Question 33 : Do the Shi‘ah regard witr prayer as obligatory?
Reply: Witr prayer is part of the supererogatory night prayers and it is one of the recommended {mustahabb} works which the Muslims who follow the Messenger of Allah (S) perform, but the Shi‘ah jurists {fuqaha} who rely on the Book of Allah and the Prophet’s Sunnah say that the witr prayer is one of the things which are incumbent on no one except the Holy Prophet (S).
In his book, Tadhkirah al-Fuqaha, ‘Allamah al-Hilli enumerates about 70 salient features of the Prophet (S) and at the beginning of his statement, he thus says:
فأما الواجبات عليه دون غيره من أمّته أمور أ: السّواك ب: الوتر ج: الأضحيه. روي عنه صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم أنه قال: ثلاث كتب عليّ ولم تكتب عليكم: السواك والوتر والأضحية.
As for the things which are incumbent only upon him (S) and not upon his ummah, they are: the use of tooth-stick {miswak}, witr prayer, and offering sacrifice {adhiyah}. He (S) is reported to have said: “Three things were made incumbent upon me but not you: the use of tooth-stick {miswak}, witr prayer and offering sacrifice.”1
Consequently, according to the Shi‘ah witr prayer is obligatory {wajib} upon the Holy Prophet (S) and it is recommended {mustahabb} upon the other Muslims.
- 1. ‘Allamah al-Hilli, Tadhkirah al-Fuqaha, vol. 2, “Kitab an-Nikah,” Introduction 4.
- The Shia Rebuts
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Question 1 : Which is correct, “wa ‘itrati” {and my progeny}, or “wa sunnati” {and my tradition}?
- The chain of transmission of the narration, “wa ahli bayti” {and my Household}
- The chain of transmission of the narration, “wa sunnati” {and my tradition}
- What the ‘ulama’ of rijal say about the two versions
- The second chain of transmission of the narration, “wa sunnati” {and my tradition}
- The third chain of transmission of the narration, “wa sunnati” {and my tradition}
- Narration without a chain of transmission
- The meaning of Hadith ath-Thaqalayn {Tradition on the Two Weighty Things}
- Question 2 : What does “Shi‘ah” mean?
- Question 3 : Why is ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (‘a) regarded as the wasi {executor of will} and successor of the Prophet (S)?
- Question 4: Who are the Imams?
- Question 5: Why do Shi’a say “Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa Ali Muhammad”
- Question 6: Why do you regard your Imams as “infallible” {ma‘sum}?
- Question 7: Why do Shi’a Add Ashhadu anna ‘aliyyan waliyyullah” in the Call to Prayer?
- Question 8: Who is the Mahdi of Muhammad’s Progeny {Al Muhammad} and why are you waiting for his advent?
- Question 9: If the Shi‘ah are right, then why are they in the minority and why do most Muslims in the world not recognize them (as Muslims)?
- Question 10: What is raj‘ah {“return”} and why do you believe in it?
- Question 11: What is shafa‘ah {intercession}, which you believe in?
- Question 12: Is asking the rightful intercessors for intercession {shafa‘ah} tantamount to polytheism {shirk}?
- Question 13: Is seeking help from someone other than God regarded as a kind of polytheism {shirk}?
- Question 14: Is calling on someone tantamount to worshipping him and to polytheism?
- Question 15: What is bada’ and why do you believe in it?
- Question 16: Do the Shi‘ah believe in the tahrif {distortion} of the Qur’an?
- Question 17: How do the Shi‘ah view the Sahabah {Companions}?
- Question 18: What is meant by “temporary marriage” {mut‘ah} and why do the Shi‘ah regard it as lawful?
- Question 19: Why do the Shi‘ah prostrate on turbah {dried clay}?
- Question 20: During ziyarah, why do the Shi‘ah kiss the doors and walls of the shrines of awliya’ and seek blessings {tabarruk} whereby?
- Question 21: Is according to Islam religion separate from politics?
- Question 22: Why do the Shi‘ah regard the sons of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (‘a) (Hasan and Husayn (‘a)) as the sons of the Messenger of Allah (S)?
- Question 23: Why do the Shi‘ah believe that caliphate {khilafah} is a matter of appointment {tansisi}?
- Question 24: Is to swear by other than God regarded as a kind of polytheism?
- Question 25: Is to resort to the divine saints {awliya’} for mediation {tawassul} regarded as polytheism {shirk} and tantamount to innovation in religion {bid‘ah}?
- Question 26: Is celebrating the birthday of the saints {awliya’} of God a kind of polytheism and innovation {bid‘ah}?
- Question 27 : Why do the Shi‘ah perform the five daily prayers in three periods?
- A glance at the traditions
- 1. Combining two prayers together is meant to facilitate the conduct of affairs and avoid difficulty.
- 2. Combining the two prayers together in ‘Arafah is an expression of its general applicability
- 3. The manner of combining the two prayers while traveling is an expression of its general applicability
- 4. The manner of combining the two prayers together in the state of emergency is an expression of its general applicability at usual circumstances
- 5. The practice of the Companions of the Prophet (S) is an expression of its general applicability
- 6. The conduct of the Prophet (S) is an expression of the manner of combining the two prayers
- Question 28: What are the sources of Shi‘i jurisprudence {fiqh}?
- 1) The Book of Allah (Qur’an)
- 2) The Sunnah
- The reason for clinging to the Sunnah of the Prophet (S)
- The reason for clinging to the hadiths of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)
- The essence of the hadiths of the progeny of the Messenger of Allah (S)
- The proofs of the credibility and necessity of clinging to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)
- Who are the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (S)?
- Question 29 : Did Abu Talib die a believer on account of which you visit {ziyarah} his shrine?
- The family of Abu Talib
- Abu Talib according to ‘Abd al-Muttalib
- Proofs which confirm Abu Talib’s faith
- 1. Literary works of Abu Talib
- 2. Abu Talib’s behavior toward the Prophet (S) is indicative of his faith
- 3. Abu Talib’s will and testament is a clear testimony to his true faith
- 4. The Messenger of Allah’s love and affection to Abu Talib testifies to the latter’s faith
- 5. The companions of the Messenger of Allah’s testimony to Abu Talib’s true faith
- 6. Abu Talib in the view of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)
- A review of Hadith ad-Duhdah
- The groundlessness of the chain of transmission of Hadith ad-Duhdah
- The disagreement between the contents of Hadith ad-Duhdah, and the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (S)
- Conclusion
- Question 30 : Do the Shi‘ah think that Jibra’il (Archangel Gabriel) has committed treachery when he conveyed the message {risalah} to Muhammad instead of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib?
- Question 31: What is the criterion of taqiyyah {dissimulation}?
- Question 32 : Why is the Ja‘fari school of thought {madhhab} stipulated in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the official madhhab of the country?
- Question 33 : Do the Shi‘ah regard witr prayer as obligatory?
- Question 34: Is the belief that great divine people {awliya’} have supernatural power tantamount to polytheism {shirk}?
- Question 35 : Why is the station of Imamate {imamah} higher than that of prophethood {nubuwwah}?
- Question 36 : What is the criterion for distinguishing monotheism or the Unity of God {tawhid} from polytheism {shirk}?
- 1. The unity of the Divine Essence {dhat}
- 2. The unity of the Divine creative power {khaliqiyyah}
- 3. The unity of the Divine design {tadbir}
- 4. Monotheism in authority {hakimiyyah}
- 5. Monotheism in obedience {ta‘ah}
- 6. The unity of the Divine legislation {taqnin or tashri‘}
- 7. Monotheism in worship {‘ibadah}
- Misconception about worship
- The excuse is worse than the sin!
- Resolving the ambiguity and the true meaning of ‘ibadah
- Bibliography