as eleven rak‘ahs, then he would pray witr as nine and pray two rak‘ahs after witr while seated. Most jurists had not heard this hadith, which is why they objected to this practice. Ahmad and others, however, had heard it and knew it to be authentic. Ahmad permitted offering these two rak‘ahs while seated, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had done. Whoever does so should not be censured. By consensus, however, this prayer is not obligatory, and whoever omits it is not to be blamed. Nor should it be called “zahhāfah.” No one may oblige people to perform it or object to those who do.

What should be condemned, however, is the practice of some people who perform two prostrations on their own after witr. This is done by some followers of al-Shāfi‘ī and Ahmad who are associated with religious learning and devotion. They base their practice on the report:

“He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would offer two prostrations after witr.”

This was narrated by Abū Mūsā al-Madīnī and others. They mistakenly thought that it meant two prostrations on their own. Rather, it means that he would pray two rak‘ahs, as is explicitly stated in the authentic hadiths. The word sajdah (prostration) can refer to a rak‘ah, as in Ibn ‘Umar’s statement:

“I learned from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the practice of offering two prostrations before Zuhr.”

And so the hadith continues. What is meant here is two rak‘ahs, as explicitly explained in the authentic versions of the report.

Likewise, his saying:

“Whoever catches one prostration of Fajr before the sun rises has caught Fajr.”

By this he meant one rak‘ah, as is explicitly explained in the well-known narration.