Witr (Odd-Numbered Prayer)
A strongly recommended prayer with an odd number of rak'ah, prayed after Isha.
Witr (Arabic: وتر) means "odd" and is a prayer performed with an odd number of rak'ah (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), typically after the Isha prayer and before Fajr. Witr is strongly recommended (wajib according to the Hanafi school) and was a prayer that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never omitted.
The most common form is three rak'ah, either prayed as a continuous three rak'ah or as two rak'ah followed by one. In the last rak'ah of Witr, the Qunut supplication (a special du'a) is typically recited after ruku.
The Prophet said: "Allah is Witr (One) and He loves Witr. So pray Witr, O followers of the Quran." Witr is the last prayer one prays at night — if one plans to pray Tahajjud, one should postpone Witr until after Tahajjud.
Related terms
Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer)
The weekly congregational prayer on Friday, which replaces Dhuhr.
Mihrab (Prayer Niche)
The semicircular niche in the mosque wall that indicates the qibla direction.
Mutahhirat (Purifying Agents)
The agents and methods that purify impure things according to Shia fiqh.
Tayammum (Dry Purification)
Ritual purification with clean earth, when water is not available.
Rak'ah (Prayer Cycle)
A single cycle of movements and recitations in the Islamic prayer.
Tasbihat al-Zahra (Fatimah's Tasbih)
A special dhikr consisting of 34+33+33 repetitions, taught by the Prophet to his daughter Fatimah.