Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

What is the alternative of dua-e-qunood in Isha prayers? I`ve heared that one who has not learned it can recite sura-e-fatiha 3 times instead. 

 

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Answer:

 

Supplication dua of qunoot

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

The absolute majority of scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that the recitation of the supplication of ‘qunut’ in witr prayers is optional, as there is enough evidence in the established and authentic Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah (saws) would at times recite the ‘qunut’ supplications in the ‘witr’ prayers, and at times he (saws) would abstain. 

 

Thus if one does not recite the ‘qunut’ supplication in their witr prayers for any reason there is absolutely no harm as its omission does not in any way effect the validity of one’s prayers.

 

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.15a

Topic: Al-Qunut in the Witr

It is part of Sunnah to supplicate with ‘qunut’ in the witr prayer during the entire year. Al-Hassan ibn Ali (r.a.) said: "The Messenger of Allah taught me the [following] words to recite (as ‘qunut’) in the ‘witr’ prayer: ‘Allah humma ehdena feeman hadayt; wa afena feeman afayt; wa tawallana feeman tawallayt; wa barik lana feema aatayt; wasrif anna sharra ma qadayt; fa innaka taqdi wala yuqda alayk; fa innahu la yadillu man walayt; wala ya izzu man adayt; tabarakta Rabbana wa ta’alayt.’”

(O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided. Grant me safety among those whom You have granted safety. Take me into Your charge among those whom You have taken into Your charge.  Bless me in what You have given me. Protect me from the evil that You have decreed, for You decree and nothing is decreed for You. And there is no humiliation for whom You take as a ward, and no honor for him whom You take enmity.  Blessed and Exalted are You, our Lord.)

Related by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah.

 

Your Question: …I`ve heared that one who has not learned it can recite sura-e-fatiha 3 times instead. 

Firstly, the dua of ‘qunoot’ is optional and not an obligatory rite or part of prayer.  If one recites it, one would be in accordance with the Sunnah; and if one for any reason chooses not to recite it, it would not affect the validity of their prayers.

 

Secondly, the ‘qunoot’ dua as practiced and taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws) is short and can be easily memorized with a little effort.

 

And third, to the best of our knowledge, we have not come across any hadith in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby one is allowed to substitute the dua of ‘qunoot’ with three recitations of Surah Al-Fatehah.  And Allah Alone Knows Best.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan