Making up for the Missed Witr Prayer
Question:
How can I make up for the missed Witr Prayer?
Answer:
First of all, you should know that the time of witr prayer is between offering the `Isha’ (night) prayer until the Fajr (Dawn) prayer begins. Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri narrated that they (the Prophet’s Companions) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about Witr (prayer). (In reply to their inquiry) he said: Observe witr prayer before it is the morning.” (Muslim)
Ibn `Umar narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When Fajr begins, then every prayer of the night and witr have gone, so perform witr before Fajr begins.” (At-Tirmidhi)
The witr prayer is highly recommended according to the majority of Muslim scholars, and some of them considered it obligatory. It is maintained by a number of Companions that they would make up for the witr prayer upon waking just as they would do with other prayers. Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If anyone oversleeps and misses the witr, or forgets it, he should pray when he remembers.” (Abu Dawud)
However, the most correct view is that if a person does not offer witr before Fajr prayer, then it should be thereafter. In this case, he should perform it in an even number of rak`ah (units of the prayer), because this is how the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to do.
Responding to this question, Dr. Muhammad Salah states that the one who misses the Witr prayer can make it up after the sunrise. `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Should anyone fall asleep at night and fail to recite his portion of the Qur’an, or a part of it, if he recites it between the Fajr prayer and the Zhuhr (Noon) prayer, it will be recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night”. (Muslim)
Enjoy watching this interesting talk to know more about the rulings of the Witr prayer and how to offer it if the dawn begins.
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Source: Iqra Youtube Channel.