Rising for the Third and Fourth Rak‘ahs

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would rise for the third rak‘ah (unit of prayer) while pronouncing the takbīr (“Allāhu akbar”), and he instructed the man who prayed incorrectly to do the same, saying, “Then do that in every rak‘ah and prostration,” as mentioned earlier. Whenever he ﷺ rose from the sitting position, he would pronounce the takbīr and then stand, and at times he ﷺ would raise his hands with this takbīr.

When he intended to rise for the fourth rak‘ah he would likewise say, “Allāhu akbar,” and he ordered the man who prayed incorrectly to do so, as noted above. At times he ﷺ would raise his hands with this takbīr as well.

He would remain seated on his left foot, upright, until every bone returned to its place; only then would he stand, leaning on the ground. He also “kneaded,” meaning that he would press on his hands when rising.

In each of these two rak‘ahs he would recite al-Fātiḥah (the Opening chapter), and he commanded the man who prayed incorrectly to do the same. Occasionally, during the Ẓuhr prayer, he would add a few verses to it, as already explained under “Recitation in Ẓuhr.” (ص 950 - 953).

Qunūt in the Five Daily Prayers During Calamity

Whenever the Prophet ﷺ wished to invoke against a people or on behalf of a people, he would perform qunūt (standing supplication) in the final rak‘ah, after rising from bowing, when he had said, “Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah. Allāhumma! Rabbanaa, laka al-ḥamd.” He would voice his supplication aloud, raise his hands, and those praying behind him would say “āmīn.” He would perform qunūt in all five daily prayers, but only when he was supplicating for a people or against a people.

He might say: “O Allah, deliver al-Walīd ibn al-Walīd, Salama ibn Hishām, and ʿAyyāsh ibn Abī Rabīʿah. O Allah, tighten Your grip on Muḍar and make it years of drought like the years of Joseph. O Allah, curse Lihyān, Riʿl, Dhakwān, and ʿUṣayya, for they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.” When he finished the qunūt he would then say “Allāhu akbar” and go down to prostrate. (ص 954 - 967).

Qunūt in Witr

The Prophet ﷺ would sometimes perform qunūt in the witr rak‘ah, placing it before the bowing, and he did not restrict this to times of calamity.

He taught al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī ﵁ that, when he had finished his recitation in witr, he should say:

“O Allah, guide me among those You have guided; grant me well-being among those to whom You have granted well-being; take me into Your care among those You have taken into Your care; bless for me what You have given me; and protect me from the evil You have decreed. For You decree and none can decree over You; indeed, one whom You befriend is never humiliated, and one whom You oppose is never honoured. Blessed and exalted are You, our Lord; there is no refuge from You except with You.” (ص 968 - 980).