428. Qunoot In Witr

 By Asma bint Shameem 

1. What does Qunoot mean?

Qunoot is “the Duaa offered during prayer at a specific point while standing.”

2. Waajib or Sunnah?

Reading Duaa of Qunoot in witr is *Sunnah* and *not mandatory* according to the majority of the scholars. 

In fact the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said it SOMETIMES and did not say it at other times. 

So we should do the same. 

Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:

“.....when the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam taught al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali radhi Allaahu anhumaa to say Qunoot in Witr, he did not tell him to omit it sometimes or to do it all the time. 

This indicates that either is permissible. 

Hence it was narrated that when Ubayy ibn Ka’b radhi Allaahu anhu 

led the Sahaabah in prayer in the Masjid of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, he used to omit Qunoot some nights; perhaps that was in order to teach the people that it is not obligatory.”

(Fataawa Islamiyyah, 2/159)

NOTE: 

Do keep in mind that Qunoot is DIFFERENT from Witr. 

We usually assume that Qunoot and Witr are one and the same thing, although they’re NOT. 

Qunoot is the *DUAA* that is said in Salaah at a specific time. 

Witr is the odd-numbered *PRAYER* done after Ishaa Salaah. 

3. Any Specific Words for Qunoot?

Although the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam taught Hasan radhi Allaahu anhu what to say in Qunoot of witr, you don’t “have” to use these same exact words although it’s *better* to do so. 

You could make duaa in Witr using ANY words, or add to the duaa taught by the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam 

or say anything that’s different from it. 

You can even read duaas from the Qur’aan in Qunoot of witr. 

Imaam al-Nawawi said: 

“Note that there is no specific du’aa for Qunoot according to the preferred point of view. 

ANY du’aa’ that is said will serve as Qunoot, even if one recites a verse or verses from the Qur’aan that include words of supplication, this will count as Qunoot, but it is *better to recite the words that were narrated in the Sunnah.*”

(Al-Adhkaar al-Nawawiyyah, p. 50)

4. The Duaa itself. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam taught Hasan radhi Allaahu anhu the following duaa:

 اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ ، وَعَافِنِي   فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ ، وَتَوَلَّنِي   فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَقِنِي   شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ ، فإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي     ولا يُقْضَى     عَلَيْكَ ، وَإِنَّهُ لا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ ، وَلا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ ، ولا منجا منك إلا إليك 

“Allaahumma ihdini feeman hadayta wa ‘aafini feeman ‘aafayta wa tawallani feeman tawallayta wa baarik li feema a’tayta, wa qini sharra ma qadayta , fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu laa yadhillu man waalayta wa laa ya’izzu man ‘aadayta, tabaarakta Rabbana wa ta’aalayta la manja minka illa ilayk

“O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided, pardon me among those whom You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in friendship, and bless me in what You have bestowed, and save me from the evil of what You have decreed. 

For verily You decree and none can influence You; and he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, nor is he honoured who is Your enemy. 

Blessed are You, O Lord, and Exalted. There is no place of safety from You except with You.” 

[Abu Dawood (1425), al-Tirmidhi (464), and al-Nasaa’i (1746) ; saheeh by al-Albaani]

5. The other duaa:

It’s ALSO permissible to make duaa in Qunoot of witr using the words that we were taught growing up in Pakistan. 

However, it’s reported that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam used to recite this duaa in Qunoot Naazilah, that is, he made this duaa when some calamity hit the Muslims. 

However, since ANY words may be used to make duaa in Qunoot, this duaa is also valid. 

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 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)

6. Before the rukoo or After?

Duaa of Qunoot can be said before, as well as, after the rukoo. 

BOTH are allowed. 

Ibn Taymiyah said:

“With regard to qunoot: there are two extreme views and one middle (or moderate) view. 

Some say that qunoot should only be recited before bowing and some say that it should only be recited after bowing. 

The fuqaha’ among the scholars of hadeeth, such as Ahmad and others, say that BOTH are ALLOWED, because both are mentioned in the saheeh Sunnah, but they preferred reciting qunoot after bowing because this is mentioned more often.” [Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (23/100)]

7. Raise hands?

We should raise our hands and make duaa when standing for Qunoot. 

That’s what Omar radhi Allaahu anhu said and did. [al-Bayhaqi- saheeh (2/210)]

The scholars of the Standing Committee said:

“One should raise the hands during the du’aa al-qunoot and when saying Takbeer during the janaazah and Eid prayers, because evidence to this effect has been narrated.”

(Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa, 7/53)

And Allaah knows best.