Fiqh - Manhaj as-Sālikeen - 25 - Important issues related to Witr Prayer

Part of our weekly classes at the al-Baseera Foundation (Azizia Dawah Centre). The following topics were discussed during the lesson: 1. Witr may be offered as a single rak‘ah. 2. Night prayer has no fixed maximum number of rak‘ahs; the reports mentioning eleven and thirteen do not establish an upper limit. 3. Witr is an emphasized Sunnah according to the position explained in the lesson, with discussion of the Hanafi evidence for its obligation. 4. Reports from the Companions concerning offering Witr after the Fajr adhan. 5. Sincerity in authorship and why the author of a religious work should be known. 6. Offering eleven or thirteen rak‘ahs by praying in pairs and concluding with one rak‘ah of Witr. 7. Offering eight rak‘ahs in pairs, followed by five consecutive rak‘ahs of Witr with tashahhud only in the fifth. 8. Offering nine rak‘ahs of Witr, sitting in the eighth without salam, then completing the ninth with the final tashahhud and salam. 9. The report of the Prophet ﷺ offering two seated rak‘ahs after Witr. 10. Offering seven rak‘ahs of Witr with either a single sitting in the seventh or sittings in the sixth and seventh. 11. Offering three rak‘ahs of Witr as two rak‘ahs with salam, followed by a separate single rak‘ah. 12. Offering three consecutive rak‘ahs of Witr with either one or two tashahhuds, and the evidence discussed for both forms. 13. Reciting Surah al-A‘la, al-Kafirun and al-Ikhlas when offering three consecutive rak‘ahs of Witr. 14. Saying “سبحان الملك القدوس” three times after Witr and raising the voice on the third repetition. 15. Why the narration about not resembling Maghrib was explained as encouraging more rak‘ahs in night prayer, rather than prohibiting a second tashahhud. 16. The supplication taught to al-Hasan ibn Ali, and discussion of the authenticity of the additional wording linking it specifically to Witr. 17. The Qunut supplication reported from Umar ibn al-Khattab and the permissibility of making other supplications. 18. Qunut is not obligatory in Witr; the practice of some Companions during the second half of Ramadan was discussed as evidence. 19. Qunut al-nazilah is performed in obligatory prayers when calamities befall the Muslims; the prophetic reports discussed place it after ruku‘. 20. Qunut in Witr may be performed before or after ruku‘, with both practices reported from the Companions. 21. Saying an additional takbir before Qunut is permissible according to the report discussed from Umar, but is not obligatory. 22. Whether the transitional takbirs in prayer are obligatory, and the evidence mentioned for the position presented in the lesson. May Allah make these lessons beneficial for those who attend and listen to them, and make us sincere in our efforts.