Can 1 rakat of witr b offered instead of 3?

Question:

Asalamualaikum,

can 1 rakat of witr b offered instead of 3? Is 1 rakat totally unacceptable? If someone has to offer qadha of witr missed for a number of years,then can he offer 1 rakaat of witr salaat to compensate for his umre qadha? Usually one may not find time to offer 3 rakaat of witr as umre qadha, so can he offer 1 raakat,will it suffice?

Answer:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

(1) No, one (1) rakaat of witr cannot be offered instead of three(3).

(2) One rakaat is totally unacceptable.

(3) In making Qadha of the missed witr, one must offer three rakaats and not one rakaat. this is a matter of one’s Salaat which is an act of Ibadah, hence, one must make the time to do that which has been prescribed. Performing one rakaat will not suffice.

And Allah knows best
Mufti Waseem Khan

13/2/2013