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
Isha (Night Prayer)
The fifth and final daily prayer, performed when darkness has fallen.
Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.
Fard (Obligatory)
The obligatory acts in Islam, including the five daily prayers.
Sabr (Patience)
Patience and perseverance in trials — one of faith's highest virtues.
Rajab (The Venerable Month)
The seventh Islamic month, filled with special prayers and worship.
Masjid (Mosque)
The Islamic house of worship, where Muslims gather for congregational prayer.