Witr Salah , the Only Salah The Prophet Never Missed | Sheikh Samih Jad

Witr Salah is one of the most powerful acts of night prayer in Islam, and it is known as the only salah the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never missed. Whether at home or traveling, healthy or ill, rested or exhausted, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ always guarded Salat al-Witr. This alone places Witr among the greatest Sunnah prayers, a core part of the prophetic night prayer and a key pillar of Islamic night worship.

Witr prayer is the seal of the night, the final act of worship after ʿIshāʾ, and the conclusion of Qiyām al-Layl and Tahajjud. It is a prayer that strengthens īmān, deepens closeness to Allah, and fills the heart with peace. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah is One (Witr) and He loves the Witr.” Whoever prays Witr is drawing nearer to Allah through a worship He loves, ending their day with remembrance, humility, and sincere devotion.

Many people ask: how to pray Witr, when to pray Witr, and how many rakʿahs is Witr. Witr can be prayed as one rakʿah or more—three, five, seven, or nine—all authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. Its time begins after ʿIshāʾ and lasts until Fajr, with the best time for Witr prayer being the last part of the night for those who are able. Even one rakʿah of Witr is better than a night full of prayer without it.

What makes Salat al-Witr truly unique is Duʿāʾ al-Qunūt, the heartfelt supplication taught by the Prophet ﷺ himself. In Witr, the servant raises their hands with humility, seeking guidance, forgiveness, protection, and mercy. This Witr duʿāʾ, along with other prophetic duʿās, turns the night prayer into a moment of healing, repentance, and complete reliance upon Allah. There are supplications that rise best in the quiet of the night—and many of them are made in Witr.

Scholars agreed on the greatness of Witr: the majority considered it a highly emphasized Sunnah, while Imām Abū Ḥanīfah رحمه الله held it to be wājib. It is not fard, yet abandoning it is a loss. Witr is a sign of faith, a habit of the righteous, and a protection for the heart. It is part of a powerful Islamic nightly routine that builds discipline, strengthens faith, and brings barakah into life.

If you want to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, strengthen your night worship, and end your day with a prayer that brings forgiveness and peace, then guard Witr Salah. Pray it before sleep if you fear missing it, or delay it to the last part of the night if you can. Start with one rakʿah—but do not abandon it. Tonight, make Witr part of your life.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، إِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ.
O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, grant me wellbeing among those You have granted wellbeing, take me into Your care among those You have taken into Your care, bless what You have given me, and protect me from the evil of what You have decreed.