Fatwa ID: 02073

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

Witr salah according to the four madhab

Answer:

According to the Hanafi Fiqh, the Witr salah consists of three rakaats with one salaam at the end.  Imam Malik , Imam Shafee and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal say that the Witr salah is between one and seven rakaats.  Generally, the followers of the respective aforementioned scholars will perform the Witr by reading two rakaats with one salaam and then another rakaat separately with one salaam.  (Dars Tirmizi p.215 v.2)

The view of the Hanafi School of Thought is based on the following evidences:

1. Saaidah Aaisha  reports that the Prophet of Allah used to perform thee rakaats of Witr and he never used to make salaam except in the last rakaat.   (Mustadrak Hakim p.304 v.1)
2. Saaiduna Ubayy Ibn Kaab narrates that the Prophet of Allah used to recite Surah A’la in the first rakaat, surah Kaafiroon in the second rakaat and surah Ikhlas in the third rakaat and that the Prophet of Allah would not make salaam except in the last of those rakaats.   (Sunan Nasaai p.248 v.1)
3. Thabit Al Bunani  says that “Saaiduna Anas Radiallahu Anhu lead us in the Witr salah, he performed three rakaats and he did not make salam till the last rakaat”.   (Tahawi p.206 v.1)
4. Saaiduna Umar is reported to have performed three rakaats Witr with one salaam only.   (Mustadrak Hakim p.304 v.1)

Furthermore, the Witr salah is like the three rakaats of Maghrib, therefore the same way one sits for tashuud after two rakaats and stands up for the third, one will do the same for the Witr salah.   (Darul Qutni p.27-p.28 v.2)

The following are evidences, which support the Hanafi view in that the hands will be raised for the Qunuut before ruku.

1. Ibrahim Nakhai narrates that “Saaiduna Abdullah Ibn Masud used to raise his hands in Witr (for Qunuut) and then drop them afterwards.”   (Mussanaf Abdur Razzaq p.325 v.4)
2. Asim narrates ‘I asked Saaiduna Anas Ibn Malik  about the Qunuut.  Saaiduna Anas replied, “Definitely it was (recited)”.  I asked “Before bowing or after it?”  Saaiduna Anas replied, “Before bowing…”   (Sahih Bukhari p.136 v.1)

Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes that the common practice of the Prophet of Allah was to recite the Qunuut before ruku.  However, on certain occasions such as the befalling of a calamity, the Qunuut He  would recite it after the ruku.   (Fathul Bari p.29 v.1)

The majority of the Hanafi scholars say that if an Imam is praying three rakaats with two salaams then it is not permissible to pray behind such an Imam for Witr salah. (Fatawa Hindiyyah p.111 v.1)  This is because salah of one rakaat is non-existent in the Hanafi Fiqh.  There is a hadith in which the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam prohibited from Salatul Butairah (one rakaat salah.)   (Nasbur Rayah p.160 v.2)

The conclusion is that if a Hanafi was to follow a Shafi Imam in Witr the salah will be considered invalid. Hence, in such a situation one will have to repeat the Witr salah. (Raddul Muhtar p.444 v.2)

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham