336. Qunoot An-Naazilah

By Asma bint Shameem

Qunoot means duaa and an-Naazilah means calamity.

And as the name suggests, ‘Qunoot an-Naazilah’ is read when a CALAMITY falls the Muslim Ummah.

That’s DIFFERENT from Qunoot al-witr.

This Qunoot is done in the *last rak’ah of ALL the fardh prayers.*

That’s proven from the Sunnah of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam and the Sahaabah.

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam used to recite Qunoot Naazilah when any calamity hit the Muslim Ummah.

He made this duaa when some Arab tribes lied to him, tricked the Sahaabah and killed them.

And so he prayed against them and made duaa for the weak and oppressed believers in Makkah, that Allaah would save them.

Ibn Abbaas radhi Allaahu anhumaa said:

“The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam prayed Qunoot for a month in Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, ‘Isha’ and Fajr prayer, when he said: Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah in the last rak’ah, praying against some tribes of Banu Sulaym, and against Ri’l, Dhakwaan and ‘Usayyah, and those who were behind him said Ameen.”
(Abu Dawood- hasan by al-Albaani)

The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“It is proven that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam
used to say Qunoot at times of calamity, praying against the aggressors among the disbelievers, and praying for the week and oppressed Muslims to be saved from the plots and captivity of the kaafirs.” [Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (22/271)]

How to pray Qunoot an-Naazilah?

Qunoot an-Nazilah is read in congregation.

The Imaams in the Masjid lead the other Muslims in prayer and they read Qunoot an-Naazilah in the LAST rak’ah of ALL the fardh prayers.

They pray for the Ummah and may add words against the transgressors in the duaa.

Raising the hands

“The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam used to raise his hands in his qunoot an-Naazilah, supplicating against people.” (Ahmad -saheeh by al-Albaani)

Shaikh al-Albaani said:

“Raising of the hands in the Qunoot for a problem afflicting the Muslims is established from the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam when he made duaa against the Mushrikeen, those who killed seventy of the recitors of the Qur'aan.

This was narrated by Imam Ahmad (3/137) and by Tabraani in 'as-Sagheer' (p.111) from the hadeeth of Anas with an authentic chain, and it is also established from Umar and others in the Qunoot of al-Witr.”
['Irwaa al-Ghaleel' (2/181)]

What words to say?

ANY words that are appropriate to the situation may be used to make duaa in Qunoot.

Imaam an-Nawawi said:

“The correct view which was stated definitively by the majority of scholars is that there are no specific words, rather any du’aa’ may be said.”
[al-Majmoo’ (3/497)]

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam made Qunoot using the following words:

اَللَّهُمَّ إنا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِئْ عَلَيْكَ الخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ ئَّفْجُرُكَ اَللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نسعىٰ وَنَحْفِدُ نَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشىٰ عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ الجد بِالكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ

“Allaahumma inna nasta’eenuka wa nastaghfiruka nu’minu bika, wa natawakkalu ‘alayka wa nuthni ‘alayka al-khayr, wanashkuruka wa laa nakfuruka wa nakhla’u wa natruku man yafjuruka
Allaahumma iyyaaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu, wa ilayka nas’aa wa nahfid. Narju rahmataka wa nakhsha ‘adhaabaka, inna ‘adhaabaka al-jadd bil kuffaari mulhaq.

“O Allaah, verily we seek Your help, we believe in You, we put our trust in You and we praise You and we are not ungrateful to You. O Allaah, You alone we worship and to You we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment, for Your punishment will certainly reach the disbelievers.”
(al-Bayhaqi - saheeh by al-Albaani)

And Umar radhi Allaahu anhu used to make the following duaa In Qunoot an-Naazilah.

اللهم إنا نستعينك ونؤمن بك ، ونتوكل عليك ونثني عليك الخير ولا نكفرك ، اللهم إياك نعبد ، ولك نصلي ونسجد ، وإليك نسعى ونحفد ، نرجو رحمتك ونخشى عذابك ، إن عذابك الجدَّ بالكفار مُلحق ، اللهم عذِّب الكفرة أهل الكتاب الذين يصدون عن سبيلك

“Allaahumma inna nasta’eenuka wa nu’minu bika, wa natawakkalu ‘alayka wa nuthni ‘alayka al-khayr, wa laa nakfuruka. Allaahumma iyyaaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu, wa ilayka nas’aa wa nahfid. Narju rahmataka wa nakhsha ‘adhaabaka, inna ‘adhaabaka al-jadd bil kuffaari mulhaq. Allaahumma ‘adhdhib il-kafarata ahl al-kitaab alladheena yasuddoona ‘an sabeelika

“O Allaah, verily we seek Your help, we believe in You, we put our trust in You and we praise You and we are not ungrateful to You. O Allaah, You alone we worship and to You we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment, for Your punishment will certainly reach the disbelievers. O Allaah, punish the infidels of the People of the Book who are preventing others from following Your way.”
(al-Bayhaqi- saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’)

Shaikh al-Albaani said:
“This was reported from ‘Umar radhi Allaahu anhu concerning Qunoot in Fajr, and it seems that this Qunoot is Qunoot al-Naazilah, as is indicated by his praying against the kuffaar.”

Can I read the duaa that I read in Qunoot al-Witr?

No. That duaa is not appropriate for this situation.

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“He should say Qunoot with a supplication that is *appropriate* to the calamity that has come.
Hence the Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to say Qunoot with words that were appropriate to the calamity, and he did NOT say “Allaahumma ihdini fiman hadayta/O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided…” as some of the common folk do.

It is not narrated in any hadeeth, saheeh or da’eef, that the Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam ever used to say “Allaahumma ihdini fiman hadayta/O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided…”) in obligatory prayers;
rather he would offer a supplication that was appropriate to that calamity.

On one occasion, he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam prayed for some of the weak and oppressed people, asking Allaah to save them, until they came (to him in Madeenah).”
[al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (4/45)]

And Allaah knows best