Witr prayer is a voluntary night prayer in Islam, performed after the Isha prayer. It holds significant importance and is highly recommended for Muslims to offer. 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

Witr is a duty, and whoever wants to pray Witr with seven (rak’ahs), let him do so; whoever wants to pray Witr with five, let him do so, whoever wants to pray Witr with three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray Witr with one, let him do so.

[Hadith | Sunan an-Nasa’i]

Step 1

Make sure you have performed Whudu (ablution), wear clothing which covers your awrah (intimate parts) and make a sincere intention (Niyyah) to perform the Witr prayer.

Step 2

The Witr prayer consists of an odd number of Rak’ahs (units). The most common practice is to perform 3 Rak’ahs. You may choose to perform 1, 3, 5, or any odd number of Rak’ahs for Witr (in the Hanafi madhab, the minimum is 3 Rak’ahs).

Step 3

Stand facing the Qibla with your feet shoulder-width apart.

Step 3

Raise your hands and say “Allahu Akbar” to begin the prayer. Then place your right hand over your left.

Step 4

It is Sunnah to recite Sana at this point: Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika wa tabarakasmuka, wa ta’ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuk.

Step 5

Recite Ta’awadh (A’udhu billahi min ash-shaytaan-ir-rajeem) and Tasmiah (Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem).

Step 6

In the first Rak’ah, recite Surah Al-Fatihah (the opening chapter of the Quran), followed by another Surah or a few verses from the Quran.

Step 7

Bow (Ruk’ah) while saying “Allahu Akbar” and place your hands on your knees. Say “Subhana Rabbiy-al-‘Adheem” ideally at least three times.

Step 8

Rise from the bowing position and stand upright, while saying “Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah” then say “Rabbana lakal hamd” once standing.

Step 9

Prostrate (Sujood) by saying “Allahu Akbar” and place your forehead, nose, palms, knees, and toes on the ground. Say “Subhaana Rabbiy-al-A‘laa” ideally ideally at least three times and then sit back briefly saying “Allahu Akbar” as you rise. After a few seconds, return back into prostration and repeat “Subhaana Rabbiy-al-A‘laa” ideally three times once more.

Step 10

Rise from the prostration and stand up whilst saying “Allahu Akbar”. 

Step 11

Begin the second Rak’ah by reciting Surah Al-Fatihah, followed by another Surah or verses from the Quran.

Step 12

Repeat steps 7-10 (performing Ruk’ah and Sujood) and then sit and recite Tashahhud (At-tahiyyatu lillah, was-salawaatu wat-tayyibaat. As-salaamu ’alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Ullahi wa barakaatu. As-salaamu ’alayna, wa ’alaa ‘ibaadi-llahis saaliheen. Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu). 

Step 13

Rise to stand for the third Rak’ah. In the third Rak’ah, you can recite Surah Al-Fatihah and a shorter Surah or verses from the Quran, or you may recite a portion of any Surah. This is the last Rak’ah of the Witr prayer.

Step 14

After completing the recitation, raise your hands and say “Allahu Akbar”. Instead of going down for Ruku raise your hands to your ear lobes or shoulders and bring them back down into position. 

Step 15

It is Sunnah to then recite the Witr Du’a known as Du’a-e-Qunoot:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّا نَسۡتَعِيۡنُكَ وَنَسۡتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤۡمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيۡكَ وَنُثۡنِىۡ عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡخَيۡرَ وَنَشۡكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكۡفُرُكَ وَنَخۡلَعُ وَنَتۡرُكُ مَنۡ يَّفۡجُرُكَ. اَللَّهُمَّ اِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّئ وَنَسۡجُدُ وَاِلَيۡكَ نَسۡعٰى ونَحۡفِدُ ونَرۡجُوۡا رَحۡمَتَكَ وَنَخۡشٰى عَذَابَكَ اِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالۡكُفَّارِ مُلۡحِقٌٌ

Transliteration: Allah humma inna nasta-eenoka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu’minu bika wa natawakkalu alaika wa nusni alaikal khair, wa nashkuruka wala nakfuruka wa nakhla-oo wa natruku mai yafjuruka, Allah humma iyyaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjud wa ilaika nas aaa wa nahfizu wa narju rahma taka wa nakhshaa azaabaka inna azaabaka bil kuffari mulhik.

Translation: O Allah! We implore You for help and beg forgiveness of You and believe in You and rely on You and extol You and we are thankful to You and are not ungrateful to You and we alienate and forsake those who disobey You. O Allah! You alone do we worship and for You do we pray and prostrate and we betake to please You and present ourselves for the service in Your cause and we hope for Your mercy and fear Your chastisement. Undoubtedly, Your torment is going to overtake infidels O Allah!

Step 16

After finishing this du’a, continue with salah in the regular, repeating steps 7-10 to perform Ruk’ah and Sujood and then sit back and recite the Tashahhud again.

Step 17

Send Salawat upon the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by reciting: “Allahumma Salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin, kama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala aali Ibrahima innaka Hamidum-Majeed. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala aali Ibrahima innaka Hameedum-Majeed”.

Step 18

It is highly recommended to recite some Sunnah du’as (supplications) at this point.

Step 19

Conclude the prayer by turning your head to the right and then to the left, saying “Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah” each time.

Note: The above is the most common way of performing Witr in the Hanafi madhab. Please note that there are other ways of performing the Witr prayer that are also authentic.

The Witr prayer is generally offered individually, and it is recommended to pray it at the end of the night, before the Fajr prayer. However, it is permissible to perform it at any time after the Isha prayer until the break of dawn.

Remember, the Witr prayer is an excellent opportunity to seek forgiveness, make personal supplications, and strengthen your connection with Allah in the serene hours of the night.