Qunoot In Witr

by Asma bint Shameem

🔺1. What does Qunoot mean?

Qunoot is “the Duaa offered during prayer at a specific point while standing.”

🔺2. Waajib or Sunnah?

Reading Duaa of Qunoot in witr is Sunnah and not mandatory according to the majority of the scholars.

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“Yes, it is allowed to make supplication after bowing. It is called Qunoot even outside of Ramadhaan.

However, is it from the continuous Sunnan which is necessary to preserve always or is it from the temporary Sunan which a person does sometimes in following the Messenger (ﷺ)?

It is found that he did not make qunoot himself (ﷺ) in the voluntary witr.

Imam Ahmad said:

“Nothing is authentic from the Prophet (ﷺ) in regards to the qunoot of witr. That is, that he made qunoot himself.”

Is it legislated to be read “always” or in Ramadhaan only or in the last half of Ramadhaan?

What is apparent to me is that it is necessary for a person to do it “sometimes” so to follow two Sunnahs: that of action and speech.”

🍃 Someone asked Shaikh Abdul Muhsin al-‘Abbad:

“What is the ruling on continuously making Qunoot?”

The shaikh said:

“The Sunnah is not to continuously make Qunoot.

It should be left often sometimes”

(Sharh Tirmidhi no. 69)

🍃 Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:

“.....when the Prophet ﷺ taught al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali radhi Allaahu anhumaa to say Qunoot in Witr, he did not tell him to omit it sometimes or to do it all the time.

This indicates that either is permissible.

Hence it was narrated that when Ubayy ibn Ka’b radhi Allaahu anhu

led the Sahaabah in prayer in the Masjid of the Prophet ﷺ, he used to omit Qunoot some nights; perhaps that was in order to teach the people that it is not obligatory.”

(Fataawa Islamiyyah, 2/159)

📌 NOTE:

Do keep in mind that Qunoot is DIFFERENT from Witr.

We usually assume that Qunoot and Witr are one and the same thing, although they’re NOT.

Qunoot is the DUAA that is said in Salaah at a specific time.

Witr is the odd-numbered PRAYER done after Ishaa Salaah.

🔺3. Any Specific Words for Qunoot?

Although the Prophet ﷺ taught Hasan radhi Allaahu anhu what to say in Qunoot of witr, you don’t “have” to use these same exact words although it’s better to do so.

You could make duaa in Witr using ANY words, or add to the duaa taught by the Prophet ﷺ or say anything that’s different from it.

You can even read duaas from the Qur’aan in Qunoot of witr.

🍃Imaam al-Nawawi said:

“Note that there is no specific du’aa for Qunoot according to the preferred point of view.

ANY du’aa’ that is said will serve as Qunoot, even if one recites a verse or verses from the Qur’aan that include words of supplication, this will count as Qunoot, but it is better to recite the words that were narrated in the Sunnah.”

(Al-Adhkaar al-Nawawiyyah, p. 50)

🔺4. The Duaa.

The Prophet ﷺ taught Hasan radhi Allaahu anhu the following duaa:

‎اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ ، وَعَافِنِي  فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ ، وَتَوَلَّنِي  فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَقِنِي  شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ ، فإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي    ولا يُقْضَى    عَلَيْكَ ، وَإِنَّهُ لا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ ، وَلا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ ، ولا منجا منك إلا إليك

“Allaahumma ihdini feeman hadayta wa ‘aafini feeman ‘aafayta wa tawallani feeman tawallayta wa baarik li feema a’tayta, wa qini sharra ma qadayta , fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu laa yadhillu man waalayta wa laa ya’izzu man ‘aadayta, tabaarakta Rabbana wa ta’aalayta la manja minka illa ilayk

“O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided, pardon me among those whom You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in friendship, and bless me in what You have bestowed, and save me from the evil of what You have decreed.

For verily You decree and none can influence You; and he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, nor is he honoured who is Your enemy.

Blessed are You, O Lord, and Exalted. There is no place of safety from You except with You.”

[Abu Dawood (1425), al-Tirmidhi (464), and al-Nasaa’i (1746) ; saheeh by al-Albaani]

🔺 5. The other duaa:

It’s permissible to make duaa in Qunoot of witr using the words that we were taught growing up in Pakistan.

However, it’s reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to recite this duaa in Qunoot Naazilah, that is, he made this duaa when some calamity hit the Muslims.

However, since ANY words may be used to make duaa in Qunoot, this duaa is also valid.

‎اَللَّهُمَّ إنا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِئْ عَلَيْكَ الخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ ئَّفْجُرُكَ اَللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي    وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نسعىٰ وَنَحْفِدُ نَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشىٰ عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ

“Allaahumma inna nasta’eenuka wa  nastaghfiruka nu’minu bika, wa natawakkalu ‘alayka wa nuthni ‘alayka al-khayr, wanashkuruka wa laa nakfuruka wa nakhla’u wa natruku man yafjuruka

Allaahumma iyyaaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu, wa ilayka nas’aa wa nahfid. Narju rahmataka wa nakhsha ‘adhaabaka, inna ‘adhaabaka al-jadd bil kuffaari mulhaq.

“O Allaah, verily we seek Your help, we believe in You, we put our trust in You and we praise You and we are not ungrateful to You. O Allaah, You alone we worship and to You we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment, for Your punishment will certainly reach the disbelievers.”

(al-Bayhaqi; saheeh by al-Albaani)

🔺 6. Before the rukoo or After?

Duaa of Qunoot can be said before, as well as, after the rukoo.

BOTH are allowed.

🍃 Ibn Taymiyah said:

“With regard to qunoot: there are two extreme views and one middle (or moderate) view.

Some say that qunoot should only be recited before bowing and some say that it should only be recited after bowing.

The fuqaha’ among the scholars of hadeeth, such as Ahmad and others, say that BOTH are ALLOWED, because both are mentioned in the saheeh Sunnah, but they preferred reciting qunoot after bowing because this is mentioned more often.” [Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (23/100)]

However Shaykh al-Albaani was of the opinion that qunoot should be before the rukoo;

🍃 Shaikh Al-Albaani wrote:

“After finishing the recitation and before rukoo’, sometimes he should read the supplication of Qunoot which the Prophet ﷺ taught his grandson Hassan ibn Ali Radhi Allaahu anhu.”

[Qiyaam ar-Ramadhaan pg. 31]

🔺7. If someone reads the Qunoot before the rukoo’, should he make takbeer and raise his hands like the opening takbeer?

🍃 Shaikh Abdul Muhsin al-‘Abbad said:

“No, there is NO takbeer.

He supplicates without takbeer.

This is because takbeer is for rukoo’ and sujood and changing positions. For every ascending and descending there is takbeer.”

🔺 8. Raise hands?

We should raise our hands and make duaa when standing for Qunoot.

That’s what Omar radhi Allaahu anhu said and did. [al-Bayhaqi- saheeh (2/210)]

🍃 The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“One should raise the hands during the du’aa al-qunoot and when saying Takbeer during the janaazah and Eid prayers, because evidence to this effect has been narrated.”

(Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa, 7/53)

🔺How to raise the hands in Qunoot

When making qunoot in Witr, the palms of the hands should be raised to the chest level, facing upwards towards the sky, in the manner of a humble beggar who hopes to be given something.

And the hands should be kept together without a gap in between them.

🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

“The way in which the hands are to be raised, the scholars said that he should raise his hands to chest level and not raise them very much, and he should spread his palms and hold them facing up towards the sky.

The apparent meaning of the scholars’ words indicates that the hands should be put together, like a beggar when he asks someone to give him something.

As for holding them far apart, I know of no basis for that in the Sunnah or in the words of the scholars. (al-Sharh al-Mumti’ 4/25)

🔺9. Loud or quiet?

Qunoot should be recited aloud by the Imaam so those behind him can hear. But when you’re praying alone, read quietly.

However, if the Imaam reads Qunoot quietly, the people praying behind the Imaam should Mahr their own duaas quietly. And the prayer is valid.

And Allaah knows best.

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