Recitation is necessary in the third rak‘a of witr as well

Question

An imam led the people in witr after tarawih. In the first rak‘a, after Surat al-Fatiha, he recited Surat al-Falaq; in the second rak‘a, from Surat al-Nas, «شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ» (“…the evil of the retreating whisperer”, 114:4); and in the third rak‘a «يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ…» (“…whispers into the breasts of mankind…”, 114:5). Is this witr valid or not?

Answer

In the third rak‘a of witr, too, recitation — that is, adding a sura or three verses after al-Hamd — is wajib. In the case asked about, three verses were not recited; therefore this prayer is to be repeated.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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