1. What is the proper way to say salat’ulWitr according to Shaf’ee mazhab? i.e., 2 and 1 seperately with two salams or 3 at once. Also, when to recite dua in third Rakat, before Ruk’uu or after Ruk’uu and with raising hands or like Hanafis. 2. How to do Sajda Sahw w.r.t Shaf’ee mazhab? 3. While reading any surah in 2nd rakat, does the surah has to be in order or anywhere else?? 4. Is it compulsory to do Rafa yaDain ? Lastly, give me advice regarding the change in mazhab, I want to follow Shaf’ee mazhab but my parents follow Hanafi. Reason, I was brought up in Saudi Arabia, originally from Pakistan. I used to do whatever Saudis do and when i came to know about taqleed , I thought it would be better to follow Shaf’ee as I have been doing there stuff.. ALso, I have come to know Saudi follow Hanbali.. please advice!!
1. The Shafi’i madhhab permits a number of ways of performing Witr:
(a) The preferred way is to perform 2 rak’ahs, sit in the second rak’ah,
conclude the second rak’ah with salam, and then add a 3rd isolated rak’ah.
This method thus gives you 2 sittings and 2 salams.
(b) Another method is to perform 2 rak’ahs, sit in the second rak’ah, and
then stand up into a 3rd rak’ah WITHOUT salam. This method gives you 2
sittings and 1 salam.
(c) A third method is NOT to sit in the 2nd rakah at all, but to stand from
the sujud of the rak’ah into the 3rd rak’ah. This method gives you 1 sitting
and 1 salam.
The du’a of qunut in Witr is to be recited only during the second half of
Ramadan, from the 16th night onwards. It is recited after the ruku’, and
with the hands raised in the manner of du’a. However, the face is not to be
wiped after the qunut.
2. Sujud as-sahw is made at the very end of the salah. When everything has
been read (tashahhud, salaat ‘alan nabi, du’a) and nothing remains but the
salam, two sajdahs are made. This is sujud as-sahw.
3. Reading surahs in order is prefereable (awla). Not maintaining the order
is neither unlawful (haram) nor detestable (makruh), but non-preferred
(khilaf al-awla).
4. Raf’ al-yadayn is sunnah, not compulsory.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Shaykh Taha Karaan
DARUL ULOOM AL-ARABIYYAH AL-ISLAAMIYYAH, Western Cape (SA)
CHECKED & APPROVED (with following comments on question no.6): Mufti Ebrahim
Desai
6. If you have been following the Shaafi’ee Madhab till now, you should keep
up to that and strictly adhere to the Shaafi’ee Madhab.