I thought I’d start another thread on Qiyam al-Layl & Witr salah and learn more about it rather than settling it out in ‘Tahajjud’ thread where the question regarding it has already been answered.
To the best of my knowledge, Qiyam al-Layl is the voluntary salah that one offers at night. Witr (odd numbered rakah) salah is the last set of prayer that is to be offered prior to Fajr.
Anwaar bhai, I directly quoted you from another thread to respond to your question.
I still believe there is no set number of nifl salah that one can offer after Isha.
Briefly, here’s what I could find:
In addition, Witr salah cannot be offered in the same manner as Maghrib fard salah (ie. one tashahhud in the last rakah when offering all 3 rakahs together).
ummm ... don't be hasty there. We can't disregard the view of an imaam just like that. It'd be better if people knew the way of performing the Witr according to different Imaams.
According to Imam Shafii, it is acceptable to pray one Rikaa.
As to Imam Abu Hanifa, it has to be a minimum of three Rikaas with a single Salam at the end, the same way pray the Maghrib prayer.
As to the Maliki school, it accepts both (separation or connection), although it recommends a separation.
You said that it can’t be offered like Maghrib.
Most of us here follow the Hanafi school of thought and that’s how you do it as per Imam Abu Hanifa.
Just wanted to clarify
Ibn 'Umar said, “While the Prophet was on the pulpit, a man asked him how to offer the night prayers. He replied, 'Pray two Rakat at a time and then two and then two and so on, and if you are afraid of the dawn (the approach of the time of the Fajr prayer) pray one Rak’a and that will be the witr for all the Rakat which you have offered.” Ibn 'Umar said, "The last Rakat of the night prayer should be odd for the Prophet ordered it to be so.
(Sahih Bukhari)
I think the Prophet :saw: himself used to vary the number of rak’ahs.
(Allah knows best)
Sadiyah: What I know is that Salaht-ul-wit’r is wajib salah of the night time of which starts after offering Fardh of Isha till the end of Tahajjud time. Now I have heard that praying wit’r along with tahajjud is more rewarding and that was my question if the hadeeth refers to that. Really.
Second thing is that wit’r in both ways (hanafi and shafaie) is approved from sunnah, that is, Rasoolulah:saw: performed it both ways. I follow Hanafi way of performing it for that way is recorded to be the one at the last days of Prophet:saw:
Few years back, on the 27th night of Ramadhaan, I actually prayed it in congregation in Shafaie way under the Imamat of Dr. Israr Ahmed. He himself normally follows Hanafi but on that particular night we did it that way to relate the night of completion of Quran with the night of Harmen Shareefain where it is offered according to Shafaie madhab.
