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The Witr Prayer — The Odd Night Salat and Its Place in Bohra Practice

صلاة الوتر
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Witr (literally 'the odd one') is a night-time, voluntary prayer offered after Isha and before Fajr, traditionally regarded as the seal of the night's worship. In Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Fatimid) practice it belongs to the family of night nawafil that surround the obligatory salat, and like all daily prayers in our community it falls within the three sittings — here within the Maghribain sitting where Isha is prayed. Witr is highly recommended (not one of the five fard salat), and it is offered as an odd number of rak'at, the witr proper being a single concluding rak'at often joined to a preceding pair. Because the exact rak'at structure, the wording of any qunut or supplication, and the precise method are codified in the community Mansak, this guide gives the established outline and asks you to confirm the details — including how many rak'at to offer and how to perform the niyyat — with your aamil saheb before making witr a regular practice.

What Witr Is and Where It Sits in the Day

The word witr means ‘the odd one’, and the prayer takes its name from being offered in an odd number of rak’at. It is a night prayer: its window opens after the obligatory Isha and closes at the entry of Fajr, so it belongs to the latter part of the night. It is not one of the five obligatory (fard) salat; rather it is a strongly encouraged voluntary (nafl / sunnah) prayer, traditionally treated as the closing seal upon the night’s worship — the last salat a person offers before sleeping or before dawn.

In Dawoodi Bohra (Tayyibi Ismaili, Fatimid) practice, the daily prayers are gathered into three sittings — Fajr on its own, Zohr and Asr together as Zohrain, and Maghrib and Isha together as Maghribain. Witr sits naturally within the Maghribain sitting, after the obligatory Isha has been completed, as part of the cluster of night nawafil that accompany Isha. It is offered with full wudu, facing the qiblah, exactly as any salat.

Rak’at, Timing, and How It Is Offered

Witr is distinguished by being an odd-numbered prayer. The witr proper is a single rak’at that concludes the night’s voluntary cycle, and it is commonly preceded by a pair of rak’at so that the whole is offered as an odd set. Begin with the niyyat (intention) for this specific voluntary prayer, then proceed through the usual postures — qiyam with recitation, ruku, the two sajdas, and the closing tashahhud and salam — just as in other salat. Some practice includes a special supplication (qunut) at a fixed point; whether and how this is recited, and its wording, should be taken from the Mansak.

Practical points to keep in mind:

  1. Offer witr only after Isha; do not pray it before the obligatory Isha is done.
  2. The whole night up to Fajr is its window; the later portion of the night is especially meritorious.
  3. Make a clear niyyat that this is the voluntary witr, not a fard prayer.
  4. The exact number of rak’at and the precise sequence vary by how the prayer is taught — confirm these rather than assuming.

If sleep is a concern, many offer witr after Isha before retiring so the night is sealed with it.

A Study Aid — Confirm With Your Aamil

This page is a study aid to help you understand what witr is and where it belongs in the rhythm of the day. It is not a substitute for the authoritative method. The exact rak’at count, the wording and placement of any qunut or supplication, the precise niyyat, and the finer points of timing are all set out in the community Mansak. Before you make witr a settled habit, please learn it from a reliable Bohra source and confirm the details with your aamil saheb, so that your practice matches what the community follows. May Allah accept your night worship.

See also: Nawafil And Sunnah Prayers, Rakat Counts Of Salat, Niyyat Of Salat, Daily Salat Times Explained

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