Among the very best of the voluntary prayers is the late–night vigil (tahajjud). Allah the Exalted says: “Indeed, rising at night is more effective for devotion and better for the wording of one’s prayer” (al-Muzzammil 6).

If a person has already prayed Tarawih and performed Witr behind the imam, yet later in the night rises again for tahajjud, there is no problem in that. He does not repeat Witr; the Witr he prayed with the imam is sufficient, and he may engage in whatever tahajjud Allah enables him to perform. Should he prefer to postpone Witr until the very end of his night prayer, that too is permissible, but he will miss the virtue of remaining with the imam. The better course is to stay with the imam and perform Witr together with him, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever stands in prayer with the imam until the imam departs will have the reward of spending the whole night in prayer.” Thus he should follow the imam and pray Witr with him; doing so does not prevent him from rising again near dawn to observe tahajjud.

Question: Does the hadith that says, “Make the last of your prayers at night Witr,” conflict with the previous hadith?

Answer: There is no conflict. The Prophet’s statement, “Whoever stands with the imam until he departs…,” pertains to someone who did not pray Tarawih with the imam.

Zakat al-Fitr
Question: We notice that some of those who collect Zakat al-Fitr gather the alms in one location and then sell them elsewhere. Is it permissible to give to such people, and is it permissible to purchase from them once we are sure that what they have gathered consists of people’s Zakat al-Fitr?