we have, and still do, this printed in the description of prayer, that these were a specific practice of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Why? Because of this hadith
Make Witr the end of your night prayer.
اجعلوا آخر صلاتكم بالليل وتراThe questioner : So they are not of the same strength as the witr, meaning the witr is prayed every night, but these are not a condition.
The Shaykh : He prays them every night, but there is no harm in praying them.
The questioner : So if he prays them every night, that is an extra merit.
The Shaykh: Yes.
Source
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