What is the ruling on witr, performing it in succession, making it up, and the ruling on leaving it?
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Question:
Who leaves witr entirely?
Answer:
It is a recommended practice, not an obligation. The obligation is the five prayers: Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr.
Q: Does one commit a sin?
The Shaykh: No, one does not commit a sin.
Q: And is one not considered an open sinner?
The Shaykh: And one is not considered an open sinner.
Q:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 453Da'if (Darussalam)?
The Shaykh: Witr is a recommended practice. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, after informing the Muslims about the five prayers, the questioner asked him: Is there anything else upon me? He said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 458Sahih (Darussalam).
Q: What if one performs eleven rak'ahs in succession?
The Shaykh: No, the recommended practice is not to perform them in succession; one should say the closing salam after every two. However, if one performs nine in succession, there is nothing wrong with it, or seven in succession, there is nothing wrong with it. One sits for the first tashahhud in the eighth or in the sixth. And if one performs seven all together, or five all together, or three all together, there is nothing wrong with it; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did so.
Q: What if Fajr breaks and one has not yet performed witr?
The Shaykh: One should perform witr, even in Fajr; because the adhan is based on probability, not on the certainty of the dawn.
Q: Is it said to the Muslims or to the memorizers?
The Shaykh: To the Muslims.
Q: What if one misses witr?
The Shaykh: One should pray during the day whatever is easy, corresponding to a prayer of three, saying the salam twice. If his custom is five, he says the salam three times. If his custom is seven, he says the salam four times, adding one. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when sleep or illness prevented him from his witr, would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. The predominant practice for him was eleven, so when he was prevented from it at night by sleep or illness, he would pray twelve, with six salams.
Q: The two rak'ahs with which the night prayer is opened?
The Shaykh: Do not count those as two light rak'ahs.
Q: What if they are praying witr in the mosque?
The Shaykh: There is nothing wrong with it, but it is better in the house. And if one prays it in the mosque, there is nothing wrong with it, but the house is better.
Q: The hadith of 'A'ishah that he used to pray four, so do not ask about their beauty; does he perform them all in succession?
The Shaykh: No, two salams; he says the salam after every two; because the hadiths explain one another.
Who leaves witr entirely?
Answer:
It is a recommended practice, not an obligation. The obligation is the five prayers: Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha', and Fajr.
Q: Does one commit a sin?
The Shaykh: No, one does not commit a sin.
Q: And is one not considered an open sinner?
The Shaykh: And one is not considered an open sinner.
Q:
so perform Al-Witr O people of the Qur'an
أوتروا يا أهل القرآنThe Shaykh: Witr is a recommended practice. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, after informing the Muslims about the five prayers, the questioner asked him: Is there anything else upon me? He said:
No, unless you do it voluntarily.
لا، إلا أن تطوعQ: What if one performs eleven rak'ahs in succession?
The Shaykh: No, the recommended practice is not to perform them in succession; one should say the closing salam after every two. However, if one performs nine in succession, there is nothing wrong with it, or seven in succession, there is nothing wrong with it. One sits for the first tashahhud in the eighth or in the sixth. And if one performs seven all together, or five all together, or three all together, there is nothing wrong with it; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did so.
Q: What if Fajr breaks and one has not yet performed witr?
The Shaykh: One should perform witr, even in Fajr; because the adhan is based on probability, not on the certainty of the dawn.
Q: Is it said
O people of the Qur'an
يا أهل القرآنThe Shaykh: To the Muslims.
Q: What if one misses witr?
The Shaykh: One should pray during the day whatever is easy, corresponding to a prayer of three, saying the salam twice. If his custom is five, he says the salam three times. If his custom is seven, he says the salam four times, adding one. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when sleep or illness prevented him from his witr, would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. The predominant practice for him was eleven, so when he was prevented from it at night by sleep or illness, he would pray twelve, with six salams.
Q: The two rak'ahs with which the night prayer is opened?
The Shaykh: Do not count those as two light rak'ahs.
Q: What if they are praying witr in the mosque?
The Shaykh: There is nothing wrong with it, but it is better in the house. And if one prays it in the mosque, there is nothing wrong with it, but the house is better.
Q: The hadith of 'A'ishah that he used to pray four, so do not ask about their beauty; does he perform them all in succession?
The Shaykh: No, two salams; he says the salam after every two; because the hadiths explain one another.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.