Hanafi Method of Witr, according to the Tabi Abu Al-`Aliyah, and Sahabah (Radi Allahu anhum). Tim Humble calls the Hanafi method haram, even though it is proven from Tabieen and Sahabah (Radi Allahu anhum), see below with reference.
Abu Al-`Aliyah noted: “The Prophet’s companions taught us to pray witr exactly as we perform Maghrib Prayer (ie 3 rakats, with 2 sittings on 2nd and 3rd rakat, and 1 Salaam at the end of the 3rakat), since the former is witr of the night, and the latter is witr of the day.”
Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ahmad and al-Nasa’i transmitted from Ibn ‘Umar (a sahabi) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
صلاة المغرب وتر النهار
“Maghrib prayer is the Witr of the day.”
In addition;
Further Proof from the sayings of Hazrat Aisha, wife of Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ;
يصلي أربعا فلا تسل عن حسنهن وطولهن ثم يصلي أربعا فلا تسل عن حسنهن وطولهن ثم يصلي ثلاثا
“He would pray four (rak‘ahs of tahajjud), so do not ask about their beauty and their length. Then he would pray (another) four (rak‘ahs of tahajjud), so do not ask about their beauty and their length. And then he would pray three (rak‘ahs of Witr).” (Fath al-Bari, Dar al-Salam, 3:42)
More Proof
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوتر بثلاث بسبح اسم ربك الأعلى وقل يا أيها الكافرون وقل هو الله أحد
“The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) would offer Witr with three (rak‘ahs), with [the surahs] sabbihisma rabbika l-a‘la, qul ya ayyuha l-kafirun and qul huwa Llahu ahad.”
And More;
Imam al-Tahawi narrated with his chain from ‘Uqbah ibn Muslim: “I asked ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar about Witr, and he said: ‘Do you know the Witr of the Day?’ I said: ‘Yes, Maghrib prayer.’ He said: ‘You have spoken the truth.’” (Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar, Maktabah Haqqaniyyah, 1:197)
Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani narrates:
أخبرنا عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله المسعودي عن عمرو بن مرة عن أبي عبيدة قال: قال عبد الله بن مسعود: الوتر ثلاث كثلاث المغرب
‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abd Allah (ibn ‘Utbah) al-Mas‘udi reported to us from ‘Amr ibn Murrah from Abu ‘Ubaydah, he said: ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud said: “Witr is three like the three of Maghrib.” (al-Ta‘liq al-Mumajjad, 2:15)
Al-Daraqutni reported it in his Sunan (no. 1653).
وتر الليل ثلاث كوتر النهار صلاة المغرب
“The Witr of the night is three, like the Witr of the day, Maghrib prayer.”
Therefore, it is proven that the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad ﷺ, offered three rak’ahs of Witr, according to Hazrat ‘A’ishah, Ibn Umar, Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas and many more (may Allah be pleased with them).
And secondly, the witr prayer is like Maghrib, 3 rakats with 1 salaaam, ie
Rakat 1: Niyyah, Allahu Akbar. Al-Fatihah and a short Surah (Surat al-A`la etc),
Rakat 2: Al-Fatihah and a short Surah (Surat al-Kafirun etc), and sit for the Qa’dah (sitting posture) to recite At-Tahiyyat (Tashahhud)
Do not say the Salam (tasleem). Stand up straight again for the third rakat.
Rakat 3:
- After Al-Fatihah, then Surah Al-Ikhlas, the 112th Qul huwallahu ahad” (قل هو الله أحد),
- before bowing into ruku’, raise your hands to your ears and say Allahu Akbar.
- Fold your hands again (below the navel for men, on the chest for women).
- Recite Du’a Qunoot
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَعِيْنُكَ، وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ، وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ، وَ نَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَیْكَ وَنُثْنِيْ عَلَیْكَ الْخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَّفْجُرُكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ، وَلَكَ نُصَلِّيْ وَنَسْجُدُ، وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعٰى وَنَحْفِدُ، وَ نَرْجُوْ رَحْمَتَكَ، وَنَخْشٰى عَذَابَكَ، إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ
But Tim Humble has a problem with the above method.
A programmed Salafi brother, Tim Humble’s attack on how the Ummah reads Witr Salah, and an explanation of why the Hanafi method of Witr is incorrect.
Al Islam Productions’ Shaykh Usman Iqbal replies to Tim Humble, explaining why the Hanafi method is in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah…
Tim Humble’s attack on the Hanafi prayer method is both without research and without any coherent reason.
Tim Humble’s main points are the following:
- He says it’s haram to pray witr in the same way as we pray Maghrib salah,
But we have clearly proven this method is in accordance with Quran & Sunnah.
He then says there are 3 or 4 ways to pray with salah; 3 are permissible and 1 is haram.
Method 1 ) He states that the first permissible way to pray is to pray 2 rakaats, then tasleem, then pray a single rakaat.
Method 2 ) Is to pray 3 Rakats continuously without the middle Tashahhud (or At-Tahiyyat).
Method 3 ), and the last method, the permissible method in his view, is to pray 1 rakaat witr,
Listen to Shaykh Usman Iqbal Hafizullah’s reply.