How to Pray Witr

What is Witr Prayer?

Witr means “odd” in Arabic, referring to the odd number of rakats it's prayed in – most commonly 3, though some choose to pray 1, 5, 7, 9 or even 11, depending on how much voluntary night prayer they've already performed. Witr is prayed after Isha and before Fajr, and is meant to be the last prayer of the night: the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed, “Make the last of your night prayer Witr” (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). If you plan to pray Tahajjud, Witr should come after it, not before.

Is Witr Compulsory?

Scholars differ slightly on this. The majority of scholars (Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools) consider Witr a Sunnah mu'akkadah – a strongly emphasised, highly recommended practice, but not obligatory. The Hanafi school takes a stricter position, classing Witr as wajib (necessary), a category more binding than Sunnah but less binding than fard (obligatory).

What isn't disputed is how consistently the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed it – by all accounts, he did not regularly leave it. Occasionally missing Witr, through forgetfulness or sleep, isn't sinful in any school of thought. Regularly and deliberately abandoning it, however, goes against one of the most consistently practised parts of his night worship, and in the Hanafi view specifically, habitually neglecting a wajib duty is a more serious matter. If you're unsure how this applies to your own situation, it's worth asking a local imam or scholar for guidance specific to the school of thought you follow.

Consistency is at the heart of Witr – a small act, repeated night after night. Human Appeal's Making the Most of Your Mercy appeal is built on the same principle: small, consistent giving that adds up to lasting support for families in crisis.

How to Pray 3 Rak'ahs of Witr

There are two accepted methods for praying the 3 rakats of Witr, depending on which school of thought you follow. Both are valid – choose whichever matches the tradition you or your local mosque follows.

Option 1: The Continuous Method (Common in Hanafi/Hanbali traditions)

1.      Make the intention (niyyah) to pray 3 rakats of Witr.

2.      Pray the first two rakats as normal, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha and another surah in each, then sit for tashahhud after the second rakah (without ending the prayer with salam).

3.      Stand for the third rakah, recite Surah Al-Fatiha and another surah, then say the takbir and raise your hands before ruku to recite the Dua-e-Qunoot.

4.      Complete the ruku and sujood as normal, then sit for the final tashahhud and conclude with the salams.

All three rakats are prayed as one continuous unit with a single salam at the end, similar in structure to Maghrib.

Option 2: The Two-Plus-One Method (Common in Shafi'i/Maliki traditions)

1.      Pray 2 rakats as a complete prayer on its own, with its own tashahhud and salam, just like Fajr.

2.      Then make a separate intention (niyyah) to pray 1 additional rakah of Witr.

3.      Recite Surah Al-Fatiha and another surah, then recite the Dua-e-Qunoot (commonly after rising from ruku in this tradition).

4.      Complete the sujood, sit for tashahhud, and conclude with the salams.

Here, the 3 rakats are prayed as two separate units – 2 rakats, then 1 – each with its own complete opening and closing.

Reciting the Dua-e-Qunoot

The Dua-e-Qunoot is a short supplication recited within Witr, most commonly the dua the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught to his grandson, Hasan ibn Ali:

“Oh Allah, guide me among those You have guided, pardon me among those You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those You have turned to, bless me in what You have given me, and protect me from the evil You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You befriend is never humiliated, nor is he who is Your enemy ever honoured. Blessed are You, our Lord, and Exalted.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Jami' at-Tirmidhi)

This dua asks for guidance and protection – the same spirit behind Human Appeal's Making the Most of Your Mercy appeal, which channels that guidance into protection for families facing real hardship, through emergency aid and lasting support.