245 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not perform the qunūt except when he was supplicating for a people or supplicating against a people.” Ibn Khuzaymah declared it authentic. ⦗1⦘

Status of the ḥadīth:
The ḥadīth is ṣaḥīḥ (sound).

Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zad al-Maʿād: “All of Anas’s reports concerning the qunūt are authentic and mutually corroborative. The qunūt he mentioned before the bowing is different from the one he mentioned after it, and the timed qunūt is different from the unrestricted one. The qunūt reported before bowing refers to lengthening the standing position for Qur’an recitation, whereas the one reported after bowing refers to lengthening the standing for supplication. He (the Prophet) carried it out for a month, praying for certain people; thereafter he continued to prolong that posture for supplication and praise until he left this world. What he abandoned was the supplication against certain Arab clans, and that was done after the bowing.”