Is the qunut for calamities performed in a specific prayer or in all prayers?
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The questioner : Is the qunut for calamities in a specific prayer or in all prayers?
The Shaykh : The qunut for calamities is prescribed in all prayers, as is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not specific to the Fajr and Maghrib prayers, nor is it specific to a particular night or day of the week; rather, it is general for all days of the week and in all prayers. Yes, if the imam notices boredom or annoyance among the followers regarding the qunut, let him perform it in the Fajr and Maghrib prayers, because this is the most common practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). If he wishes, he may perform it in other prayers as well. The important thing is that if he senses boredom or annoyance from the people, he should not burden them with a recommended act. He can manage this by taking turns, i.e., one prayer after another, or by restricting it to the Fajr and Maghrib prayers.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This is a listener to the program...
The Shaykh : But I point out here that the qunut for calamities is not the qunut of witr that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, which isSunan an-Nasa'i 1745Sahih (Darussalam). This is not prescribed in the qunut for calamities, because what is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the qunut for calamities is that the supplication should be for the specific calamity for which the qunut is performed, whether it is against an enemy or for a Muslim ally. In other words, whether he is supplicating for a group or against a group, the important thing is that he does not mention in this qunut anything other than what is related to this specific calamity.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Your Eminence, some people actually lengthen the qunut, making the duration of the qunut or the time of the qunut longer than the time of the prayer?
The Shaykh : What is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the qunut for calamities is that it is a short qunut, supplicating for a group or against a group without lengthening it. However, if a person lengthens it in a way that does not cause hardship for the worshippers, and he sees in them a desire for this, and the supplication does not exceed what is related to the calamity, then there is nothing wrong with it. This is because persisting in supplication is among the prescribed matters. As far as I know, there is no prohibition from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding lengthening the qunut, except if it is burdensome for the worshippers. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This listener is Ibrahim from Damietta, residing in Makkah al-Mukarramah. He says, Your Eminence.
The Shaykh : The qunut for calamities is prescribed in all prayers, as is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not specific to the Fajr and Maghrib prayers, nor is it specific to a particular night or day of the week; rather, it is general for all days of the week and in all prayers. Yes, if the imam notices boredom or annoyance among the followers regarding the qunut, let him perform it in the Fajr and Maghrib prayers, because this is the most common practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). If he wishes, he may perform it in other prayers as well. The important thing is that if he senses boredom or annoyance from the people, he should not burden them with a recommended act. He can manage this by taking turns, i.e., one prayer after another, or by restricting it to the Fajr and Maghrib prayers.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This is a listener to the program...
The Shaykh : But I point out here that the qunut for calamities is not the qunut of witr that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, which is
Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayta
اللهم اهدني فيمن هديتThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Your Eminence, some people actually lengthen the qunut, making the duration of the qunut or the time of the qunut longer than the time of the prayer?
The Shaykh : What is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the qunut for calamities is that it is a short qunut, supplicating for a group or against a group without lengthening it. However, if a person lengthens it in a way that does not cause hardship for the worshippers, and he sees in them a desire for this, and the supplication does not exceed what is related to the calamity, then there is nothing wrong with it. This is because persisting in supplication is among the prescribed matters. As far as I know, there is no prohibition from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding lengthening the qunut, except if it is burdensome for the worshippers. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This listener is Ibrahim from Damietta, residing in Makkah al-Mukarramah. He says, Your Eminence.