Not offering the Witr and the two supererogatory Rak`ahs before Fajr Prayer
Q: If I neglect
Witr (Prayer with an odd number of units) and the two supererogatory Rak`ahs (units of Prayer) of Fajr (Dawn) Prayer,
do I incur sin? Please advise in this regard. May Allah reward you!
A:
Witr as well as the two supererogatory Rak`ahs of Fajr Prayer are acts of stressed Sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) never neglected them whether he was traveling or not. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Muslim to regularly observe them, as it was related by
Al-Bukhari and
Muslim on the authority of
`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) never cared to adhere to any of the supererogatory Salah (Prayer) more than his care to observe the two Rak`ahs of the Dawn Prayer.
It was also related by
Muslim on the authority of `Aishah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
The two Rak`ahs at the Fajr are better than this world and what it contains.
Furthermore, it was authentically reported that he (peace be upon him) said:
If anyone is afraid that they may not get up in the last part of the night, they should observe Witr in the first part of it; and if anyone is eager to get up in the last part of it, they should observe Witr at the end of the night, for Salah at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is preferable.
It was authentically reported on the authority of
`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: (Part No. 6; Page No. 118
A:
Witr as well as the two supererogatory Rak`ahs of Fajr Prayer are acts of stressed Sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) never neglected them whether he was traveling or not. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Muslim to regularly observe them, as it was related by
Al-Bukhari and
Muslim on the authority of
`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) never cared to adhere to any of the supererogatory Salah (Prayer) more than his care to observe the two Rak`ahs of the Dawn Prayer.
It was also related by
Muslim on the authority of `Aishah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
The two Rak`ahs at the Fajr are better than this world and what it contains.
Furthermore, it was authentically reported that he (peace be upon him) said:
If anyone is afraid that they may not get up in the last part of the night, they should observe Witr in the first part of it; and if anyone is eager to get up in the last part of it, they should observe Witr at the end of the night, for Salah at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is preferable.
It was authentically reported on the authority of
`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: (Part No. 6; Page No. 118)
The most beloved Salah to the Prophet (peace be upon him) was the one that was done regularly (throughout the life) even if it were little. And whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) offered a (supererogatory) Salah he used to offer it regularly.
In the light of the foregoing, Muslims should regularly observe these two supererogatory Salah, and if it happens that on a certain day they are unable to observe them due to oversleeping, working, or having some other excuse, they are not considered to have incurred a sin.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.