When is the best time to pray Witr? Should I pray it right after Ishaa prayer or should I DELAY it?

by Asma bint Shameem 

ANSWER

The timing for Witr prayer lasts from Ishaa to just before Fajr. 

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Allaah has prescribed for you a prayer (by which He may increase your reward), which is Witr; Allaah has enjoined it for you during the time between ‘Ishaa prayer until dawn begins.” (al-Tirmidhi- saheeh by al-Albaani)

🔺 It’s better to DELAY Witr

It’s better and more rewarding if you can delay your witr until later at night, most preferably making it your last prayer of the night, just before fajr. 

🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:

 “Make the LAST of your prayer at night Witr.” (al-Bukhaari 953, Muslim 751)

🍃 And he said:

“Whoever hopes to stand for prayer at the end of the night, let him perform witr prayer at its ending. Verily, prayer at the end of the night is witnessed, and that is better.” (Muslim 755)

🔺 But what if I’m not sure I’ll wake up?

The ulama tell us that delaying Witr is a recommendation, and not something obligatory. 

So if you’re not able to wake up to pray Witr before it’s time is up, then it’s better to pray it before you sleep. 

🍃 That’s because the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever fears that he will not 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 at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is better.” (Muslim 755)

So if you are confident that you’re going to get up at night before Fajr, then it’s better to delay your witr and pray it after you’re done with your tahajjud Nawaafil. 

That is more rewarding. 

But if you’re tired, or not sure you’ll get up before its time is up, then it’s better to pray Witr before you go to bed. 

And if you’re able to wake up before fajr, you can still offer Tahajjud.

🔺Proof:

🍃 Our Mother Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa that the Prophet ﷺ used to pray two rak’aat after Witr whilst sitting down. 

(Saheeh Muslim 738)

🍃 Imaam Al-Nawawi said:  

“The correct view is that he ﷺ performed these two rak’aat after Witr sitting down, to demonstrate that it is permissible to pray after Witr, and to demonstrate that it is permissible to offer naafil prayers sitting down.

He did not do that all the time, rather he did it once or twice or a few times. 

The well known regular Sunnah prayers mentioned in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere in reports from ‘Aa’ishah and from a number of the Sahaabah in al-Saheehayn state clearly that the last of the Prophet’s prayer at night was Witr.

In al-Saheehayn there are many well-known ahaadeeth which enjoin making the last of one’s prayer at night Witr, such as “Make the last of your prayer at night Witr” and “Night prayers are two by two, and when you feel that dawn is approaching, pray one rak’ah”, etc.

So how can anyone think, after reading these ahaadeeth and others, that the Prophet ﷺ regularly prayed two rak’aat after Witr and made that the end of his night prayers?

Rather what it means, as we have stated above, is that it is permissible to do so. This is the correct answer.”

🍃 Shaykh Ibn Baaz said regarding praying nawaafil after witr:

“If you pray Witr at the beginning of the night then Allaah enables you to pray qiyaam at the end of the night, then pray whatever Allaah enables you to pray two by two, without Witr, because the Prophet ﷺ said, “There cannot be two Witrs in one night.” 

And it was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa that the Prophet ﷺ used to pray two rak’ahs after Witr sitting down.

The reason for that – and Allaah knows best – is to show to the people that it is permissible to pray after Witr.”

(Fataawa Islamiyyah, 1/339)

And Allaah knows best