Comparative Fiqh

Witr Qunoot Dua

'Qunoot' means to bow in humility, to be silent, to stand, and to pray. As a legal term, it refers to reciting a supplication for seeking refuge and pleading to Allah while standing, either raising the hands (or not) before or after the bowing in prayer. The Witr prayer is one of the strongest acts of worship that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never abandoned throughout his life, illuminating the end of the night. Reciting Qunoot in the Witr prayer is established by the consensus of the companions, but there are differences among the schools of thought regarding when during the year it should be recited and in which unit of prayer it should be included.

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنَسْتَهْدِيكَ، وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ، وَنُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ كُلَّهُ نَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ، وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَفْجُرُكَ. اَللّٰهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي وَنَسْجُدُ، وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ، نَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ، إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ.

Pronunciation

Allâhümme innâ neste'înüke ve nesteğfirüke ve nestehdîk. Ve nü'minü bike ve netûbü ileyk ve netevekkelü aleyk. Ve nüsnî aleyke'l-hayra küllehû neşkürüke ve lâ nekfürük. Ve nahleu ve netrukü men yefcürük. Allâhümme iyyâke na'büdü ve leke nüsallî ve nescüd. Ve ileyke nes'â ve nahfid. Nercû rahmeteke ve nahşâ azâbek. İnne azâbeke bi'l-küffâri mülhık.

Translation

O Allah! We seek Your help, we ask for Your forgiveness for our sins, and we wish for Your guidance. We believe in You, we repent to You, and we place our trust in You. We praise You with all good things. We give thanks to You and do not show ingratitude. We abandon and separate ourselves from those who disobey You and transgress.

Jurisprudential Basis

In the Hanafi school, the Witr prayer is obligatory, and on all 365 days of the year, the Qunoot supplications are recited after raising the hands *before* the bowing in the 3rd unit of prayer.