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Witr is a confirmed sunnah, not an obligation like the five daily prayers, and it is the prayer that closes your night prayer. The minimum is one rak'ah; the most complete is eleven. You may pray it at the start of the night, the middle, or the last third — the last third is best.
What witr is
Witr is the final prayer of the night, prayed between 'Isha and the break of dawn. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Make the last of your prayer at night a witr."— Sahih al-Bukhari, from Ibn 'Umar
Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله explains that witr is a sunnah the Prophet ﷺ established by his words and his practice, and that he prayed it every night. Its least form is one rak'ah; its most complete is eleven.
The forms you may pray
The scholars set out several valid ways. You choose according to how much time and energy you have.
| Form | How it is prayed |
|---|---|
| One rak'ah | A single rak'ah with takbir, bowing, prostration, tashahhud and one taslim — the minimum valid form |
| Two, then one | Pray the night prayer two rak'ahs at a time, then seal it with a single rak'ah |
| Three, separated | Two rak'ahs with a taslim, then a third rak'ah with its own takbirat al-ihram |
| Three, joined | Three continuous rak'ahs with one tashahhud and one taslim at the end |
| Five, seven or nine | Prayed continuously; for nine, the Prophet ﷺ sat for the tashahhud after the eighth, then stood for the ninth (Sahih Muslim, from 'A'ishah) |
Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan summarises the range: the least is one rak'ah, the minimum of completeness is three, and the highest completeness is eleven — and if you pray eleven, you give the taslim after every two rak'ahs, then single out the last rak'ah as witr.
The steps, in order
- Pray 'Isha first. Witr comes after it, and after any night prayer you wish to offer before it.
- Pray what you can in twos. The Prophet ﷺ said, "The night prayer is two by two." Each pair ends with its own taslim.
- Seal the night with an odd number. When you fear the dawn, pray one rak'ah to make odd what you have already prayed.
- Recite al-Fatihah in every rak'ah, then a surah. Ibn Baz mentions that in the final rak'ah the Prophet ﷺ would recite al-Fatihah and Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad.
- Give the taslim at the end of the rak'ah or rak'ahs.
If you pray three
The Hanafis hold that three rak'ahs are prayed like Maghrib — sitting after the second rak'ah for tashahhud without giving taslim, then rising for the third. The majority of the schools separate them instead: two rak'ahs with a taslim, then a single rak'ah. IslamWeb notes that the majority view, supported by the evidence, is that when you pray three you should not make them exactly like Maghrib — either separate the two from the one with a taslim, or join all three without sitting after the second.
Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan was asked about both and answered that praying the three with two taslims is better and more complete, while praying them with a single taslim is also fine.
What to recite
It is recommended, when praying three, to recite Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A'la in the first, Qul ya ayyuha al-Kafirun in the second, and Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad in the third. Some scholars add al-Mu'awwidhatayn (al-Falaq and an-Nas) to the third. If you recite something else, your prayer is still valid.
When to pray it
The time runs from after 'Isha until dawn. Ibn Baz explains the preference clearly:
"Whoever fears he will not rise at the end of the night, let him pray witr at its beginning; and whoever hopes to rise at its end, let him pray witr at the end of the night, for the prayer of the end of the night is witnessed, and that is better."— Sahih Muslim, from Jabir
So if you are confident you will wake before Fajr, delay it. If not, pray it before you sleep. The last third of the night is the most virtuous time.
If you pray witr and then wake up
You may still pray after witr — the Prophet ﷺ prayed two rak'ahs after witr while sitting. But do not pray a second witr: he ﷺ said, "There are no two witrs in one night." Ibn Baz's guidance is that you pray in twos without a new witr, and your first witr stands.
If you miss it
Whoever sleeps through his witr or forgets it may make it up during the day. Some scholars hold that when made up in the day it is prayed as an even number, based on 'A'ishah's report that when the Prophet ﷺ missed his night portion he prayed twelve rak'ahs during the day.
The qunut
Ibn Baz mentions that the qunut is said after the bowing, with the supplication the Prophet ﷺ taught al-Hasan ibn 'Ali رضي الله عنهما, beginning Allahumma ihdina fiman hadayt. The Hanafis place the qunut before the bowing, with the wording Allahumma inna nasta'inuka. This is a recommended act, not a pillar — leaving it does not invalidate your prayer.
Key takeaways
- Witr is a confirmed sunnah, not an obligation; the minimum is one rak'ah and the most complete is eleven.
- Pray it after 'Isha and before dawn, and delay it to the last third of the night if you are confident you will wake.
- The night prayer is two by two, sealed with an odd rak'ah — this is the form the majority prefer.
- If you pray three, do not make them identical to Maghrib — separate the two from the one, or join them without sitting after the second.
- Never pray two witrs in one night; if you pray after witr, pray in even numbers and keep your first witr.
Further reading
- al-Mughni, Ibn Qudamah — on the forms of witr and the recitation in each
- Majmu' Fatawa wa Maqalat, Shaykh Ibn Baz — on the time and manner of witr
- al-Mawsu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah — on the definition and forms of witr
And Allah knows best.
Sources3
This is a guide to what the scholars have said, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar who can hear the details.