Dua For Witr In Arabic, Meaning in English, And How To Pray Witr

Dua for witr is a special Dua the Prophet Muhammad SAW used to recite in Witr Prayer. This post will take a look at complete guide on how to pray the Witr prayer and other things concerning this confirmed Sunnah.

Witr Meaning

The Arabic word witr means odd number and is generally used to refer to salatul-witr, which is the performance of the last voluntary night prayer as one rak’ah.

The maximum prayer before it should be ten. The Prophet SAW said, The (optional) night prayer should be offered in twos and twos; if you fear that dawn is approaching, then offer one rak’ah to make (the number of rak’ahs) you have offered odd (witr). (AI-Bukhaaree)

Al-witr prayer is a necessary Sunnah, and a Muslim should not leave it under any circumstances.

The time for al-witr extends from the lsha prayer until shortly before the Fajr prayer.

It is preferable to perform it in the last part of the night, unless one fears one might wake up late to do it.

The Prophet SAW said, whoever among you thinks that he will not be able to wake up in the last part of the night should perform the witr prayer in the first part; and whoever among you thinks that he can wake up in the last part of the night should pray witr in the last part. For, indeed, prayer during the last part of the night is attended [by the angels] and is more virtuous.”

Muslim and Ahmad

For the two rak’ahs that occur before the witr prayer, it is recommended to recite Surat al A’ ala (Surah 87) after Surat al-Fatihah in the first one and Surat al Kaafiroon (Surah 109) after Surat al-Fatihah in the second one.

In the witr rak’ah, the Prophet frequently recited Surat al-lkhlas (Surah 112) after Surat al-Fatihah, and only occasionally recited Surat al-Falaq (Surah 113), and Surat an-Nas) along with Surat al-lkhlas.

A Muslim, however, should not offer the witr prayer twice in the same night.

If someone has performed the witr prayer in the first part of the night, then wakes up and wants to perform any voluntary prayers, he can do so without repeating the witr prayer.

The Prophet said, “There are no two witr prayers in the same night.” (At-Tirmidhee)

When To Recite Witr Dua

Witr dua is recited in the last rak’ah of Witr prayer, after bowing, but if one recites it before bowing it does not matter. But reciting it after bowing is better according to Islamqa.

Dua For Witr

It is Sunnah to recite the witr dua known as qunoot. There are two dua which are recorded and either is acceptable.

The First Dua For Witr In Arabic

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

Transliteration

Allahumma ihdini feeman hadayt, wa a’fini fiman afait, wa tawallani fiman tawallait, wa barik Li fima atait, wa qini sharra ma qadait, fa Innaka taqdi wa la yuqda Alaik, wa innahu la yadhillu man walait, tabarakta Rabbana wa ta’alait.

Dua For Witr Prayer In English

O Allah guide me among those You have guided, pardon me among those You have pardoned, befriend me among those You have befriended, bless me in what You have granted, and save me from the evil that You decreed. Indeed You decree, and none can pass decree, and none can pass decree upon You, indeed he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, blessed are You our Lord and Exalted.

Dua For Witr Prayer In Arabic

Another version of Dua Witr in Arabic is

اَللَّهُمَّ إنا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِئْ عَلَيْكَ الخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ ئَّفْجُرُكَ اَللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّئ وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعأئ وَنَحْفِدُ وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشآئ عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ.

Transliteration

Allahumma inna nasta-eenoka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu’minu bika wa natawakkalu alaika wa nusni alaikal khair, wa nashkuruka wala nakfuruka wa nakhla-oo wa natruku mai yafjuruka, Allah humma iyyaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjud wa ilaika nas aaa wa nahfizu wa narju rahma taka wa nakhshaa azaabaka inna azaabaka bil kuffari mulhik.

Witr Prayer Dua In English

O Allah! We invoke you for help, and beg for forgiveness, and we believe in you and have trust in you and we praise you, in the best way we can; and we thank you and we are not ungrateful to you, and we forsake and turn away from the one who disobeys you.

O Allah! We worship you and prostrate ourselves before you, and we hasten towards you and serve you, and we hope to receive your mercy and we dread your torment. Surely, the disbelievers shall incur your torment.

Should You Recite Dua Qunoot In Witr Prayer All The Time?

Scholars said it is better not to recite qunut in witr all the time, rather it should be done sometimes, because there is no evidence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did it all the time.

But he taught al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) a dua to recite in qunut al-witr.

Dua After Witr Prayer

There is a specifial supplication to be recited after tasleemah. The word tasleemah refers to the act of turning the head to the right and saying ‘Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullaah’ then turning the head to the left and repeating the same words.

This is what to say immediately following the Witr prayer

سُبْحَانَ المَلِكِ القُدُّوسِ, [رَبِّ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ]

Transliteration

Subhaanal Malikil Quddoosi. [Rabbil-malaa’ikati warroohi]

Meaning

Glory is to the King, the Holy. [Recite three times in Arabic, and raise and extend the voice on the third time and say…] [Lord of the angels and the Spirit.]

Is Witr Prayer Obligatory Or Sunnah?

Witr prayer is one of the most powerful forms of worship that brings one closer to Allah.

Some scholars, such as the Hanafis, believed that it was one of the obligatory prayers, but the correct view is that it is one of the confirmed Sunnahs (Sunnah muakkadah) that the Muslim should observe on a regular and consistent basis.

According to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), anyone who ignores Witr is a bad man whose testimony should not be accepted. This indicates that Witr prayer has been confirmed.

Time of Witr Prayer

The witr prayer begins when a person has prayed ‘Isha, even if it is joined to Maghrib at the time of Maghrib, and lasts until dawn begins.

Because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has prescribed for you a prayer (by which He may increase your reward), which is Witr; Allah has enjoined it for you during the time between ‘Isha prayer until dawn begins.

Is It Better To Offer Witr Prayer At The Beginning Of Its Time Or To Delay It?

According to the Sunnah, if a person thinks he will be able to get up at the end of the night, he should delay it because prayer at the end of the night is better and is witnessed (by the angels).

But whoever fears that he will not be able to get up at the end of the night should pray Witr before going to sleep, according to the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

“Whoever fears that he will not be able to get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the beginning of the night, but whoever thinks that he will be able to get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr.

Muslim, 755

Number Of Rak’ahs In Witr Prayer

The minimum number of rak’ahs for Witr is one rak’ah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Witr is one rak’ah at the end of the night.”

Narrated by Muslim, 752

And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

The night prayers are two (rak’ahs) by two, but if one of you fears that dawn is about to break, let him pray one rak’ah to make what he has prayed odd-numbered.”

Narrated by al-Bukhari, 911; Muslim, 749

If a person limits himself to one rak’ah of prayer, he has followed the Sunnah. However, Witr could also be three, five, seven, or nine.

How To Pray 3 Witr

A person may pray three rak’ahs of Witr in two ways, both of which are prescribed by Shari’ah:

To pray them one after the other, with one tashahhud

In accordance with the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not say the tasleem in the first two rak’ahs of Witr.

According to another version, He used to pray Witr with three rak’ahs and he did not sit except in the last of them.

Saying the tasleem after two rak’ahs, then praying one rak’ah on its own.

Because Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he used to separate the two rak’ahs from the single rak’ah with a tasleem, and he said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did.

How To Pray Witr Prayer With 5 or 7 Rak`ahs

But if he prays Witr with five or seven rak’ahs, they should be continuous, and he should only recite one tashahhud in the last of them and say the tasleem, according to the report narrated by Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said:

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray thirteen rak’ahs at night, praying five rak’ahs of Witr, in which he would not sit except in the last rak’ah. (Narrated by Muslim, 737)

And it was related that Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray Witr with five or seven (rak’ahs), with no salam or words between them.

How To Pray Witr Prayer With 9 Rak`ahs

If he prays Witr with nine rak’ahs, he should sit to recite the tashahhud in the eighth rak’ah, then stand up and not say the tasleem, then recite the tashahhud in the ninth rak’ah and then say the tasleem.

It was narrated in Muslim (746) from ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray nine rak’ahs in which he did not sit except in the eighth, when he would remember Allah, praise Him and call upon Him, then he would get up and not say the tasleem, and he would stand up and pray the ninth (rak’ah),

then he would sit and remember Allah and praise Him and call upon Him, then he would say a tasleem that we could hear.

How To Offer Witr Prayer With 11 Rak`ahs

He would say the tasleem after every two rak’ahs if he prayed Witr with eleven rak’ahs, then pray one rak’ah at the end.

The simplest way to pray Witr and what should be said in it.

In Witr, praying two rak’ahs and saying the tasleem is the least complete way, followed by praying one rak’ah and saying the tasleem. It is permissible to say one tasleem, but only one tashahhud, not two, as stated previously.

In the first rak’ah, recite Sabbih isma rabbika al-‘a’la (Surah al-A’la 87: “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High”). The second should recite Surah al-Kafirun (109), and the third should recite Surah al-Ikhlas (112).

All of the ways to offer Witr prayer have been mentioned in the Sunnah, but the best way is to do it one way one time and another way the next time, so that one has done all of the Sunnahs.

And Allah knows best.

Conclusion

The Witr Prayer Al-witr prayer is a necessary Sunnah, and a Muslim should not leave it at all.

The time for al-witr extends from the lsha prayer until shortly before the Fajr prayer.

It is better to perform it in the last part of the night, unless one fears one would not be able to wake up late to do it.

The Sunnah of the Prophet SAW is to pray two rak’ahs at a time after the lsha prayer, up to ten rak’ahs, then to pray the witr which consists of one rak’ah.

In performing this prayer, a Muslim has two options: if he so wishes, he may perform it with a single tasleemah at the end of the third rak’ah.

If he prefers, he may split it into two parts: making one tasleemah after two rak’ahs, and another after the single rak’ah that concludes the witr.