You mentioned in the Friday sermon that if the follower in the tarawih prayer intends the two rak'ahs of the witr with the imam as tarawih for him, then there is nothing wrong with that. So what is the ruling?
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The questioner : May Allah reward the honorableThe Shaykh : You mentioned, may Allah preserve you, in the Friday sermon that if the follower in the tarawih prayer intends the two rak'ahs of the witr with the imam as tarawih for him, then there is nothing wrong with that. So what is the ruling if the imam completes the third rak'ah with them, even though Imam Ahmad stated that whoever stands for the third rak'ah in the night prayer is like one who stands for the third rak'ah in the Fajr prayer? What should he do in that case? May Allah reward you with good. And if the imam informs the followers in the tarawih prayer that he will complete the witr, but then he forgets and sits in the second rak'ah, are the followers obligated to recite the tasbih for him?
The Shaykh : Regarding the first issue, we say that the follower enters the shaf' with the intention of witr, because the shaf' is part of the witr. For this reason, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: Completing the witr with three rak'ahs has two forms.
The first form is to prostrate in all three rak'ahs with a single taslim and a single tashahhud.
The second form is to pray two rak'ahs, recite the tashahhud, and say the taslim, then come for the third rak'ah. This indicates that the two rak'ahs called the shaf' are part of the witr, and that is indeed the case. So we tell the follower: Intend the witr. If the imam stands for the third rak'ah without a break, follow him, and there is no blame on him, because it is permissible in the witr for a person to pray three rak'ahs with a single taslim. This is unlike the standing in night prayer, for the standing in night prayer as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us. The second issue, what does he say?
The questioner : He says: If the imam informs the followers in the tarawih prayer that he will complete the witr, but then he forgets and sits in the second rak'ah.
The Shaykh : Likewise, if the imam tells the followers that he is ... the witr, and then he forgets and sits, let them recite the tasbih for him, but do not press him, because he may have intended to separate the rak'ahs during the prayer. In that case, they should follow him, say the taslim with him, and then perform the third rak'ah. But there is no need for the imam to give a signal, since we say that if he says the takbir for the prayer called the shaf', he has said the takbir for what? For the witr. We say: You, the follower, intend the witr. There is no need, no need for the imam to give a signal. Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible to intend to connect the rak'ahs during the witr, even if one had intended to separate them, or to separate them, even if one had intended to connect them.
The Shaykh : Regarding the first issue, we say that the follower enters the shaf' with the intention of witr, because the shaf' is part of the witr. For this reason, the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: Completing the witr with three rak'ahs has two forms.
The first form is to prostrate in all three rak'ahs with a single taslim and a single tashahhud.
The second form is to pray two rak'ahs, recite the tashahhud, and say the taslim, then come for the third rak'ah. This indicates that the two rak'ahs called the shaf' are part of the witr, and that is indeed the case. So we tell the follower: Intend the witr. If the imam stands for the third rak'ah without a break, follow him, and there is no blame on him, because it is permissible in the witr for a person to pray three rak'ahs with a single taslim. This is unlike the standing in night prayer, for the standing in night prayer
Two by two
مثنى مثنىThe questioner : He says: If the imam informs the followers in the tarawih prayer that he will complete the witr, but then he forgets and sits in the second rak'ah.
The Shaykh : Likewise, if the imam tells the followers that he is ... the witr, and then he forgets and sits, let them recite the tasbih for him, but do not press him, because he may have intended to separate the rak'ahs during the prayer. In that case, they should follow him, say the taslim with him, and then perform the third rak'ah. But there is no need for the imam to give a signal, since we say that if he says the takbir for the prayer called the shaf', he has said the takbir for what? For the witr. We say: You, the follower, intend the witr. There is no need, no need for the imam to give a signal. Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, it is permissible to intend to connect the rak'ahs during the witr, even if one had intended to separate them, or to separate them, even if one had intended to connect them.