#320: Ruling on Praying Nawāfil after Witr
347 QUESTION
As-Salaamu Alaykum. Please help me to answer this question and everything pertaining to taraweeh. I read a book sifatu solatu nabbiy where it was mention that the prophet (s.a.w) use to perform two rakah after the witr prayer, and i have heard some people saying that no nafilah after witr while some said we can perform nafilah but must be in even number, can the admin please explain better
ANSWER
It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Make the last of your prayer at night Witr.”
This injunction of the prophet alaihi salam does not translate to compulsion. That is it is recommended that the last prayer should be witr but it is not compulsory.
Imam an nawawi rahimahullah said:
If a person prays Witr then he wants to offer a naafil prayer etc at night, that is permissible and is not makrooh, but he should not repeat Witr. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who was asked about the Witr of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). She said: “We used to prepare his siwaak (tooth stick) and water for wudoo’ for him, then Allaah would cause him to wake up at any time He willed at night. He would use the tooth stick, perform wudoo’ and pray nine rak’ahs, in which he would not sit except in the eighth, when he would remember Allaah, glorify Him and make du’aa’. Then he would get up without saying salaam, and pray the ninth rak’ah. Then he would sit down and again remember Allaah, glorify Him and make du’aa’. Then he would say a salaam that we could hear, then he would pray two rak’ahs after that, whilst sitting down.” Narrated by Muslim; this is part of a lengthy hadeeth, which is to be understood as meaning that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed two rak’ahs after Witr to show that it is permissible to pray after Witr. Al majmoo 3/512.
And Allah knows best.
Jazaakumullaahu Khayran!
Baarakallaahu feekum!
Answered by Abu Hafs
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