Dua e Qunoot (supplication of Witr prayer)

What is Dua e Qunoot?

In Islam, the petition type of Dua is read while standing in Witr, known as Dua e Qunoot. It is well-known for its association with the Witr Salah and is frequently recited. In Dua e Qunoot, Qunoot means “being obedient” or “the act of standing.” “Dua” is derived from the Arabic word for “supplication.” Dua e Qunoot means a variety of things, including obedience, humility, and devotion. Dua Qunoot is a special Dua recited during the Isha prayer.

Dua e Qunoot in Arabic

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

اَللَّهُمَّ إنا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِئْ عَلَيْكَ الخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ ئَّفْجُرُكَ اَللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّئ وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعأئ وَنَحْفِدُ وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشآئ عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالكُفَّارِ مُلْحَقٌ

Dua e Qunoot transliteration:

Allah humma inna nastaeenoka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu’minu bika wa natawakkalu alaika wa nusni alaikal khair, wa nashkuruka wala nakfuruka wa nakhla-oo wa natruku mai yafjuruka, Allah humma iyyaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjud wa ilaika nas aaa wa nahfizu wa narju rahmataka wa nakhshaa azaabaka inna azaabaka bil kuffari mulhik

Translation in English

All hail Allahu Akbar! We pray You for help and beg Your forgiveness; we believe in You; we rely on You; we extol You; we praise You; we are thankful to You; we are not ungrateful to You, and we alienate and abandon those who disobey You. All hail Allahu Akbar! We worship You alone; we pray and prostrate for You; we seek to please You; we offer ourselves for service in Your cause; we hope for Your mercy and fear Your chastisement. Your wrath will undoubtedly overtake the unbelievers, O Allah!

(At-Tirmidhi received 464 points, while Abu Dawud received 142)

Meaning in Urdu

الہی ! ہم تجھ سے مدد چاہتے ہیں اور تجھ سے معافی مانگتے ہیں اور تجھ پر ایمان رکھتے ہیں اور تجھ پر بھروسہ کرتے ہیں اور تیری بہت اچھی تعریف کرتے ہیں اور تیرا شکر کرتے ہیں اور تیری نا شکری نہیں کرتےاور الگ کرتے ہیں اور چھوڑتے ہیں اس سخص کو جو تیری نافرمانی کرے۔الہی! ہم تیری ہی عبادت کرتے ہیں اور تیرے ہی لئے نماز پڑھتے ہیں اور سجدہ کرتے ہیں اور تیری ہی طرف دوڑتے اور جھپٹتےہیں اور تیری رحمت کے امید وارہیں اور تیرے عذاب سے ڈرتے ہیں، بیشک تیرا عذاب کافروں کو پہنچنے والا ہے۔۔

Can Salat be prayed without Dua Qunoot?

The heart of Witr Namaz is Dua e Qunoot. Witr Salat cannot be completed without it. So if you can’t remember the full Qunoot Dua, then there’s another short one you can pray in Witr Salaat.

What to recite if someone does not know the Dua-e-Qunoot for the Witr prayer?

During the third rak’ah of Witr Salah, it is obligatory to recite Qunoot Dua. However, praying the Qunoot Dua mentioned above is Sunnah rather than wajib. As a result, while Salah is valid even if the Dua e Qunoot is not recited, the reward is reduced because a Sunnah was omitted. Therefore, to reap the benefits of following the Sunnah, one should try to memorize the Qunoot Dua as soon as possible. Any supplication fulfills the obligatory (wajib) duty of reciting the Qunoot Dua in the prayer. But reciting the Sunnah supplication is far superior.

If you are unfamiliar with the Qunut supplication, you can recite it as recommended by the great Hanafi Imam, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan (رحمة الله عليه). He said:

“To pray the specific dua (Dua e Qunoot) is Sunnah. If one does not know that dua then one can pray:

“Allāhumma Rabbanā Ātinā Fi al-Dunyā Ĥasanah Wa Fi al-Ākhirati Ĥasanah Wa Qinā ‘AdhābaNār”

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

If one does not know this either, he can pray,

‘Allāhummaghfirlee’ (three times)

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي

If one does not even know this, then praying ‘Ya Rabb’ (يَا رَبُّ ) three times will fulfill the necessity (Wajib).”

What is the way to perform Qunoot in Witr Salah?

The Witr is Wajib having three rakats in length, with salams at the end of the third.

After reciting the tashahud ‘at-tahiyat’ at the end of the second rak’ah, the person should stand up for the third rak’ah. Then, after reciting Surah al-Fatiha and another Surah, he should raise his hands to his ear lobes, reciting Allahu Akbar (as he did at the start of the prayer), and then lower his hands to his navel and repeat the Dua al-Quint or Dua e Qunoot. He should then proceed to ruku and perform the Salah as usual.

Imam al-Mawsuli (رحمة الله عليه) writes:

. الوتر واجب وهي ثلاث ركعات كالمغرب لا يسلم بينهن ، ويقرأ في جميعها ، ويقنت في الثالثة قبل الركوع، ويرفع يديه ويكبر ، ثم يقنت، ولا قنوت في غيرها

“The Witr is Wajib, and it is three rak’ahs long, like Maghrib, with no Salam in between (i.e., after the second rak’ah), and qirat (recitation of the Qur’an) will be done in all three rak’ahs, and the Qunoot should be recited in the third rak’ah before the ruku (bowing)”

(Kitabus Salatul Wit’r)

Importance and benefits of Dua e Qunoot:

We pray to Allah SWT for blessings, guidance, and strength in Dua e Qunoot. In the past, whenever Muslims faced a significant challenge or disaster, Prophet Muhammad recited Dua Qunoot. He (PBUH) recited it throughout the year during Witr, Fajr, and other prayers. We all can get benefit from Dua Qunoot.

• As our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) demonstrated in his Sunnah, when Muslims were in danger or trouble, he (PBUH) began reciting this Dua. This Dua includes several important requests to Allah.
• During difficult times, we can supplicate to Allah Almighty through Dua Qunoot. InshaAllah, we’ll get through it if we surrender to Allah SWT in difficult times. Allah will assist us in getting through it because no one else can. And Allah’s power is magnified. Not only that, but when things are going well, we can express gratitude by seeking protection.
• This Dua will bring you a lot of money (Barkatein). Therefore, Allah will bless the person who recites this Dua three times after Asr Salah with a significant increase in his income.
• The recitation of Dua-e-Qunoot increases the listener’s interest in praying Salah. If a person recites this Dua after every Salah, Allah opens his heart to Salah and makes him interested in it.
• The Devil (shaitan) is unable to approach the person who recites Dua e Qunoot. Allah forbids the Devil from coming anyone who repeats this Dua at least once a day.
• By reciting Qunoot Dua, every rightful wish is granted. Therefore, Allah grants the person’s wishes that recite this from the heart but never forgets to perform Salah.