Witr prayer: how many rak‘ahs and how to pray it
The odd-numbered night prayer after Isha: its forms, the qunut and the surahs of the Sunnah
Witr is the odd-numbered prayer of the night: it is prayed after Isha and before Fajr, most often as 3 rak‘ahs, sometimes a single one, up to 11. Without an imam, you recite aloud or silently; in congregation during Ramadan, the imam recites aloud. The Prophet ﷺ recited Al-A‘la, Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas in it.
What the schools agree on
Witr is prayed between Isha and dawn, and closes the night prayer. Its number of rak‘ahs is always odd.
Whoever fears not waking up prays it before sleeping; whoever rises at night can keep it for the end. The schools differ on its status and its form: the box below sums them up.
| Rak‘ahs | 3 most often; from 1 to 11, always an odd number |
|---|---|
| Time | between Isha and Fajr |
| Voice | aloud or silent, as you choose |
Aisha said the Prophet ﷺ prayed Witr at every part of the night, and that his Witr came to be placed just before dawn.
The Prophet ﷺ asked that Witr be the last prayer of the night.
Witr, step by step
Here is the most widespread form, in 3 rak‘ahs. For a single rak‘ah, you recite Al-Fatiha and a surah, then sit for the tashahhud and the salam.
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The first two rak‘ahsash-shaf‘
Standing, Al-Fatiha then Al-A‘la in the first rak‘ah, Al-Fatiha then Al-Kafirun in the second. Depending on the school, you then sit for the tashahhud and stand up, or end with a salam before the last rak‘ah.
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The last rak‘ahal-witr
Al-Fatiha then Al-Ikhlas. This is the rak‘ah that makes the prayer odd.
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The qunutal-qunut
A supplication said standing in the last rak‘ah, before or after bowing depending on the school; the Malikis do not say it in Witr. The best known is the one the Prophet ﷺ taught al-Hasan (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 464, hasan according to at-Tirmidhi); the Hanafis often say another.
What is said
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ؛ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، تَبارَكْتَ رَبَّنا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
Allâhumma-hdinî fîman hadayt, wa 'âfinî fîman 'âfayt, wa tawallanî fîman tawallayt, wa bârik lî fîmâ a'tayt, wa qinî sharra mâ qadayt, fa innaka taqdî wa lâ yuqdâ 'alayk, wa innahu lâ yadhillu man wâlayt, tabârakta rabbanâ wa ta'âlayt
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 me, and protect me from the evil of what You have decreed. For You decree and none decrees against You. And the one You take as an ally is never humiliated. Blessed are You, our Lord, and Exalted.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 464 · grade: sahih (authentic), graded by Zubair Ali Zai -
The tashahhud and the salamat-tashahhud
You sit for the last tashahhud, send prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ, then end with the salam.
Asked about the night prayer, the Prophet ﷺ answered that it is prayed two rak‘ahs at a time, and that whoever fears the coming of dawn adds one rak‘ah, which makes odd all that he has prayed.
Aisha said the Prophet ﷺ prayed no more than eleven rak‘ahs at night, in Ramadan as in the rest of the year: four long and beautiful ones, then four, then three.
The Prophet ﷺ said that two Witrs are not prayed in one night.
The four schools, all valid
A man from Najd asked the Prophet ﷺ which prayers were required of him: the five prayers of each day, and no other obligatory one, except what he would add of his own accord.
When travelling, the Prophet ﷺ prayed the night prayer and Witr on his mount, with gestures, but never the obligatory prayers.
Which surahs to recite in Witr?
The Sunnah has kept three short surahs, one per rak‘ah: Al-A'la, Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas. Any other surah remains valid.
The Prophet ﷺ recited Al-A‘la, Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas in Witr.
| Surah | Verses | Listening | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al-A'la | 19 | 1 min 54 s | Sunan Abi Dawud 1423 · rak‘ah 1 |
| Al-Kafirun | 6 | 40 s | Sunan Abi Dawud 1423 · rak‘ah 2 |
| Al-Ikhlas | 4 | 15 s | Sunan Abi Dawud 1423 · rak‘ah 3 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Witr obligatory?
For the Hanafis, yes (wajib); for the Malikis, Shafi‘is and Hanbalis, it is a strongly recommended sunnah. All the schools ask that it not be neglected.
Can Witr be prayed as a single rak‘ah?
Yes for the Shafi‘is and Hanbalis, and it is the Maliki form, after two rak‘ahs; the Hanafis always pray it as 3 rak‘ahs.
I prayed Witr before sleeping and woke up at night: what should I do?
You can pray two rak‘ahs at a time without repeating Witr: the four schools say so, in line with Sunan Abi Dawud 1439, cited above.
When is Witr prayed?
After Isha and before Fajr. Whoever wakes up at night can keep it for the end, before dawn; otherwise, it is prayed before sleeping.
How can I check my Fatiha and the surahs I recite in prayer?
Recite them out loud in the Tilawa app: it follows your recitation word by word and shows you the words and tajweed rules to work on. During prayer, it can also follow the verses you recite.
Tilawa editorial team · Updated 2026-10-24 · Report an error