The Witr prayer is the last prayer of the night that can be prayed anytime between the Isha prayer and the Fajr prayer. It is an emphasized sunnah prayer that the Prophet strongly recommended praying, even while traveling. The Witr prayer typically consists of 3, 5, 7, or 9 raka'at, but can also be a single raka'at. It is prayed with different methods depending on the number of raka'at, such as praying sets of two raka'at or praying all raka'at together without sitting except in the final raka'at.

2. Witr (Arabic: ‫وتر‬ )isanIslamic
prayer (salat)thatisperformed at
(night-timeprayer) orbefore fajr
According totheHanafi Fiqhwitr
Therefore, aslittleasone rakat can
eleven atmost.

3. What is the Witr prayer?
THE WITR PRAYER IS THE
LAST PRAYER
OF THE NIGHT. THE
MESSENGER OF ALLAH,
SALLALLAHU 'ALAYHI WA
SALLAM, SAID:Al-Bukhari, vol. 2,
book 16, #105
IT CAN BE OFFERED AT ANY
TIME AFTER THE ISHA' PRAYER
AND BEFORE THE FAJR
PRAYER.

4. Why is it important?
The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi
wa sallam, strongly emphasised the
importance of this prayer, and he, himself,
did not leave this prayer even if he was on a
journey or on his mount. Due to the very
firm nature of the Prophet's emphasis some
scholars have classed this prayer as wajib
(compulsory) but, in reality, it is a strongly
encouraged action of the Prophet,
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam.

5. How is it prayed?
The Witr prayer is commonly 3, 5, 7 or 9 raka'at but can also be just the single
rak'ah. It is authentically related that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
prayed it in a number of different ways, so the worshipper can choose to pray it in
any of the following ways:
By praying two raka'at at a time (i.e. completely with the salam at the end of each
pair) to the desired number and then a single complete rak'ah;
By praying all the raka'at together but without sitting in any rak'ah (i.e. without the
julus in which the tashahhud is recited) except for in the final ra'kah; or
By praying all the raka'at together and sitting only in the unit before the final rak'ah
and then in the final rak'ah again. So, for example, a worshipper praying 5 raka'at
would only sit and recite tashahhud in the 4th rak'ah and then complete the prayer
with a single complete unit (including another recitation of the tashahhud).
When praying 3 raka'at it is preferable to use method 1 or 2 above as the Prophet,
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:
"Do not pray Witr with three raka'at that resemble Maghrib."