Witr Prayer and How to Pray Witr? Find Out Here!
Hi, readers! Are you looking for an explanation about the "Witr prayer and how to pray Witr?" If your answer is "Yes," congratulations! You are now reading the right article. Why? Because that is exactly what I will be explaining in this article. As Muslims, we must understand it. That’s why I wrote this article, so make sure to read it until the end!
Specifically, there are several important points about the "Witr prayer and how to pray Witr" that I will explain here. These key points include:
What Is Witr Prayer?
The first important point about the "Witr prayer and how to pray Witr" is, "What is the Witr prayer?" I want you to understand that before moving on to other explanations in this article, as it is one of the fundamental discussions about the Witr prayer that you need to fully grasp.
Literally, "Witr prayer" is an Arabic phrase, written as صَلَاةُ الْوِتْرِ. There are two words in the phrase: prayer (صَلَاةُ) and Witr (الْوِتْرِ). To understand the meaning of the Witr prayer, we must first understand the meanings of these two words.
In Arabic, صَلَاةُ means "prayer." In Islamic law, prayer (صَلَاةُ) refers to a set of sayings and movements that begin with Takbir Ihram and end with Salaam.
In Arabic, the word الْوِتْرِ means "odd" (1, 3, 5, 7, and so on) as opposed to "even" (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.).
Therefore, by understanding the literal meaning of the Witr prayer, we can conclude that it is a prayer performed in odd rakats, such as one, three, five, seven rakats, and so on. Thus, Muslims cannot perform the Witr prayer with an even number of rakats, like two, four, six, eight rakats, and so forth.
When we consult Islamic legal texts about the Witr prayer, we find that it is classified as a recommended or sunnah prayer, meaning it is not obligatory for Muslims. In other words, they will be rewarded for performing the Witr prayer but will not be sinful if they do not perform it.
This explanation can be found in the following hadith:
عَنْ جَابِرٍ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَامَ فِيْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ انْتَظَرُوْهُ مِنَ الْقَابِلَةِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ وَقَالَ ؛ إِنِّيْ خَشِيْتُ أَنْ يُكْتَبَ عَلَيْكُمْ الْوِتْرُ . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ حِبَّانٍ
From Jabir bin Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with both of them), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed the Tarawih prayer during the month of Ramadan. Then they waited for him the next night, but he did not come out (of his house) and said, "Indeed, I am worried that the Witr prayer would be made obligatory upon you." This hadith is narrated by Ibn Hibban.
This is a brief explanation of "What is the Witr prayer?" As Muslims, we must understand this concept.
Hadith About the Witr Prayer
The important aspect of "Witr prayer and how to pray Witr?" that I will explain now is the hadith about the Witr prayer. I want you to understand this so you can grasp the evidence regarding the Witr prayer. Therefore, it is essential that you comprehend the explanations provided in the following paragraphs.
Before I delve deeper into the hadith about the Witr prayer, I want you to know that there are many hadiths concerning the Witr prayer. I won't cover them all here. In this article, I will explain three hadiths related to the Witr prayer.
The three hadiths I will discuss regarding the Witr prayer are as follows:
Hadith About Witr Prayer Times
The first hadith about the Witr prayer that I will explain now addresses the timing of the Witr prayer. The hadith below clarifies that the time for the Witr prayer is after the Isha prayer until before the dawn sadiq (the second dawn) rises. Please refer to the hadith below:
عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ ؛ إِذَا طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ فَقَدْ ذَهَبَ وَقْتُ كُلِّ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ وَالْوِتْرِ ، فَأَوْتِرُوْا قَبْلَ طُلُوْعِ الْفَجْرِ . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ
From Ibn Umar radliyallahu anhumaa, the Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, "If dawn has arisen, then truly the time for evening prayers and the Witr prayer is over. Pray Witr before dawn appears!" The hadith is narrated by at-Tirmidhi.
That's the hadith about the timing of the Witr prayer. As Muslims, we must understand this.
Hadith About the Virtue of Witr Prayer
The second hadith about the Witr prayer that I will explain now discusses its virtues. The hadith below highlights that the Witr prayer is beloved to Allah. Essentially, Allah is very pleased when Muslims perform the Witr prayer. This is one of the virtues of the Witr prayer. Please see the hadith below:
عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ ؛ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ؛ أَوْتِرُوْا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ فَإِنَّ اللهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ . رَوَاهُ الْخَمْسَةٌ
From Ali radliyallahu anhu, he said, "Allah's Messenger sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, 'Pray Witr, O Ahl al-Quran! Indeed, Allah is One and loves the Witr prayer.'" The hadith is narrated by five scholars (Ahmad, Abu Daud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah).
That's the hadith about the virtue of the Witr prayer. As Muslims, we must understand this.
Hadith About Witr Prayer Rakats
The third hadith about the Witr prayer that I will explain now concerns the number of rakats. The hadith below explains that the Witr prayer must be performed with an odd number of rakats (1, 3, 5, and so on). Please see the hadith below:
عَنْ أَبِيْ أَيُّوْبَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ ؛ الْوِتْرُ حَقٌّ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ ، مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوْتِرَ بِخَمْسٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوْتِرَ بِثَلَاثٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوْتِرَ بِوَاحِدَةٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ . رَوَاهُ الْأَرْبَعَةُ إِلَّا التِّرْمِذِيُّ
From Abu Ayyub al-Ansari radliyallahu anhu, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Witr prayer is an obligation for every Muslim. Whoever prefers to pray five rakats, let him do so. Whoever prefers three rakats, let him do that. And whoever prefers one rakat, let him do that." The hadith is narrated by four scholars except for at-Tirmidhi (Abu Daud, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah).
That's the hadith about the rakats of the Witr prayer. As Muslims, we must understand this.
How to Pray Witr?
The important thing about "Witr prayer and how to pray Witr" is what I will explain now: "How to pray Witr." I want you to understand this because it is crucial material about the Witr prayer that must be comprehended properly.
Read Also: Benefits of Witr Prayer
One important point I want to emphasize is that the Witr prayer is performed like a regular Sunnah prayer. If we want to perform the Witr prayer with three rakats, we must begin with two rakats. After that, we perform the Witr prayer with one rakat. If we want to perform the Witr prayer with five rakats, we also start with two rakats. Then, we perform another two rakats, followed by the Witr prayer with one rakat. If we wish to perform the Witr prayer with just one rakat, we can do that as well.
In general, if we read some Islamic legal literature on the Witr prayer, we will find an explanation that there are three steps to take when performing the Witr prayer:
- Purifying the body from minor and major hadas.
- Making the niyyah for the Witr prayer. The intention for the Witr prayer is as follows:
أُصَلِّيْ سُنَّةً مِنَ الْوِتْرِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى
I intend to perform part of Witr, the Sunnah prayer, two rakats, by facing the Qiblah, for the sake of Allah Ta'ala.
أُصَلِّيْ سُنَّةً الْوِتْرِ رَكْعَةً مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى
I intend to perform the Sunnah Witr prayer, one rakat, by facing the Qiblah, for the sake of Allah Ta'ala.
- Performing the Witr prayer as you would a regular Sunnah prayer.
That is a brief explanation of "How to pray Witr." As Muslims, we must understand this.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the Witr prayer and how to perform it is essential for every Muslim seeking to deepen their connection with Allah. The Witr prayer, characterized by its odd number of rakats, serves as a recommended Sunnah prayer, offering a unique opportunity for spiritual reflection and devotion. We explored its definition, significance, timing, virtues, and the correct method of performing the prayer, including the importance of intention. The hadiths discussed provide a solid foundation for recognizing the Witr prayer's value in our daily worship. By incorporating the Witr prayer into our spiritual routines, we not only fulfill a Sunnah but also draw closer to Allah's mercy and guidance. I hope this article has clarified the various aspects of the Witr prayer, empowering you to enrich your practice. Should you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to reach out. May your prayers be accepted, and your faith strengthened.
I believe that's enough for this article. I hope you find it useful. Ameen.
See you again in the next article!
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