Witr Prayer: How to Pray & Dua Qunoot
Learn how to pray Witr after Isha, follow a clearly explained one- or three-rakat method, and read the Witr dua in Arabic with transliteration and English meaning.
This guide explains Sunni practice, with each method labeled by school. Witr is a year-round prayer, not only a Ramadan prayer.
When?
After performing Isha and before Fajr begins.
How many rakats?
Three in the Hanafi method. The Shafi‘i school also permits one, with three preferred over one alone.
Which dua?
Two well-known Qunut texts appear below. Their placement and ruling depend on your school.
What Is Witr Prayer?
Witr means “odd.” Witr prayer, also called Witr Salah or Salatul Witr, is an odd-numbered night prayer offered after Isha. It is distinct from Isha’s four obligatory rakats.
Is Witr mandatory? The Hanafi school classifies it as wajib (necessary); the majority of Sunni jurists classify it as an emphasized Sunnah. A guide that calls it simply “optional” without naming the school misses this important difference.
How Many Rakats Is Witr Prayer?
In Hanafi practice, Witr consists of three connected rakats. In Shafi‘i practice, one rakat is valid, while three can be offered as two plus one. The difference is a matter of established prayer methods, not a different prayer for Ramadan.
How to Pray Witr: Choose Your Method
Start with wudu, face the Qibla, and intend the prayer you are about to offer. If you are new to bowing, prostration, or the sitting recitations, use our basic Salah guide alongside these Witr-specific steps.
Hanafi: three connected rakats
Sit after the second rakat without ending the prayer. In the third, recite Qunut before bowing. Finish with salam after the third rakat.
Shafi‘i: two rakats, then one
Finish two rakats with salam, then begin a separate one-rakat Witr. A single rakat alone is also valid in this school.
How to Pray 3 Rakat Witr: Hanafi Steps
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Pray the first rakat
Intend three rakats of Witr. Begin with the opening takbir and your usual opening supplication. Recite Al-Fatihah and another surah or Quranic passage. Bow, stand, and perform the two prostrations.
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Pray the second rakat and sit
Repeat the recitation, bowing, and prostrations. Sit and recite the tashahhud. Do not say salam: rise for the third rakat.
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Recite in the third rakat
Recite Al-Fatihah and another surah or Quranic passage. Unlike the third rakat of Maghrib’s obligatory prayer, there is additional Quran recitation here.
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Say the extra takbir, then Qunut
While still standing, say Allahu akbar and raise your hands as for the opening takbir. Fold them again and recite Dua Qunoot before going into ruku. The Hanafi dua is given below.
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Complete the prayer
Bow, rise, and perform both prostrations. Sit for the final tashahhud, blessings upon the Prophet, and supplication, then finish with salam.
How to Pray 1 Rakat Witr — and the 2 + 1 Method
The following is a Shafi‘i-compatible method, not the Hanafi method. For three rakats, first offer two rakats with a complete final sitting and salam. Then begin the separate one-rakat prayer below.
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Begin the one-rakat prayer
Intend Witr and say the opening takbir. Recite Al-Fatihah and a surah or passage from the Quran.
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Bow and return to standing
Perform ruku, then stand upright. In the Shafi‘i school, Witr Qunut is recommended here during the second half of Ramadan. It is not a year-round requirement of this method.
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Prostrate, sit, and finish
Perform two prostrations with a sitting between them. Then sit for the tashahhud, blessings upon the Prophet, and supplication, and finish with salam.
Do not treat one rakat as a shortcut within the Hanafi method. Follow one clearly identified method; an imam or teacher can help if you are unsure which practice you follow.
Witr Dua: Dua Qunoot in Arabic and English
Qunut is a supplication within the prayer. These are two recognized texts, not a requirement to recite both. Transliteration is a learning aid; use the Arabic text and a qualified teacher to improve pronunciation.
Allahumma ihdini — the dua taught to Al-Hasan
Al-Hasan ibn Ali reported that the Prophet taught him these words for Witr Qunut. This text follows Sunan an-Nasa’i 1745; other narrations contain wording variations.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ.
Transliteration
Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayt, wa ‘afini fiman ‘afayt, wa tawallani fiman tawallayt, wa barik li fima a‘tayt, wa qini sharra ma qadayt. Innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu la yadhillu man walayt. Tabarakta Rabbana wa ta‘alayt.
English meaning
O Allah, include me among those You guide, grant well-being, and take into Your care. Bless what You have given me and protect me from the evil of what You have decreed. Yours is the judgment, and no judgment is imposed upon You. Whoever is under Your protection will not be brought low. Our Lord, You are blessed and exalted.
Allahumma inna nasta‘inuka — commonly taught in Hanafi practice
This is the Qunut text commonly taught in Hanafi prayer manuals. It is presented here with a Hanafi juristic source, separately from the prophetic narration above.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ كُلَّهُ، نَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ، وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَفْجُرُكَ. اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي وَنَسْجُدُ، وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ، نَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ، إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ.
Transliteration
Allahumma inna nasta‘inuka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu’minu bika wa natawakkalu ‘alayka wa nuthni ‘alaykal-khayra kullah. Nashkuruka wa la nakfuruka, wa nakhla‘u wa natruku man yafjuruk. Allahumma iyyaka na‘budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu, wa ilayka nas‘a wa nahfidu. Narju rahmataka wa nakhsha ‘adhabaka. Inna ‘adhabaka bil-kuffari mulhaq.
English meaning
O Allah, we seek Your help and forgiveness. We believe in You, rely on You, and praise You with all good praise. We thank You and do not deny You; we renounce and leave those who rebel against You. O Allah, You alone we worship; to You we pray and prostrate. Toward You we strive with devotion. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment. Your punishment will reach those who reject faith.
When Do You Recite Dua Qunoot in Witr?
- Hanafi: in the third rakat, after Quran recitation and the extra takbir, before ruku, throughout the year.
- Shafi‘i: after ruku in the final rakat during the second half of Ramadan.
- Other Sunni practices: the Hanbali school generally recommends Witr Qunut, commonly after ruku; the well-known Maliki position does not recommend Qunut in Witr.
These differences explain why you may see another mosque praying differently. The placement is part of the method you follow, not something determined solely by which dua text you choose.
When Is Witr Prayer? After Isha, Before Fajr
Witr’s time begins after you have performed Isha and ends when Fajr enters. The deadline is the beginning of Fajr, not sunrise. Check the Isha and Fajr times for your city; there is no single clock time for everyone.
How to pray Witr after Isha
Complete Isha and its usual following Sunnah prayers, then offer Witr using your school’s method. Witr is a separate prayer: do not add its rakats to the four-rakat obligatory Isha prayer as one continuous prayer.
How to pray Tahajjud and Witr
If you expect to wake for Tahajjud, leave Witr until after your night prayer. If you are worried you will sleep through, pray Witr before going to bed.
Already prayed Witr and then woke up? You may still pray Tahajjud in pairs. Do not repeat Witr that night.
What to Say After Witr Prayer
After salam, a reported remembrance is to say the following three times. This is after-prayer dhikr, distinct from the Qunut recited inside Witr.
سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ
Transliteration
Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus.
English meaning
Glory to the King, the Most Holy.
Witr Prayer Questions
What if I do not know Dua Qunoot?
In the Hanafi school, the Qunut requirement can be fulfilled with another short Arabic supplication while you learn the usual text. Not knowing the long dua is not a reason to abandon Witr. A beginner can learn “Allahummaghfir li” (O Allah, forgive me).
What if I forget Qunut in Hanafi Witr?
Accidentally omitting Qunut calls for the prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw). This is different from simply not having memorized the long dua. Follow the Hanafi procedure for sujud al-sahw; the source on forgetting Qunut listed below explains the obligation.
Which surahs should I read in Witr?
Al-A‘la (87), Al-Kafirun (109), and Al-Ikhlas (112) are reported for the three rakats. Learn these as a reported practice; they are not the only Quran passages that may be recited. In the Hanafi method, recite Al-Fatihah and additional Quran in all three rakats.
What is the maximum number of Witr rakats?
There is no single school-independent answer. The Hanafi method is three rakats. In the Shafi‘i school, one is the minimum and eleven is the standard maximum taught in the cited guide, with three preferred over one alone. Longer forms have their own rules for sitting and salam.
Is Witr only prayed during Ramadan?
No. Witr belongs to the nightly prayer routine throughout the year. Ramadan adds Taraweeh; it does not create a second Witr. If you have already offered Witr with the imam, do not offer another Witr later that night.
What if I miss Witr?
In the Hanafi school, missed Witr must be made up. Do not assume that sunrise extends its normal prayer window; making up a missed prayer is a separate issue. The details of make-up practice differ by school, so use guidance that matches your practice.