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1. Which is better: adhering to the Sunnah of 11 rak’ahs and refraining from prayer thereafter, or continuing to pray in the last part of the night until the Fajr adhān? 2. Is praying after Witr with a prior intention for it considered reprehensible (makrooh), or does it fall under prayers with a reason, especially if the worshiper cannot pray an even number of rak’ahs (shaf’ al-witr) in the mosque for several reasons?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The preponderant opinion regarding the number of Tarawih prayer cycles (rak'ahs) is eleven or thirteen rak'ahs, and it is permissible to exceed this number. It is recommended for one who prays Tarawih with the Imam to pray Witr with him. If one wishes to perform night vigil prayer later in the night, they should pray an even number (shaf'an) without repeating Witr, based on the hadith: "There are not two Witr prayers in one night." It is permissible for one who prays with the Imam and wishes to pray Witr later in the night to make their prayer with the Imam an even number by adding one rak'ah after the Imam's taslim, thereby attaining the virtue of praying with the Imam until he departs and the virtue of making their last prayer Witr.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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