How does one pray if he slept through his witr or forgot it?

The questioner : The other question is about the issue of witr, O Shaykh. Regarding the one who slept through his witr, and the reconciliation of the evidence, and the hadith of Aisha... and the hadith you graded as good in Ibn Majah and the hadith of 'Umar... I want to reconcile them, O Shaykh. Does he pray it as witr during the day, or does he pray it as an even number? I want to reconcile them?

The Shaykh : The hadith that explicitly states the ruling for the one who forgot or slept through the witr is that its ruling is the same as that of the obligatory prayer, the exact same ruling. This was stated regarding the obligatory prayer: if, for example, a person missed a night prayer and remembered it during the day, he prays it during the day, and the reverse is exactly the same. Likewise, the witr, if it was [missed] due to [forgetting] or sleep, the ruling is the same.

The questioner : He prays it as witr.

The Shaykh : He prays it as three, yes, according to his custom. First, if his custom is to alternate, sometimes one way and sometimes another, then he follows what he sees fit. But if it was due to being busy, or lack of energy, for example, or any other reason other than the two reasons of sleep and forgetting, he prays twelve rak'ahs. He prays twelve rak'ahs during the day.

The questioner : He prays it as an even number.

The Shaykh : This does not harm.

The questioner : The hadith of 'Umar.

The Shaykh : What does the hadith of 'Umar say?

The questioner : I do not memorize its exact text, but I am speaking about his statement...

The Shaykh : It is strange to me now. Do you remember its source now?

The questioner : I have not seen it in a long time, but I remember...

The Shaykh : ... What is the meaning of the hadith of 'Umar?

The questioner : I mean, for example, I stand up at night for twelve rak'ahs and I got busy and missed it.

The Shaykh : Do I pray eight?

The questioner : Or I pray eight, so I pray four?

The Shaykh : Yes, yes, I understood. It needs to be reviewed. Please, go ahead.

Another questioner : I did not understand the distinction between when one forgets or sleeps through it and when one is busy and misses it. What is the difference between the two cases?

The Shaykh : Yes, we have two hadiths. One of them says: Just as it was said regarding the obligatory prayer: So the forgotten witr is like the forgotten obligatory prayer. What is its ruling? That he prays it when he remembers it. So the ruling of the witr is the ruling of the obligatory prayer.

Another questioner : Does he not make it even?

The Shaykh : Here comes the complete discussion. There is another hadith in Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), if he missed the witr prayer, would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. This hadith does not mention the two reasons mentioned in the first hadith. So we say we apply each hadith as we said regarding the right hand and the right side: in its place, in its place. Likewise, the prayer of twelve rak'ahs has the appropriateness that the witr prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was missed. When does he pray the same witr prayer as witr and not as an even number? If it was due to one of the two reasons mentioned.

Another questioner : A question related to this issue: If a man prays witr with three consecutive rak'ahs and says takbir for them, and this is his witr, and he got busy and missed it, then we say he prays it as four.

The Shaykh : He does not pray twelve.

The questioner : Twelve.

The Shaykh : Well, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not make it even except if the hadith of 'Umar is authentic. It needs study. If the narration is authentic and the understanding is correct, the answer is as you estimated: he usually prays three, so he makes it even and prays four.

Another questioner : There is a remaining question: He prays eleven rak'ahs, but two by two, except for the last prayer which he prays as witr, and he missed it due to being busy.

The Shaykh : He prays twelve.

Another questioner : The last one, does he pray four after each other, or does he pray two by two?

The Shaykh : I do not think there is a difference, and although I need to recall the question, I will answer later when I recall it. If the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said in such a case to pray twelve rak'ahs, then at that time, twelve rak'ahs fall under the ruling established for the one who wants to pray voluntary prayer during the day: does he pray it two by two, or four by four, or does he combine them with one tashahhud? The answer is the same answer, because when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray twelve rak'ahs, he did not give us a detail that is an exception to the general rule. So he prays twelve rak'ahs, if he wishes, two by two, and this is what is stronger in our view because it is better. And if he wishes, four by four with two tashahhuds or with one tashahhud, and so on. Other than this, there is nothing that carries us to say otherwise.

Another questioner : O Shaykh, regarding the hadith of Aisha, if he slept through his portion or...

The Shaykh : The hadith of Aisha?

Another questioner : If he slept through his portion.

The Shaykh : How? It is authentic. Let us pray before the congregation starts.

Another questioner : If he slept through his portion or was lazy.

The Shaykh : If he slept through his portion or was lazy.

Another questioner : Sleep has now become a common factor between the hadith of Aisha and the hadith of Ibn Malik. What is your opinion? Because you equated it with and .

The Shaykh : Well done. It is possible to reconcile after thinking about this text in two ways. The first is to interpret "slept" in a way that does not conflict with the first hadith, not in the sense of "slept" that equals "forgot"...