Is the rak'ah of forgetfulness (sahw) counted as part of the total number of rak'ahs for Witr, or is Witr completed with a separate rak'ah?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If one intends to pray two rak'ahs of al-Layl, then mistakenly stands for a third, he must sit down as soon as he remembers. He should not recite the again if he already did so. He then performs the prostrations of forgetfulness ( al-sahw) and pronounces the . It is not permissible for him to continue the prayer to make it a witr prayer, because he only intended two rak'ahs, based on the : "The night prayer is two by two." If he remembers after starting the recitation (in the third rak'ah), he must return and sit down, then pronounce the taslim, perform the prostrations of forgetfulness, and pronounce the taslim again.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/12320
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 12320
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy