Question 20: Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu

How do we pray witr?

(In 3rd rakah)After reciting surah fatiha, then surah ikhlas, do you raise your hands, say Allah Hu Akbar and then recite Dua quanoot and give salam or pray 2 rakahs give salam than pray the 3rd rakah seperately

Jazak Allah khairan

Answer: Sister, there are two sure ways of praying witr and both are shown by the Prophet (s.a.w).

One way is to pray two rak’ah then Salam. Then one rak’ah. In this last rakah, we can after tiki do dual Qunut. We can have hands up during dua as we would in prayer of rain, etc.

A second way of site is to pray three rakah, no tashahud sitting except in last rakah. The dua qunut is done in 3rd rakah once stand up from Ruku, with hands up.

In both ways, raising hands for dua is based on Analogy. Doing dua after Ruku not before is one way reported by Sahabah. The rest of both ways is related as action of the Prophet (s.a.w).

I hope this clarifies the question inshallah.