Ruling on Du`a'-ul-Qunut

A: There are three cases for Du‘a’-ul-Qunut: First: Saying Du‘a’-ul-Qunut in Witr (Prayer with an odd number of units), which is Mustahab (desirable). This is based on the Hadith narrated by Al-Hasan ibn ‘Aly (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught me some words to say during Qunut in the Witr Prayer. They are: 'Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayta, wa ‘afini fiman ‘afayta, wa tawallani fiman tawallayta, wa barik li fima a‘tayta, wa qini sharra ma qadayta, fa inaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alaik, wa inahu la yadhilu man walayta, tabarakta Rabana wa ta‘alayta [O Allah, guide me among those You have guided. Protect me among those You have protected. Take me into Your Care among those You have taken into Your Care. Bless me in what You have bestowed (on me). Guard me from the evil of what You have decreed, for You are the One Who decrees, and none can decree over You. Truly, the one whom You patronize can never be abased. Blessed and Exalted are You, our Lord].' (Related by Ahmad and the Compilers of the Sunan [Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa’y and Ibn Majah] and it was ranked as Hasan [a Hadith whose chain of narration contains a narrator with weak exactitude, but is free from eccentricity or blemish] by Al-Tirmidhy) Second: Saying Du‘a’-ul-Qunut at calamity, whether by invoking for a group of Muslims or against a group of Kafirs (disbelievers). This type of Qunut is permissible. It was authentically reported on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) kept observing Du‘a’-ul-Qunut for one month, after standing up from Ruku‘ (bowing) in Fajr (Dawn) Prayer, asking Allah to punish the tribes of Ri`l and Dhakwan. (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Third: Saying Du‘a’-ul-Qunut in Fajr Prayer constantly, which is a Bid‘ah (innovation in religion). It was authentically reported on the authority of Sa‘d ibn Tariq Al-Ashja‘y who said that he asked his father, 'O father, you prayed behind (led by) the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and `Aly here in Al-Kufah for around fifty years. Did they say Du‘a’-ul-Qunut in Fajr Prayer?' (Part No. 5; Page No. 392) He replied, 'Dear son, this is a newly-invented practice (in religion).' (Related by Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa'y, and Ibn Majah, and ranked as Sahih [authentic] by Al-Tirmidhy) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions.