I spoke in detail about this subject in my book
Salaat-ut-Taraaweeh (pg. 101-115), so I felt that I should abridge that
discussion here in order to make it easy for the reader and to remind
him:
The First Manner: consists of thirteen
rak’aat, which is commenced with two short rak’aat. According to the most
correct opinion, these are the two rak’aat of Sunnah prayer offered after
‘Ishaa, or they are two specific rak’aat by which one begins the Night Prayer,
as has been stated previously. Then one prays two very long rak’aat (after
that). Then two more rak’aat are prayed, and then another two rak’aat are
prayed. Then two more rak’aat are prayed and another set of two rak’aat
are prayed. Then witr is made with one rak’ah.
The
Second Manner: consists of thirteen rak’aat. There are eight
rak’aat within them, in which one makes tasleem after every two rak’aat.
Then witr is made with five rak’aat and one does not sit nor make the tasleem
except in the fifth rak’ah.
The Third
Manner: consists of eleven rak’aat, in which one makes tasleem
after every two rak’aat and then prays witr at the end with one
rak’ah.
The Fourth Manner: consists of
eleven rak’aat, in which one prays four rak’aat and makes one tasleem after the
four. The he prays another four in a similar manner and ends it with three
rak’aat (for witr).
Would the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) remain in the sitting
position after eveyr two rak’aat, when praying a unit of four rak’aat or a unit
of three rak’aat? We do not find a clear answer for this, but remaining in
the sitting position (for tashahhud) while doing a unit of three rak’aat is not
legislated (in the Religion)!
The Fifth
Manner: consists of eleven rak’aat, in which one prays eight
rak’aat and does not sit in any of them except for the eighth rak’ah.
While sitting (in the eighth rak’ah), he makes the tashahhud and sends Salaat on
the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and then stands up again without making the tasleem. Then
he makes witr with one rak’ah and when finished, he makes the tasleem.
This consists of nine rak’aat. Then he prays two rak’aat after that while
in the sitting position.
The Sixth Manner:
One prays nine rak’aat, in which he does not sit except after the sixth rak’ah.
Then he makes the tashahhud and sends Salaat on the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and then stands
again without making the tasleem. Then he makes witr with three rak’aat
and when finished, he makes the tasleem, etc. (the rest is the same as the
previous manner)
These are the manners in which it is reported that
the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) performed the Night Prayer. It is possible to add other
types of manners to it, by subtracting what one wishes from each set of rak’aat
until he cuts it down to one rak’ah, acting on the previously mentioned hadeeth
of Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam): “So whoever wishes, then let him pray witr
with five rak’aat, and whoever wishes, then let him pray witr with three
rak’aat, and whoever wishes, then let him pray witr with one
rak’ah.”
So if one wants, he can pray these five rak’aat
or three rak’aat with one sitting and one tasleem, as is stated in the Second
Manner. And if he wants, he can make tasleem after every two rak’aat, as
is stated in the Third Manner, and this is preferred.
As for
praying the set of five rak’aat or three rak’aat by sitting after every two
rak’aat and not making the tasleem, then we did not find any authentic report
that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) used to do this. The asl (foundation) is
that it is permissible, but since the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) forbade us from praying witr
with three rak’aat indicating the reason for that by saying: “And do not
liken it to the Maghrib prayer.” [1] So then anyone that prays
the witr in three rak’aat must not liken it to the Maghrib prayer. This
can be done in two ways:
1. Making the tasleem between the even and
odd number rak’ah (i.e. between the second and the third rak’ah). This is what
is more strong and preferred.
2. One does not sit between the even
and odd number (i.e. he prays three rak’aat straight with one tasleem), and
Allaah knows best.
Footnotes:
[1] Reported by At-Tahawee,
Ad-Daraqutnee and others. See At-Taraaweeh (pg. 99 &
110)
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