Duas for Qunoot

It depends on the madhab. In the Hanafi school, Qunoot in Witr is wajib (necessary) — leaving it intentionally requires a prostration of forgetfulness (sajda sahw). In the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools, it is Sunnah (recommended). In the Maliki school, it is generally not recommended as a regular practice. Regardless of madhab, its recitation is spiritually highly meritorious.

This is one of the most discussed points. The Hanafi school holds that Qunoot in Witr is recited before going into rukū’ — after completing the Surah recitation in the final rak’ah, saying Allahu Akbar and then reciting the dua before bowing. The Shafi’i, Hanbali, and Maliki schools generally hold that Qunoot is recited after rising from rukū’ in the final rak’ah, before prostration. Both positions have sound evidence from the hadith literature.

In the Hanafi school, there is a known position allowing Qunoot in one’s native language if one cannot recite it in Arabic, though learning the Arabic text is the ideal. The Shafi’i school is generally stricter, requiring Arabic. Most contemporary scholars recommend making personal du’a in any language after Salah rather than replacing the Arabic Qunoot text within the prayer. Beginners are strongly encouraged to memorise the shorter version (Dua #1) taught by the Prophet ﷺ, as it is concise and deeply comprehensive.

In individual Witr prayer, Qunoot is recited silently (sirr). When performing Witr in congregation (common in Ramadan Tarawih), the imam recites Qunoot aloud and those praying behind say Ameen at the end of each segment of supplication. This is the practice followed in most mosques worldwide during Ramadan.

Qunoot Witr is a specific supplication recited as part of the regular Witr prayer — its text is largely fixed, most importantly the dua the Prophet ﷺ taught Al-Hasan ibn Ali (RA). Qunoot Nazilah is an emergency supplication led by the imam in any obligatory prayer when the Muslim community faces a calamity (war, plague, drought, oppression). Its text is more flexible — the imam may compose appropriate supplications in Arabic. The Prophet ﷺ frequently performed Qunoot Nazilah in Fajr prayer during times of hardship, as recorded in Bukhari and Muslim.

Yes, your Witr prayer remains valid. In the Hanafi school, since Qunoot is wajib, forgetting it requires a sajda sahw (prostration of forgetfulness) to be performed at the end of the prayer. If one intentionally skips it without a valid reason, the prayer is still valid but sinful — it should ideally be repeated. In other madhabs (where Qunoot is Sunnah), the prayer is fully valid and there is no sajda sahw required for omitting it.