Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Am I allowed to pray salatul witr behind as Shafi’i imam during Ramadhan? what do I do with my hands while the shafi’i imam makes the dua e kounoot?
Walaikum assalam,
I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.
I consulted a number of leading Hanafi scholars, including Mufti Rafi Usmani (Grand Mufti of Pakistan), about this. Their response was that it is permitted for Hanafis to pray witr behind Shafiis even if they pray it differently from the Hanafi three rakats–such as two-plus-one. This is based on a followable position within the Hanafi school that what matters is the imam’s prayer regarding the validity of his prayer.
And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani