Praying Witr like Maghrib?

By Asma bint Shameem

The Prophet ﷺ prayed Witr as one rak’ah, or as three, or five, or seven, or nine rak’aat etc.

And when he prayed Witr as three rak’aat, the authentic Ahaadeeth show that the Prophet ﷺ used to offer these three rak’aat, either of TWO ways:

1. The Prophet ﷺ prayed the three rak’ahs one after another, WITHOUT sitting in tashahhud after two rak’aat.

Instead he stood up directly after the second rak’ah for the third rak’ah then he sat down for tashahhud ONLY after the third rak’ah.

📌 Proof:

🍃 Our Mother Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:

“He ﷺ used to pray Witr with three rak'ahs and he did not sit except in the last of them.” (al-Nasai 3/234, al-Bayhaqi 3/31-Saheeh by al-Nawawi)

2. The Prophet ﷺ prayed TWO rak’ahs and said the salaam (ash-Shaf’ or even numbered) followed by a single rak’ah (al-Witr or “odd” numbered) prayer.

📌 Proof:

🍃 Ibn Umar radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“He ﷺ used make Tasleem after the two rak’ahs in Witr, and then Tasleem after another rak’ah.”

(al-Bukhaari 109)

🍃 Ibn ‘Umar radhi Allaahu used to separate the two rak'ahs from the single rak'ah with a tasleem, and he said that the Prophet ﷺ used to do that.” (Ibn Hibbaan 2435)

🔺 As for praying Witr like maghrib prayer, there’s a specific Hadeeth that tells us NOT to pray like that.

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Do NOT pray Witr with three rak’ahs that resemble Maghrib.” (al-Haakim 1/403, al-Bayhaqi 3/31 and al-Daaraqutni p 172- saheeh by al-Albaani Awn al-Ma’bood)

🍃 Ibn Hajar explained:

“What he ﷺ meant was that we should not sit to recite the first Tashahhud in a manner that resembles Maghrib.”

(Fath al-Baari)

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“It is permissible to say it (witr) with one salaam, but it should be with only ONE tashahhud and not two, because if he does it with two tashahhuds, it will be like Maghrib prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ forbade making it like Maghrib prayer.”

(Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/14-16)

QUESTION?

What if I’m praying behind an Imaam during Ramadhaan that prays witr in the disliked manner mentioned above?

🌿ANSWER🌿

If you’re praying behind an Imaam who sits for tashahhud after two rak’aat of witr, you should still follow the imaam even though it is against the instructions of the Prophet ﷺ to pray Witr like maghrib.

And your prayer will still be valid.

🔺WHY?

That’s because the Prophet ﷺ said that we must follow the Imaam when praying in congregation.

🍃 He ﷺ said:

“The Imaam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him.”

(al-Bukhaari 722, Muslim 4141)

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“It has been transmitted regarding Imaam Ahmad that he was praying behind an imaam who made qunoot in salat al-Fajr but he still followed the imaam and would say “ameen” to his supplications.

This was despite the fact that Imaam Ahmad did not consider the qunoot in salat al-Fajr to be mustahabb, but this was done for the purpose of harmony and avoiding division.

And this was a good position of Imaam Ahmad.”

🍃 And Ibn Taymiyah said:

“The scholars differed concerning a situation where the imaam does not do what the person praying behind him believes to be obligatory, such as not reciting the Basmalah when the person praying behind him believes that this is obligatory, or he has touched his private part without doing wudoo’ afterwards, when the person praying behind him believes wudoo’ to be obligatory in that case, or he prays wearing the skins of dead animals that have been tanned, when the person praying behind him thinks that tanning does not purify, or he has been treated by means of cupping and did not do wudoo’ afterwards, and the person praying behind him thinks that wudoo’ must be done after cupping. The definitively correct view is that the prayer of the one praying behind the imam is valid even if the imam follows the wrong view with regard to a disputed issue, because it is proven in al-Saheeh that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“They lead in you in prayer, and if they do right, it is for you and for them, and if they do wrong, it is for you and against them.”

(Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 2/476)

And Allaah knows best.