Salatul Witr: How and When to Pray It

Salatul Witr is often described as the most important of all voluntary prayers. Unlike other nafl prayers that are clearly optional, the Prophet ﷺ never abandoned Witr — not at home, not during travel — and linked its importance to the believer's connection with Allah during the night. It is the seal of the evening's worship: an odd-numbered prayer that closes whatever night prayers you have offered and keeps the heart oriented toward Allah until morning.

When Is Salatul Witr Prayed?

Witr (literally 'odd' or 'single') is prayed after the obligatory Isha prayer and before the Fajr adhan. It is the last prayer of the night. If you pray Tahajjud after waking in the last third of the night, Witr comes after it. If you do not wake for Tahajjud, pray Witr before sleeping. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Make Witr the last of your night prayers." (Bukhari, Muslim) If you fear you will not wake, praying Witr before sleep is better than missing it altogether.

How Many Rak'ahs Is Witr?

• One rak'ah (minimum): The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Witr is one rak'ah at the end of the night.' (Muslim)
• Three rak'ahs: the most commonly practised amount. They may be prayed as 2 + 1 (with salam between), or as a single block of 3 with the tashahhud only in the final rak'ah.
• Five or seven rak'ahs: prayed continuously without a sitting for tashahhud until the last rak'ah.
• Nine rak'ahs: with a sitting for tashahhud at the eighth rak'ah (without salam), then completing with the ninth.
• Eleven rak'ahs: the most commonly reported number for the Prophet's ﷺ Qiyam al-Layl, ending with one or two rak'ahs of Witr. (Bukhari)

The Dua al-Qunut in Witr

In the final rak'ah of Witr, after (or before) the ruku — scholars hold different positions on the exact placement — the dua al-qunut is recited. The most famous qunut was taught by the Prophet ﷺ to his grandson Al-Hasan ibn Ali (RA):

The full qunut dua continues: "...and bless me in what You have given me, protect me from the evil of what You have decreed, for You decree and none can decree over You, and the one whom You take as an ally is not humiliated. You are blessed, our Lord, and exalted." After the qunut, complete the rak'ah as normal and give salam.

Which Surahs Are Recited in Witr?

In three rak'ahs of Witr, a well-known practice narrated in An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah is to recite Surah Al-A'la (87) in the first rak'ah, Surah Al-Kafirun (109) in the second, and Surah Al-Ikhlas (112) in the third — sometimes with the addition of Surah Al-Falaq (113) and Surah An-Nas (114) in the third rak'ah. This is a recommended practice, not a condition; any surahs may be recited. Reciting these surahs also honours the connection between Witr and the practice of protecting oneself through the Mu'awwidhatayn.

Common Questions About Witr

Witr is most powerful when preceded by some rak'ahs of Tahajjud in the last third of the night — but even a single Witr before sleep is far better than none. For the complete structure of night worship in Islam, see our guide to praying Tahajjud.