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
Du'a (Personal Supplication)
Personal address and supplication to Allah for help and guidance.
Rajab (The Venerable Month)
The seventh Islamic month, filled with special prayers and worship.
Muharram (The Sacred Month)
The first and one of the four sacred months in the Islamic calendar.
Muezzin (Caller to Prayer)
The person who calls to prayer by reciting the adhan.
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.
Sunnah Mu'akkadah (Emphasized Sunnah)
Voluntary prayers that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed regularly and rarely omitted.