What is the best form of supplication in the qunut of Fajr and witr? With an explanation of the specific occasion for which it is supplicated according to the jurists' understanding.
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The questioner : Regarding the qunut and witr, these are two questions: Is it better to leave out the qunut in the Fajr prayer, or should we perform it? In some schools of jurisprudence, the qunut is performed in the Fajr prayer. And what is the best form or manner for the witr prayer...
The Shaykh : Is your question about Fajr or witr?
The questioner : Two questions.
The Shaykh : Okay, the qunut in Fajr has no authentic basis from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as a regular, constant sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the qunut for a month, but not in Fajr; rather, it was in the five daily prayers. This is called the qunut of a specific occasion, meaning when a calamity befalls the Muslims, it is recommended for the imams of the mosques to perform the qunut in the five daily prayers, not just in Fajr. So when the calamity is removed, the qunut is removed, because this is the qunut for a specific occasion. As for this qunut that some people perform, particularly the Shafi'is in some mosques, there is no authentic hadith for it. There is a weak hadith according to the scholars of hadith, which says: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) continued to perform the qunut in the Fajr prayer until he departed this world." If this hadith were authentic, head to toe, then the qunut in Fajr would be a regular sunnah all the time. How would you pray two rak'ahs before the obligatory Fajr prayer, which is a confirmed sunnah, and also the qunut in Fajr? If this hadith were authentic, it would become a regular sunnah. But this hadith is weak by the consensus of the scholars of hadith. Furthermore, there is something that contradicts it. Anas ibn Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform the qunut except when he supplicated for a group of people or against a group of people." Yes, this is regarding the Fajr prayer. As for the witr prayer, it is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to perform the qunut even in months other than Ramadan, but not in a regular manner; sometimes he did it and sometimes he did not. Therefore, if a Muslim wants to perform the qunut in witr, he should do it occasionally, not continuously. And he should supplicate with:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1745Sahih (Darussalam) and so on. This reminds me that the qunut in Fajr does not have this supplication; this supplication is specific to the qunut in witr: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1745Sahih (Darussalam) They also perform the qunut with this in the qunut of Fajr, which is another error. The first error is that there is no qunut in Fajr except for a specific occasion, and in that case, the qunut is recommended in the remaining five prayers. I hope I have answered your two questions.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The questioner : Okay... in the five prayers.
The Shaykh : Ah, you say it that way, Abu Ali, but knowledge does not say it that way. Ah, the intended meaning of a specific occasion (nāzilah) is that it befalls the Muslims. What does "befalls" mean? It means they are suddenly surprised by it, like an enemy attacking them, so they supplicate. But if something becomes a continuous habit, it is no longer a specific occasion. Let me give you an example, two examples:
One is very old, and one is new and constant among us. Perhaps you have heard about the land of Andalusia, and that this land was Islamic, and then the Spaniards expelled the Muslims and forced them out. And to this day, the Spaniards are occupying Andalusia, correct? Is anyone performing the qunut now? No. Why? Because it has become an inseparable part of the lives of the Muslims. And the closest thing to the second example is: you have Palestine now. It is not an Islamic land that has only been under occupation for a few years. Who is performing the qunut now for the sake of Palestine? No one. Why? Because it has become part of the lives of the Muslims. And so you see the Arab states striving... why? ... So the meaning of a specific occasion (nāzilah) in the language of the jurists is: the incidental matter, meaning the one that just happened. Do you understand now? Whereas you are referring to something that is constant in the lives of the Muslims.
The Shaykh : Is your question about Fajr or witr?
The questioner : Two questions.
The Shaykh : Okay, the qunut in Fajr has no authentic basis from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as a regular, constant sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the qunut for a month, but not in Fajr; rather, it was in the five daily prayers. This is called the qunut of a specific occasion, meaning when a calamity befalls the Muslims, it is recommended for the imams of the mosques to perform the qunut in the five daily prayers, not just in Fajr. So when the calamity is removed, the qunut is removed, because this is the qunut for a specific occasion. As for this qunut that some people perform, particularly the Shafi'is in some mosques, there is no authentic hadith for it. There is a weak hadith according to the scholars of hadith, which says: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) continued to perform the qunut in the Fajr prayer until he departed this world." If this hadith were authentic, head to toe, then the qunut in Fajr would be a regular sunnah all the time. How would you pray two rak'ahs before the obligatory Fajr prayer, which is a confirmed sunnah, and also the qunut in Fajr? If this hadith were authentic, it would become a regular sunnah. But this hadith is weak by the consensus of the scholars of hadith. Furthermore, there is something that contradicts it. Anas ibn Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform the qunut except when he supplicated for a group of people or against a group of people." Yes, this is regarding the Fajr prayer. As for the witr prayer, it is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to perform the qunut even in months other than Ramadan, but not in a regular manner; sometimes he did it and sometimes he did not. Therefore, if a Muslim wants to perform the qunut in witr, he should do it occasionally, not continuously. And he should supplicate with:
Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayta wa 'afini fiman afayta
اللهم اهدني فيمن هديت ، وعافني فيمن عافيت ..Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayta
اللهم اهدني فيمن هديت ...The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Welcome.
The questioner : Okay... in the five prayers.
The Shaykh : Ah, you say it that way, Abu Ali, but knowledge does not say it that way. Ah, the intended meaning of a specific occasion (nāzilah) is that it befalls the Muslims. What does "befalls" mean? It means they are suddenly surprised by it, like an enemy attacking them, so they supplicate. But if something becomes a continuous habit, it is no longer a specific occasion. Let me give you an example, two examples:
One is very old, and one is new and constant among us. Perhaps you have heard about the land of Andalusia, and that this land was Islamic, and then the Spaniards expelled the Muslims and forced them out. And to this day, the Spaniards are occupying Andalusia, correct? Is anyone performing the qunut now? No. Why? Because it has become an inseparable part of the lives of the Muslims. And the closest thing to the second example is: you have Palestine now. It is not an Islamic land that has only been under occupation for a few years. Who is performing the qunut now for the sake of Palestine? No one. Why? Because it has become part of the lives of the Muslims. And so you see the Arab states striving... why? ... So the meaning of a specific occasion (nāzilah) in the language of the jurists is: the incidental matter, meaning the one that just happened. Do you understand now? Whereas you are referring to something that is constant in the lives of the Muslims.
Source
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