How to Pray Witr Prayer

Start by making wudu for the prayer. Ablution is mandatory for every namaz without making ablution your prayer will not be valid, if you are unable to do wudu and meets all conditions of doing tayammum then it's mandatory to perform tayammum in place of wudu before starting namaz.

As it's already mentioned that witr is prayed in odd-numbered Rakat from 1 Rakat to maximum odd number Rakats. Hence, it's up to you how many Rakats you want to perform. All schools of Islamic jurisprudence unite on praying 3 Rakat witr namaz in regular routine. However, you can enhance the quantity of Rakats while doing Qayam ul Lail or during Itikaf.

Once you have decided how many Rakats you want to perform, then stand on the praying mat facing toward Kaaba. Then make intention/Niyyah for witr prayer by saying "I intend to pray 3 Rakat witr prayer, facing the Kaaba in the presence of Allah Almighty".

Once you make niyyah for witr, start your first Rakat with Takbir.Take both your hands up to your ears and recite the Takbir "Allah Hu Akber". For women, they have to take their hands up to their shoulders for reciting Takbir. It's permissible to recite Takbir slowly or loudly.

After reciting Takbir, men have to tie both their hands below the navel. However, women have to tie both hands on their chests. Place your right hand on your left hand and then recite Sana. Then recite Surah Fatiha and Surah Aa'la in the first Rakat.

• In three Rakats of witr prayer, it's recommended to recite Surah Aa'la in the first Rakat.
• Then in the second Rakat, it's recommended to recite Surah Qafiron.
• In the last Rakat, it's recommended to recite Surah Ikhlas.
• However, these are recommended surahs. If someone doesn't remember these specific surahs then he can recite any surah in all three Rakats as done in other prayers.

After performing Qayam, staying in the same standing position bend down by saying "Allah Hu Akber". Place your palms on your knees and your face towards the ground. Then in this position recite Tasbeeh “Subhana-Rabbi Al Azeem” three times. However, for making your Ruku longer, you can recite the Tasbeeh by increasing it.

Then get back to the standing position to perform Qooma and while rising from the position recite “Sami Allah Hu Liman Hamidah” and upon standing recite “Rabana Lakal Hamd”.

Then perform the first sajdah of the first Rakat. By saying "Allah Hu Akber", bow down on the ground and place both of your palms straight on the ground. Your nose and forehead should touch the ground. Then staying in the same position recite Tasbeeh “Subhana Rabbi Al Alla” three times. However, you can increase the number for a longer sajdah.

After performing the first sajdah, raise your head from the ground by saying "Allah Hu Akber" and sit for some seconds before performing the second sajdah. However, our Holy Prophet(S.A.W) used to recite these two dua's while sitting in Jalsa. You can recite these dua's a minimum of once while sitting in Jalsa, you can also increase the count to the maximum number according to your wish.

• رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
• اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، وَارْحَمْنِي، وَاهْدِنِي، وَاجْبُرْنِي، وَعَافِنِي، وَارْزُقْنِي، وَارْفَعْنِي

Then bow down again in the second sajdah, in the same way, placing your nose, forehead, and palms straight on the ground. Then recite the Tasbeeh “Subhana Rabbi Al Alla” three times.

After performing the second sajdah the first Rakat is completed. Now stand up for a second Rakat saying "Allah Hu Akber". Then repeat all the steps of the first Rakat. Recite Surah Fatiha and Surah Qafiron i.e. recommended surah or any other Surah while performing Qayam. Then perform Ruku, Qooma, First Sajdah, Jalsa, and Second Sajdah to complete the second Rakat of Witr prayer.

Stand up for the third Rakat saying "Allah Hu Akber". Then make Qayam by reciting Surah Fatiha i.e. recommended surah or any other Surah as done in the first two rakats.

Then after reciting Surah Ikhlas, staying in the same position recite Dua-e- Qunut in the third Rakat of witr prayer. There are two duas for reciting as a dua-e-qunut

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

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ وَلاَ يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

After reciting Qunut, continue the third Rakat of witr prayer by performing Ruku, Qooma, First Sajdah, Jalsa, and Second Sajdah.

After performing the second sajdah in the third Rakat raise your head and sit in quood. Place both your palms straight on your thighs and then recite At-tahiyat. Then in the same position recite Durood and in the last recite Dua “Rabana Atina Fid Dunya Hasanataw-wa Fil Akhirati Hasanataw-wa Qina Azaban Nar” at the end of Quood. You can recite other dua's at the end of Quood.

Then end your witr prayer by saying Salam on both your right and then left side. Turn your head toward your right shoulder saying “Assalamualaikum Wa Rehmatullah Wa Barakatu” . Then turn your head towards your left shoulder saying“Assalamualaikum Wa Rehmatullah Wa Barakatu”.