Some of us say the takbir with the imam during the witr while believing it is part of the tarawih or the night prayer; what should one do? Should one exit the prayer to intend the witr, or change the intention within the prayer?
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The reciter: May Allah forgive you and pardon you, he says:The questioner : Some of us say the takbir with the imam during the witr while believing it is part of the tarawih or the night prayer; what should one do? Should one exit the prayer to intend the witr, or change the intention within the prayer?
The Shaykh : Now, praise be to Allah, our imams here have a known witr, because the night prayer they perform is understood: ten taslims at the beginning of the night, and then the witr and the shaf'—which they call shaf'—is part of the witr. Therefore, you intend it as witr, not as an independent prayer called shaf'; it is a divided witr. Because performing witr with three rak'ahs has two aspects: the first aspect is to prostrate all three with one taslim and one tashahhud, and the second aspect is to separate the two from the third, so you say taslim after two, then you come with the third. Based on this, if the imam completes ten taslims at the beginning of the night and then stands, you do not intend witr if you want to stand in prayer at the end of the night; you intend a night prayer. And if you perform witr, you stand and come with one rak'ah to make it shaf'. As for the end of the night, the known practice is that we pray how many? Five taslims, meaning the sixth is witr. And even if we call it shaf', it is witr... it is witr. And the single one is also witr, and this is known. Based on this, there is no problem; there is no problem except for a negligent person who does not know how much he has prayed. Perhaps he stands and prays shaf' with the intention of night prayer. If he intends night prayer, he continues with his intention. Then, when he says taslim and the imam performs witr, he intends witr, because witr with one rak'ah is permissible.
The Shaykh : Now, praise be to Allah, our imams here have a known witr, because the night prayer they perform is understood: ten taslims at the beginning of the night, and then the witr and the shaf'—which they call shaf'—is part of the witr. Therefore, you intend it as witr, not as an independent prayer called shaf'; it is a divided witr. Because performing witr with three rak'ahs has two aspects: the first aspect is to prostrate all three with one taslim and one tashahhud, and the second aspect is to separate the two from the third, so you say taslim after two, then you come with the third. Based on this, if the imam completes ten taslims at the beginning of the night and then stands, you do not intend witr if you want to stand in prayer at the end of the night; you intend a night prayer. And if you perform witr, you stand and come with one rak'ah to make it shaf'. As for the end of the night, the known practice is that we pray how many? Five taslims, meaning the sixth is witr. And even if we call it shaf', it is witr... it is witr. And the single one is also witr, and this is known. Based on this, there is no problem; there is no problem except for a negligent person who does not know how much he has prayed. Perhaps he stands and prays shaf' with the intention of night prayer. If he intends night prayer, he continues with his intention. Then, when he says taslim and the imam performs witr, he intends witr, because witr with one rak'ah is permissible.