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
Ashura (The Tenth of Muharram)
The tenth day of Muharram, the commemoration of Imam Husayn's martyrdom.
Sahabi (Companion of the Prophet)
A person who met the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a believer and died as a Muslim.
Irsal (Arm Position in Prayer)
The Shia practice of letting the arms hang at the sides during prayer.
Tasbih (Glorification)
Saying "SubhanAllah" (Glory be to Allah) as a form of dhikr.
Raf' al-Yadayn (Raising the Hands)
The practice of raising the hands to the shoulders or ears at specific points in the prayer.
Du'a Arafah (Imam Husayn's Supplication at Arafah)
Imam Husayn's famous supplication, recited on the Day of Arafah, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah.