from al-Rabī ibn Anas, from Anas ibn Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, continued performing qunūt until he departed this world.” Its wording was explained as follows: “He continued performing qunūt before bowing.”

What is meant by qunūt here is prolonged standing, not supplication; this is how it was explained.

This is further clarified by the report in the two Sahih collections from Muhammad ibn Sīrīn, who said: “I asked Anas ibn Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him, ‘Did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, perform qunūt in the dawn prayer?’ He replied, ‘Yes, briefly after bowing.’” He thus reported that his qunūt was performed silently and after bowing. Since the term qunūt denotes continued obedience, any prolonged standing, bowing, or prostration came to be called qunūt. Allah Most High says: “Or one who is devoutly obedient during the hours of the night, prostrating and standing in prayer” [al-Zumar 39:9]. Hence, when Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about regular qunūt, he replied, “We have neither heard of it nor seen it.” This is one position.

Others maintain that qunūt is a regular Sunnah, since it is established that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed it, and it is narrated of him that “he continued performing qunūt until he departed this world.” This is the position of al-Shāfiʿī.

Some proponents of this position recommended it in all the prayers because it is authentically established that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed qunūt in them. This has been transmitted through several routes concerning the sunset and night prayers,