How to Pray Witr: Rakats, Steps and Qunut
Witr is an odd-numbered prayer of 1 to 11 rakats, most commonly 3, prayed between Isha and Fajr; it is wajib in the Hanafi school and a confirmed sunnah in the others.
Last updated:
How Many Rakats Is Witr?
Witr can be 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 rakats. The Prophet ﷺ said: Witr is one rakah at the end of the night (Sahih Muslim), and that whoever wishes may pray it as 5, 3 or 1 (Abu Dawud, Nasa’i).
| Rakats | How it is prayed |
|---|---|
| 1 | A single rakah, after you have given the salam from an even prayer, with the final tashahhud and salam. |
| 3 | Two ways: pray 2 rakats, give the salam, then 1 rakah (the preferred way in the Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools); or pray 3 joined (see below). |
| 5 | Pray them joined, sitting only in the last rakah, then the salam (Sahih Muslim). |
| 7 or 9 | Pray them joined: sit for a tashahhud after the 6th (or 8th) rakah without the salam, stand for the next, then sit again and give the salam (Sahih Muslim, Nasa’i). |
| 11 | Pray 5 sets of two, each with a salam, then 1 rakah. |
How to Pray Witr as 3 Rakats
Separated: pray 2 rakats and give the salam, then stand and pray 1 rakah with Al-Fatiha and a surah, recite qunut, then the tashahhud and salam.
Joined (Hanafi): pray 3 rakats like Maghrib, with a tashahhud after the second rakah, stand for the third, recite Al-Fatiha and a surah, say the takbir and recite qunut before ruku, then the final tashahhud and salam. The other schools also allow 3 joined with a single tashahhud at the end.
The usual surahs are Al-A’la in the first rakah, Al-Kafirun in the second and Al-Ikhlas in the third (Abu Dawud, Nasa’i).
The Qunut Dua in Witr
Qunut is a short supplication recited in the last rakah of Witr. The schools differ on how often (every night or only in the second half of Ramadan) and whether it is said before or after ruku, so follow your school. A dua the Prophet ﷺ taught his grandson Al-Hasan to say in Witr (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi):
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
“O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, grant me well-being among those You have granted well-being, take me into Your care among those You have taken into Your care, bless me in what You have given, and protect me from the evil You have decreed. You decree and none decrees over You. Whoever You befriend is never humbled. Blessed are You, our Lord, and exalted.”
When Is Witr Prayed?
Witr is prayed after Isha and ends at Fajr. The Prophet ﷺ told us to make Witr the last of our night prayer (Bukhari, Muslim). If you fear you will not wake up, pray it before you sleep (Sahih Muslim). If you slept through it or forgot, pray it when you remember (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). In Ramadan it is prayed with the imam after Taraweeh.
Is Witr Wajib or Sunnah?
The Hanafi school holds Witr to be wajib, a rank below fard that must still be made up if missed. The Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools hold it to be a strongly confirmed sunnah that is not obligatory. All the schools agree it should never be left out.
Sources
- General guidance from widely cited hadith. The schools differ on some details, so follow a scholar you trust for your own case.
- Sahih Muslim: “Witr is one rakah at the end of the night”; Witr of 5, 7 and 9 rakats.
- Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i: Witr as 5, 3 or 1; surahs of Witr; the qunut dua taught to Al-Hasan.
- Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim: make Witr the last of your night prayer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Witr is an odd number of rakats from 1 to 11. The most common is 3.
Either pray 2 rakats and give the salam, then pray 1 rakah, or pray 3 joined. In the Hanafi way you sit for a tashahhud after the second rakah, stand for the third, recite qunut before ruku, then finish with the final tashahhud and salam.
The Hanafi school says wajib. The Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools say a strongly confirmed sunnah.
Its time ends at Fajr. If you missed it, pray it when you remember; the Hanafi school requires making it up.
Qunut is recited in the last rakah of Witr. Schools differ on whether it is said every night and whether before or after ruku, so follow your school.
Never lose count in salah again
Prayer Memory keeps the count for you, silently, so you can give your attention to the prayer. Free to download, with an optional Pro upgrade inside the app.
