How to pray salah
How to pray salah
How to pray salah
Now that our wudu has been properly made we can proceed and begin to pray salah. Here are the steps of the salah:
To understand the steps of the salah it is important to understand that the prayer is made up of rakah, or units of prayer. Every rakah has the same basic steps within it.
Depending on which prayer you are performing there will be slight differences in how these rakah are performed. Here is a summary of how each of the five daily prayers differ from one another:
Let us break down how each rakah of the salah is performed, step by step.
Learning How to Pray: One Rakah at a Time
Table of Contents
If you would like to jump ahead to any of the 13 steps you can click on the options below:
Step 1 – Make your intention to pray
We first began the prayer by making an intention from the heart to pray to Allah. As soon as you begin, your entire focus should be on the prayer itself and nothing else.
Step 2 – Raise your hands to your ears and say ‘Allahu Akbar”
The moment you say “Allahu Akbar” the prayer will officially begin. From this point forward you should focus wholeheartedly on the prayer and do your best to ignore all distractions.
Fun Fact: What do you think Allahu Akbar means? In most Arabic to English translations it is defined as “Allah is the Greatest.” However, the real meaning of the phrase is “Allah is Greater.” It means that Allah is greater than everything in existence. In the moment of praying salah, saying Allahu Akbar is a reminder to the Muslim that Allah is greater than all other thoughts and actions.
Step 3 – Lower your hands and place them over your naval. Your right hand should be placed over your left hand
Step 4 – Keep your eyes focused on the ground in front of you
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that while you praying your eyes should always look to where you will prostrate.
Although it is not obligatory, it is also highly recommended to read the following dua (supplication) after saying Allahu Akbar:
subhanakal-lahumma wabihamdika
watabarakas-muka
wataa ‘ala jadduka
wala ilaha ghayruka.
How perfect you are, O Allah. I praise you
How blessed is Your name
How lofty is Your position
And none has the right to be worshipped but You
Step 5 – Recite the opening chapter of the Qur’an
The first chapter of the Qur’an is called Surah Fatihah. You will begin by saying this Arabic phrase:
A’auodu billaahi minash-shaytaanir rajeem
‘I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan (devil).’
And then begin to recite the chapter verse by verse in Arabic:
Bismillaahir ar-Rahmani ar-Raheem
Al hamdu lillaahi rabbil ‘alameen
Ar-Rahmani ar-Raheem
Maaliki yawmid deen
Iyyaaka na’aboodu wa iyyaaka nasta’een
Ihdeenas siraatal mustaqeem
Siraatal ladheena an ‘amta’ alayhim
Ghayril maghduubi’ alayhim waladawleen
This is the meaning of the verses from Surah Fatihah:
In the name of God, the infinitely Compassionate and Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Master on the Day of Recompense (Judgement Day).
You alone do we worship, and You alone do we ask for help.
Guide us on the straight path,
The path of those who You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
After reciting Surah Fatihah, you can recite another chapter from the Qur’an. However, at a minimum you must recite Surah Fatihah in every raka’at of prayer.
Step 6 – Bow down. This is known as the ‘ruku’
As you are bowing down say ‘Allahu Akbar’. Make sure to keep your back straight, your hands on your knees, and your eyes focused on the ground where you will be prostrating.
When you are in this position you will say this sentence three times:
Subhanna rabbeeyal adheem
‘How perfect is my Lord, the Magnificent’
Step 7 – Return to standing up again
As you are rising up from the ruku position to a standing position you will bring your hands to your ears and will say:
Samee Allahu leeman hameeda
‘Allah hears those who praise him’
And when you are standing upright then lower your hands to your waist and say:
Rabbana walakal hamd
‘Our Lord, to You is all praise’
Step 8 – Go down to perform prostration. This is known as ‘sujud’
As you are moving into this position say Allahu Akbar.
And also make sure your forehead, nose, palms of both hands, knees, and both toes are touching the ground.
Step 9 – Say this phrase while in sujud (prostration)
Say this sentence three times:
Subhanna rabbeeyal ‘alaa
How perfect is my Lord, the Most High
Step 10 – Rise up from sujud and sit for a moment
Say Allahu akbar as you rise from sujud and then sit on your left leg. Your left foot will rest on the floor while your right foot is upright. Place your hands on your knees.
When you are in this position it is recommended to ask Allah for forgiveness. A simple and easy dua you can say is:
O my Lord, forgive me.
Step 11 – Return to the position of sujud
You will repeat step 9 again and perform a second sujud and say subhanna rabbeeyal ‘alaa three times again.
Step 12 – Arise from the sujud to return to the standing position and say Allahu Akbar
Congratulations, you have just completed one full rakah! The first rakah of every prayer is performed with these twelve steps.
When you reach the end of the second rakah you will perform the tashahud, or a step 13.
Step 13 – Perform the tashahud at the end of every two rakah
Instead of standing up after the two sujud, this time around you will sit on your legs and knees again. You will raise your right index finger and say:
At Tahiyyaatu lilaahi was Salawaatu wat tayibaatu
Assalaamu ‘alaika ayyuhan nabiyyu wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakaatuh
Assalaamu ‘alaynaa wa ‘alaa ‘ebaadillaahis saaliheen,
Ash hadu allaa ilaha illa Allah Wa ash hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhuu wa rasuuluh
All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah.
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Peace be upon us, and on the righteous slaves of Allah.
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger
If this is the final rakah in the prayer then you will add this part to the tashahud:
Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammad
Kamaa salayta ‘ala aali Ibraaheem wa ‘ala aali Ibrahim
Innaka Hameedun Majeed
Wa baarik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammad
Kamaa baarakta ‘ala Ibraaheem wa ‘ala aali Ibrahim
Innaka Hameedun Majeed
O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family (or followers) of Muhammad, Just as You sent prayers upon Ibrahim and the family (or followers) of Ibrahim,
Verily, you are full of Praise and Majesty.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family (or followers) of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family (or followers) of Ibraaheem,
Verily, you are full of Praise and Majesty.
The ‘tasleem’: after reciting the second part of the tashahud, you will say the “tasleem.”
The tasleem is to look to your right and say:
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatu Allah
And then to look to the left and say it again:
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatu Allah
Upon saying the tasleem the prayer will have come to an end.
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The Next Step
Now you know how to perform a rakah – one unit of prayer. The next step is to combine 2, 3, or 4 rakah together to complete one salah. We’ll cover that in the next chapter.
How to Pray in Islam
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Prayer (salah; plural salawat) is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is incumbent upon all mature Muslims, and highly recommended for children aged ten and over, to complete their five daily prayers according to the way the Prophet (PBUH) performed it in order for them to be valid. It is believed that communication with Allah will bring life to the prayerful and bring them courage. Muslims believe that Allah speaks to us through the Qur’an, and salaah is our means of connecting to Allah. Whether you’re just curious as to how Muslims pray or if you’re looking to learn for yourself, it’s never too early to start.
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How to pray salah
Welcome to the second guide on our website, the Beginner’s Guide on How to Pray Salah! We hope you will find value in reading this guide. It covers the second most important pillar of Islam which is the prayer (salah).
Download a free PDF version of this guide
You can read it at anytime, at your own convenience.
Why We Wrote This Guide
Islam is the fastest growing religion with over 1.9 billion followers all over the globe. All Muslims are taught within the religion to worship God Almighty through salah (daily prayers).
Muslims believe that we are created for the sole reason to worship Allah alone. This purpose is fulfilled through the daily salah. This guide will cover many of the essentials a Muslim needs to know in order to make their daily prayers:
That’s why we divided this Beginner’s Guide into seven chapters which represent the most important areas of the prayer such as how to make wudu, how to perform the prayer, common mistakes to avoid, the conditions of prayer, and many more subjects.
Secondly, all of the verses from the Holy Quran and the narrations from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are written in English instead of Arabic, their original language. That means any verses or quotes you see within this guide are only interpretations of the meaning and not the exact word-for-word definition.
We’ve also included audio clips, images, and short videos to help explain how the prayer is performed, so you can follow along and learn at your own pace.
That ends our short introduction. Let’s get started!
Sins take you away from Allah. On the other hand, the 5 daily salah bring you closer to Him
Who is this guide for?
Whether you have recently accepted Islam or have been a Muslim for many years, we designed this guide just for you. All of the lessons are designed to help anyone who wants to learn how to pray salah.
HOW TO PRAY SALAH ACCORDING TO QURAN AND SUNNAH OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD.
Assalamualaikum, we put together this easy to follow step by step guide for Muslim’s looking to learn how to properly perform salah (prayer) according to Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). This article will not simply just list the steps, but rather will give you a detailed and comprehensive guide to learning ALL about salat.
The five pillars of Islam form the foundation for which a Muslim’s routine and life should be based around. The second pillar is prayer, in Arabic صلاة pronounced as Salah or Salat.
An Introduction to Salah:
Salah is not intended to just be a mandatory enactment. Rather it is the first and a continuing sign of the believer’s obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
Table of Contents:
It is a spiritual ritual, a source for gaining strength and patience and as a means of self purification. A believer does not see salah as a burden but rather a privilege to learn and develop a deeper connection to his creator. A Muslim offers prayer out of humility and love to show their inner devotion to Allah because he or she depends on him.
Different Types of Salah:
There are four different types of Salah which make up the five daily prayers.
Fardh – Imperative (missing a fardh salah is considered a grave sin).
Wajib – Obligatory (missing is considered a sin, just not as great as a fardh salah).
Sunnah – Prophet’s Practice. Here there are two types, one Rasulullah prayed regularly known as Muakkadah and one prophet prayed occasionally, Ghair Muakkadah.
Nafl – Voluntary.
This table summarizes the number of rakats for each prayer. These should be memorized so you know how many rakats each you will need to pray. A rakat can be viewed as a single unit or cycle of prayer.
Preparation Before Salah (checklist):
Before beginning to pray one must be in a state of cleanliness. This is done by performing Wudu (ablution). In other cases, Tayammum or Ghusl are also acceptable methods of purification.
“O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer”
7:31
How to Pray Fardh, Sunnah, and Nafl Salah / Namaz:
After going through the prerequisites of Salah we are now ready to begin our prayer.
1. Begin with the proper niyyah (intention) that you want to pray, this can be done in your mind or verbally. The purpose is so that you are not heedless in prayer but are aware of the kind of salat you are about to offer.
I intend to offer the _____ rakats of the ____ prayer. So you could say something along the lines, “I intend to offer the 4 rakats fardh of the Isha prayer” or “2 rakat nafl for zuhr prayer”.
2. Ensure your praying area is clean, put down you prayer mat facing the direction of the Qiblah. Stand as you would normally with your feet around four inches apart. Direct your gaze towards the place of your sajdah. Now, with palms open, raise your hands to your ears and say the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) which means Allah is the greatest. Your prayer has now commenced. Women praying should raise their hands to their shoulders.
3. After Takbir, place cross your hands at chest level grabbing your left wrist with your right hand. [3] Begin with the recitation of thana. [4]
سُبْحانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaarakasmuka, wa ta’aalaa jadduka, wa laa ‘ilaaha ghayruka.
Meaning: Glory and praise be to You, O Allah. Blessed be Your name and exalted be Your majesty, there is none worthy of worship except You.
Recite Tauz or Ta’awwudh and continue with saying bismillah.
اعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم
auzu billahi minash shaitan rajeem
Meaning: I seek Allah’s protection from Satan, the accursed.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
bismillah hir rahman nir Raheem
Meaning: In the name of Allah who is kind and merciful.
4. After this recite Surah Al-Fatiha which is the first chapter of the Quran.
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَۙ(۱) الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِۙ(۲) مٰلِكِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِؕ(۳) اِیَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاكَ نَسْتَعِیْنُؕ(۴) اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَۙ(۵) صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْهِمْ غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ لَا الضَّآلِّیْنَ۠ ۷)
Alhamdu lillaahi Rabbil ‘aalameen Ar-Rahmaanir-Raheem Maaliki Yawmid-Deen Iyyaaka na’budu wa lyyaaka nasta’een Ihdinas-Siraatal-Mustaqeem Siraatal-lazeena an’amta ‘alaihim ghayril-maghdoobi ‘alaihim wa lad-daaalleen
Meaning: Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way, The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
At the end of reciting Surah Fatiha say Ameen.
5. While praying the first two rakats, after saying ameen, recite any passage from the Qur’an. Surah Ikhlas is commonly taught first because it is one of the shorter surahs and for the great rewards associated with it. [11] For prayers which exceed two rakat, you only need to recite Surah Fatiha and can move onto step 6 without reciting any extra passage after fatiha.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم قل هوا لله أحد،الله الصمد، لم يلد و لم يولد، و لم يكن له كفوا أحد
Bismillah hir Rahman nir Rahim Qul Huwallahu ahad. Allahussamad. Lam yalid wa lam yu-lad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.
Meaning: In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful. Say, He is Allah, the One. Allah is Eternal and Absolute. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal unto Him.
6. Say Allahu Akbar, bend down for ruku. Ruku is the position where you keep your head and back aligned and put your hands on your knees. Here recite Tasbeeh three times or any odd number of times you like.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhana Rabbiyal Adhim
Meaning: Glory be to my Lord Almighty
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه
Sami’Allahu liman hamidah
Meaning: Allah hears those who praise Him
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْد
Rabbana lakal hamd
Meaning: Our lord, to you be the praise.
According to Hambali Fiqh, you can raise both your hands up to your earlobes before entering ruku and after coming up from ruku. While coming up from ruku your hands should be at your side and not crossed at the chest.
8. Say Allahu Akbar and go down for sajdah (prostration). There should 5 points of contact with the ground, your forehead, nose, palms of hand, knees, and toes of the feet. Put your head between your palms such that your thumbs are aligned with earlobes. The elbows should be raised away from the ground. In this position recite Tasbeeh three or any odd number of times you like.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
Subhana Rabbiyal A’la
Meaning: How Perfect is my Lord, the Highest
9. Say Allahu Akbar, sit upright. It is sunnah to keep your right foot up and lay the left foot on the ground. [6] This position is called Jalsah Al-istiraha or the sitting position of the prayer. Rest your hands on the thighs with fingers reaching the knees. Recite the following, [7]
رب اغفر لي
Rabbighfir li
Meaning: O my Lord! Forgive me
Say Allahu Akbar and go for your second sujud, recite Subhana Rabbiyal A’la tasbeeh three times. After say Allahu Akbar and stand back up and cross your arms just as before. This represents one complete rakat of salah.
Perform the second rakat the same, except you do not need to recite subhanaka. When you complete the second sujood of the second rakat stay seated in position of Jalsah.
10. Here we recite Tashahhud silently:
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Attahiyat lillahi wa salawatu wa’t-tayyibat, as-salamu ‘alayka ayyuha’n-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakatuhu. As-salamu ‘alayna wa ‘alaa ‘ibad-Illah is-saliheen. ashhadu alla ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu
Meaning: All the best compliments and the prayers and the good things are for Allah. Peace and Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be on you, O Prophet! Peace be on us and on the pious slaves of Allah, I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and I also testify that Muhammad is Allah’s slave and His Apostle.
When you read the shahada (testimony of faith – ashhadu alla ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu) ball up your right hand into a fist and raise your index finger. This symbolizes the tawhid or oneness of Allah. At this point if the salat consists of more than two rakat you would say the takbir, i.e. Allahu akbar and begin the third rakat. If the salah only consists of two rakats then you would continue with the following supplication known as Salawat which is sends blessings and salutations towards the Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Ibrahim, may peace be upon them.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin Wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin Kama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahima wa barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin Kama barakta ‘ ala Ibrahima Wa ‘ ala ali Ibrahima Fil a’lamina Innaka hamidun Majid.”
Meaning: “O Allah, let Your mercy come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You let it come upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Truly You are Praiseworthy and Glorious.”
11. Turn your face towards looking over your right shoulder and then turn to left. Each time recite the following:
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah [8]
Meaning: peace and the mercy of Allah be on you.
How To Pray Witr Salah
Easy to follow step by step guide for a Muslim looking to learn how to properly perform Witr salah according to Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
Introduction To Witr Prayer
If you’re looking to learn how to pray Witr Salah then you probably know that it is slightly different from the other daily Islamic prayers.
The Witr Salat can be seen as problematic as the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) taught us different ways it could be completed. This has led to discussion of which is the right way to pray Witr?
Table of Contents:
The answer… there actually is no one right way. If there was there would be no discussion or disagreement. The way you may offer Witr prayer depends on which school of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) you follow. All schools of Fiqh are based around Sahih hadith and done according to Quranic teachings, no one school is more correct over another and it’s often a matter of preference.
Another common misconception is the Witr prayer is thought to be part of Isha Salah, this is not entirely correct. Witr prayer can be offered anytime after Isha salah up until break of dawn.
Importance of Witr Salah
Regarding the importance of Witr Salah, in a Sahih hadith, The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The witr is a duty for every Muslim. [1]
As mentioned in our previous guide on how to pray salah, every prayer is an opportunity for a Muslim to invest in deepening his or her relationship with their creator. As kids we may have viewed prayers as a duty or a chore but if we shift our perspective and take the time to understand why we offer prayer then we may be more disciplined and consistent with our prayers.
The Quran teaches us that the prayer can be a source to gain sabr (patience), it is a spiritual act which brings tranquility to the believer’s heart, and is a means of self purification:
“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”
2:153
“Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.”
29:45
How Many Rakats in Witr?
The consensus among the jurists is the Witr should be completed in odd number of rakats. This can be three, five, seven, or even nine. The most common practice is to pray three rakats for Witr and there are two ways this can be completed.
1. The first way is to pray three rakat without sitting for tashadud in the second rakat. [2]
2. You can pray two rakat for Witr with tashadud and tasleem. Then follow with one rakat again with tashadud and tasleem. [3]
It is the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) to pray two by two and finish Witr with one rakah so an odd numbered of rakats is completed. [4] In another hadith it was mentioned that the Prophet prayed five, seven, and even nine rakats in one salat and did not separate them with taslim. [5]
Is Witr Wajib or Sunnah?
There is a difference of opinion as to whether Witr Salat is obligatory.
Wajib – Mandatory prayer, in missing the prayer you are blameworthy. But it is not as bad as missing a Fardh prayer.
Sunnah – Referred to as the Prophet’s practice. Here there are two types, one Rasulullah prayed regularly known as Muakkadah (for example, Eid prayer) and the other which the Prophet abandoned occasionally, Ghair Muakkadah.
According to Imam Abu Hanifah the Witr Salat is considered wajib. The other three imams regard this prayer as Sunnah Al-Muakkadah based off the hadith which stresses that it is not obligatory. [6]
How to Pray Witr (Step By Step):
After going through the prerequisites of Salah we are now ready to begin our prayer. We will demonstrate what offering three rakat witr prayer would look like.
1. Begin with the proper niyyah (intention) that you want to pray salatul witr and decide how many rakat you will offer. This is not mandatory to say but just to give you an idea,
“I intend to offer _____ rakats of the witr prayer.”
2. Pray the first two rakats just like a regular fardh salah. We cover this in our guide to learning how to pray salah. In the third Rakat of Witr prayer recite Surah Fatihah followed by a few verses from the Qur’an, then say the takbir “allahu akbar”. Instead of going down for Ruku raise your hands to your ear lobes and bring them back down to your naval.
3. Here it is Sunnah to recite the witr dua known as qunoot or dua-e-qunoot. There are two variations which are recorded and either is acceptable. [7]
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 تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
Allahumma ihdini feeman hadayt, wa a’fini fiman afait, wa tawallani fiman tawallait, wa barik Li fima atait, wa qini sharra ma qadait, fa Innaka taqdi wa la yuqda Alaik, wa innahu la yadhillu man walait, tabarakta Rabbana wa ta’alait.
Meaning: O Allah guide me among those You have guided, pardon me among those You have pardoned, befriend me among those You have befriended, bless me in what You have granted, and save me from the evil that You decreed. Indeed You decree, and none can pass decree, and none can pass decree upon You, indeed he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, blessed are You our Lord and Exalted.
The above is generally the more accepted dua for Witr, the Hanafi commonly recite the version below. [8]
اَللَّهُمَّ إنا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِئْ عَلَيْكَ الخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ ئَّفْجُرُكَ اَللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّئ وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعأئ وَنَحْفِدُ وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشآئ عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ
Allahumma 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
Meaning: O Allah! We invoke you for help, and beg for forgiveness, and we believe in you and have trust in you and we praise you, in the best way we can; and we thank you and we are not ungrateful to you, and we forsake and turn away from the one who disobeys you. O Allah! We worship you and prostrate ourselves before you, and we hasten towards you and serve you, and we hope to receive your mercy and we dread your torment. Surely, the disbelievers shall incur your torment.
If you wish to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet you can recite the Witr duas above. But this is not obligatory. You can substitute with any dua if you find the ones above difficult to learn. An easier one to begin with is rabanna atina fid dunya dua. It is, however, recommended to complete Witr according to Sunnah for the most blessings. This includes taking the the time out to memorize the qunut dua.
4. After finishing the invocation, continue with salat in the regular manner and finish with tasleem.
5. For the three rakat of Witr, it is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to recite Surah Al-A’la (chapter 87) for first rakat, Surah Al Kafirun (chapter 109) in the second, and then Surah Ikhlas (chapter 112) in the final rakat. [9,10] Stress again, this is not mandatory but the Sunnah of the Prophet.
How Witr is performed in Mecca and Medina:
The two harams at Mecca and Medina follow the Shafi’i fiqh which differs in one way.
Hadith on Witr Salah:
[1] Narrated Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The witr is a duty for every Muslim so if anyone wishes to observe it with five rak’ahs, he may do so; if anyone wishes to observe it with three, he may do so, and if anyone wishes to observe it with one, he may do so. Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani) Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud
[2] It was narrated that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray Witr with three rak‘ahs, only sitting [for tashahhud] in the last of them. Narrated by al-Bayhaqi (4581). This hadith was classed as sahih by Al-Hakim, and Adh-Dhahabi agreed with him. Al-Mustadrak (1/304). Classed as Sahih by An-Nawawi in Al-Majmoo (4/7).
[3] N arrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that he used to separate the two rak’ahs from the single rak’ah with a tasleem, and he said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do that. Narrated by Ibn Hibban (2435); Ibn Hajar said in al-Fath (2/482): its isnad is qawiy (strong).
[4] It was narrated that Ibn Umar said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Prayer at night is two by two, and witr is one rak’ah.’” Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) Reference: Sunan an-Nasa’i
[5] Mansur reported from Al-Hakam, from Miqsam, from Ibn ‘Abbas that Umm Salamah said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray witr with seven or five (rak’ahs), not separating between them with the taslim.” Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) Reference: Sunan an-Nasai
[6] It was narrated that Ali, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with him, said: “Witr is not essential like the obligatory prayers, but it is the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).” Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) Reference: Sunan an-Nasa’i
[7] Al-Hasan bin Ali [may Allah be pleased with him] said: “Allah’s Messenger taught me some phrases to say during Al-Witr (Allahummahdini fiman hadait, wa a’fini fiman afait, wa tawallani fiman tawallait, wa barik Li fima atait, wa qini sharra ma qadait, fa Innaka taqdi wa la yuqda Alaik, wa innahu la yadhillu man walait, tabarakta Rabbana wa ta’alait.) ‘O Allah guide me among those You have guided, pardon me among those You have pardoned, befriend me among those You have befriended, bless me in what You have granted, and save me from the evil that You decreed. Indeed You decree, and none can pass decree, and none can pass decree upon You, indeed he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, blessed are You our Lord and Exalted.’” Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) Reference: Jami At-Tirmidhi, also mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud and Sunan Nasai.
[8] Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, 2/210; classed as Sahih by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’, 2/170.
[9] It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform Witr and recite: “Glorify the Name of your Lord the Most High,” [Al-A’la (87)] “Say: O you disbelievers!” [Al-Kafirun (109)] and ‘Say: Allah is One.”. [Al-Ikhlas (112)] Another chain with similar wording. Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah
[10] It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka’b said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform Witr and recite: ‘Glorify the Name of your Lord the Most High.’, [Al-A’la (87)] ‘Say: O you disbelievers!” [Al-Kafirun (109)] and ‘Say: Allah is One.”. [Al-Ikhlas (112)] Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah