Praying witr behind a Shāfi‘ī imam

Question

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله تعالى وبركاته

Mufti Sahab what is the method of praying witr Salah behind a shafiee imaam

— Oowais Qassim Ali, Mauritius

Answer

وعلیکم السلام ورحمة اللہ وبرکاته

The method for praying witr ṣalah behind a shāfi`ī ‘imām would be that after the second rak’ah, the ḥanafī will not do salām. If he does do salām, the prayer will not be valid. Also, when the shafi`ī ‘imām stands after the rukū` of the third rak`ah, he shall recite the qunūt with the ‘imām.

Such is explained in Bahār e Sharī`at:

وتر کی نماز شافعی المذہب کے پیچھے پڑھ سکتا ہے بشرطیکہ دوسری رکعت کے بعد سلام نہ پھیرے ورنہ صحیح نہیں اور اس صورت میں قنوت امام کے ساتھ پڑھے یعنی تیسری رکعت کے رکوع سے کھڑے ہونے کے بعد جب وہ شافعی امام پڑھے

“He can pray the ṣalāh of witr behind someone shafi`ī in madh-hab with the condition that he does not do salām after the second rak`ah. Otherwise, it will not be valid. Also, in this case he will recite the qunūt with the ‘imām, i.e., after rising from the bowing (rukū`) of the third rak`ah when that shāfi`ī ‘imām recites.”

[Bahār e Sharī`at, Vol. 4, Witr ka Bayān]

And Allāh knows best.

Faqīr Sayyid `Abdul Ṣamad al-Qādirī · (may he be pardoned) · Safar 1, 1446 AH