The Qunut Supplication in the Witir Prayer: According to Sunnah and the Correct Time to Observe It
Quoted from the book Seri Fiqih Kehidupan 3: Sholat by Ahmad Sarwat, linguistically qunut can be interpreted in many senses. It can mean obedience, prayer, standing for a long time, silence, and supplication. Ibn Umar RA, when asked about qunut, replied that qunut is standing for a long time.
Furthermore, there are several types of qunut in Islam. According to the explanation on the NU Jawa Barat site, there is qunut nazilah, qunut witir, and qunut subuh. Specifically for qunut witir, scholars differ on its ruling.
Notwithstanding its juridical status, which remains a matter of scholarly disagreement, what is the text of the qunut witir? And when should this qunut be uttered? Below, DetikJogja provides a complete discussion.
Qunut Witir Recitation
Taken from the book Sholat Tarawih by Tim Warisan Salaf, Prophet Muhammad SAW is reported to have taught his grandson Hasan ibn Ali the qunut witir:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، إِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَلَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
Arab Latin: Allahummahdinii fiiman hadait, wa ’aafinii fiiman ’aafait, wa tawallanii fiiman tawallait, wa baarik lii fiimaa a’thait, wa qinii syarra maa qadhait, innahu laa yadzillu man wa lait, tabaarakta rabbanaa wa ta’aalait.
Meaning: “O Allah, grant me guidance among those whom You have guided, grant me safety among those whom You have protected, manage me among those whom You protect, bless what You have given, and shield me from the evil of what You have decreed; surely he whom You patronize will not be humiliated; blessed are You, our Lord, and exalted.”
This supplication is from the hadith reported by Abu Daud and an-Nasa’i. The hadith is listed in Shahih Sunan at-Tirmidhi no 464. Muslims are allowed to add blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad SAW in the phrasing.
Al‑Albani in the book Qiyamu Ramadhan, page 31 states:
“It is not wrong to perform qunut after rukuk and to add to it a curse upon the disbelievers and to add blessings upon the Prophet SAW and a supplication for the Muslims in the middle part of Ramadan. This is based on the authenticity of that practice among the Imams during Umar RA’s caliphate, as established in Shahih Ibn Khuzaymah (2/155).”
Timing for Practicing Qunut Witir
Based on the explanation on the Muhammadiyah Regional Office of Central Java site, scholars differ on the issue of qunut witir. There are four positions:
Qunut witir is obligatory throughout the year. This opinion is attributed to Imam Abu Hanifah.
Qunut witir is not legislated. This is the popular view in the Maliki madhhab. However, there are reports stating Imam Malik qunut witir on the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Qunut witir is Sunnah in the latter half of Ramadan. This is the well-known view in the Shafi’i madhhab.
Qunut witir is Sunnah throughout the year. This is the most well-known position in the Hanbali madhhab.
As a middle way, here is the moderation of Ibn Taymiyyah:
“The essence of the matter is that qunut witir is a kind of supplication permissible in prayer. Whoever wishes may perform it, and whoever wishes may leave it. Just as one may choose three, five, or seven rak’ahs in witir and decide how to perform them, the same choice applies to the qunut supplication. If one prays with qunut throughout Ramadan, that is good; if one qunuts in the last half of Ramadan, that is also good; if one does not qunut, that is also good” (Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 22: 271).
In prayer, when should qunut witir be recited? According to the explanation from NU Jawa Timur, the qunut witir is recited in the last rak’ah of witir after rising from the bowing (rukuk). Wallahu a’lam bish-shawab.
Thus, this complete discussion on the qunut witir and the time to practise it may serve as a guide for Detikers.