The witr prayer
Dua e Qunoot in witr, and the duas around it
Three duas belong to witr, each with its reference: the qunoot, the words at its end and the words after the salam.
Dua e Qunoot and the two duas that close witr
Three duas, each with its own place. The qunoot the Prophet ﷺ taught al-Hasan for witr (Sunan Abi Dawud 1425), the words ‘Ali heard him say at the end of his witr (Sunan Abi Dawud 1427), and the glorification he said after its salam (Sunan Abi Dawud 1430).
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Allahummahdini fiman hadayt
((اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ؛ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، إِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، [وَلاَ يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ]، تَبارَكْتَ رَبَّنا وَتَعَالَيْتَ)).
Allahummahdini fiman hadayt, wa ‘afini fiman ‘afayt, wa tawallani fiman tawallayt, wa barik li fima a‘tayt, wa qini sharra ma qadayt, fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, innahu la yadhillu man walayt, [wa la ya‘izzu man ‘adayt,] tabarakta rabbana wa ta‘alayt.
O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, keep me well among those You have kept well, take care of me among those You have taken care of, bless me in what You have given, and protect me from the evil of what You have decreed. For You decree, and no one decrees over You. Whoever You befriend is never humbled, [and whoever You oppose is never honoured]. Blessed are You, our Lord, and exalted.
The Prophet ﷺ taught this to his grandson al-Hasan to say in witr.
When the qunoot is said in witr
It depends on your school. Each view rests on its school’s reading of the narrations; the full table and books are on Qunoot by school.
- Hanafi: every night, in the third rak‘ah before bowing, taking witr as a duty (Sunan Abi Dawud 1422).
- Shafi‘i: in the second half of Ramadan, after rising from bowing, with the dua taught to al-Hasan (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 464).
- Hanbali: every night, after rising from bowing, with the same dua (Sunan Abi Dawud 1425).
- Maliki: not in witr; the school’s qunoot is in Fajr, and it counts witr as an emphasised sunnah (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 453).
At the end of witr
Refuge in Allah’s pleasure. ‘Ali reported that the Prophet ﷺ would say these words at the end of his witr, asking for refuge in Allah’s pleasure from His anger (Sunan Abi Dawud 1427).
Allahumma inni a‘udhu biridaka min sakhatik, in witr
((اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ، وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ، وَأَعُــــوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ، لاَ أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ، أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ)).
Allahumma inni a‘udhu biridaka min sakhatik, wa bimu‘afatika min ‘uqubatik, wa a‘udhu bika mink, la uhsi thana’an ‘alayk, anta kama athnayta ‘ala nafsik.
O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your anger, and in Your pardon from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot count all the praise You deserve; You are as You have praised Yourself.
‘Ali said that the Prophet ﷺ would say this at the end of his witr.
Once the salam is given
Glory to the King, the Most Holy. After the salam of witr the Prophet ﷺ would say “Subhanal-malikil-quddus” three times, drawing out his voice on the third (Sunan Abi Dawud 1430).
Subhanal-malikil-quddus
((سُبْحَانَ المَلِكِ القُدُّوسِ)) ثلاثَ مرَّاتٍ والثَّالِثَةُ يَجْهَرُ بها ويَمُدُّ بها صَوتَهُ يقولُ: [رَبِّ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ])).
Subhanal-malikil-quddus. [Rabbil-mala’ikati war-ruh.]
Glory be to the King, the Most Holy. [Lord of the angels and of the Spirit.]
Three times after the salam of witr, raising and drawing out your voice the third time and adding “Rabbil-mala’ikati war-ruh” (Lord of the angels and of the Spirit).