In the name of Allah,
What is qunoot?
When taken literally, Qunoot can mean prayer, standing, respect, peace, quiet, submission, prayer, humility, praise, and standing for a long time. In religious contexts, the root word qanata denotes benevolence and obedience.[i] Legally speaking, supplicating while standing at a specific time during prayer is known as “Qunoot.”
The ruling about qunoot during witr
Qunoot is prescribed during witr. This is the majority position among Hanafis, with one opinion from Shafi’is, and Hanbalis, and one narration from Malik.
Shaf’i and Maaliki jurists believe Qunoot supplication should be done during the Fajr prayer. In Maliki school, witr has no qunut. In addition, ‘Alī ibn Ziyād’s narration from Imam Mālik mandates that anybody who purposely skips the qunut during Fajr must repeat it.[ii]
Their opinion is based on the Hadeeth of Anas “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) did not stop supplicating Qunut during the Fajr Prayer until he left this world.” This is related to Ahmad, al-Bazzar, ad Daraqutni, al-Baihaqi, and al-Hakim who say it is sahih.
Abu Ja’far ar-Razi is a disputed narrator; hence one cannot use it to prove a point. Imam Ahmad and others regard him as an untrustworthy narrator.[iii] It’s hard to understand how the Prophet of Allah always did this Qunut until he died, but the righteous caliphs never did it.
Sa’d bin Tariq said:
“I said to my father: ‘O my father! You prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and behind Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, and behind ‘Ali here in Kufah for about five years. Did they recite Qunut in Fajr?’ He said: ‘O my son! That is an innovation.’”[iv]
Shaikh Uthaymeen said:
Qunut in the obligatory prayers is not legislated, and it is not desirable that it should be done. However, if the Imam performs Qunut, you should follow him, because discord is evil. If the Muslims are afflicted by some calamity, then there is no objection in that case to their making Qunut in order to ask Allah, the Most High to remove it.’’[v]
Allah Knows Best
References:
[i] Tafseer al Qurtubi 2: 238
[ii] Qurtubi Tafseer 3:129
[iii] Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya (ZAD AL M AA’D) PROVISIONS OF THE AFTERLIFE, WHICH LIE WITHIN PROPHETIC GUIDANCE, Translation Ismail Abdus Salaam, Dar Al-Kotob Al-llmiyah Publication, 2010, Page 64
[iv] Ibn majah 1241, Sahih
[v] Fatawa Arkan-ul-Islam: Islamic Verdicts on the Pillars of Islam, Shaikh Uthaymeen vol 2, page 509