When and in which prayers is Qunut Nazilah performed, and what supplications are recited?

I would like to ask how Qunut Nazilah is recited. After ruku’ (bowing), should we say “Allahu Akbar” and raise our hands as if in prayer, or should we remain standing without raising our hands?
What supplication (dua) should we recite? Is there a specific supplication for it, or can any Arabic supplication be recited? Or can a person pray in his own language?
Actually, I want to recite Qunut Nazilah for Palestine. As far as I know, this supplication is recited at the end of the five fard prayers and after ruku’. However, I do not know how to perform it and what exactly to recite. Also, what should the position of my hands be after ruku’ during Qunut Nazilah?
Brother, please answer my question. I have been looking for the answer to it for a long time.

Dear Brother / Sister,

The word qunut means to pray to Allah Almighty in prayer, to turn to Him, and to bow down before Him. The practice of qunut in prayer is certain based on the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). (1)

Based on those narrations, Islamic scholars generally divide qunut into two parts:

Regular (usual) qunut

Qunut performed in times of calamity and extraordinary circumstances (Qunut Nazilah)

1. Regular Qunut

Scholars of the four madhhabs have accepted the legitimacy of the regular qunut. However, there are some differences among madhhabs regarding in which prayer and at what stage it should be recited.

According to Hanafi madhhab:

Qunut is recited in the third rak’ah of the witr prayer before ruku’, after saying takbir and holding the hands together, and then Qunut begins. According to Hanafis, reciting Qunut in witr prayer is wajib.

According to Shafi’i madhhab:

It is sunnah to recite qunut in the second rak’ah of the morning prayer (fajr) after ruku’, and also in the witr prayer during the second half of Ramadan.

According to Hanbali madhhab: Qunut is performed in witr prayer.

According to Maliki madhhab: Qunut is recited in the morning prayer. (2)

2. Qunut Nazilah (Qunut Recited in Times of Calamity)

Qunut Nazilah is the qunut that Muslims recite to ask for help from Allah Almighty when they are exposed to great distress, oppression, war, disaster or a social calamity.

According to Hanafi madhhab:

When a major calamity or misfortune befalls Muslims, qunut nazilah may be recited during fard prayers in which recitation is aloud.

The reason for referring to “two types of qunut” here is to distinguish their areas of application; qunut nazilah is not a completely separate type of worship.

According to Shafi’i madhhab:

In such cases, it is mustahab to recite qunut prayer in all five fard prayers.

According to Hanbali madhhab:

It is mustahab to recite qunut prayer in the morning prayer. (3)

How to Perform Qunut Nazilah

There are different practices among madhhabs regarding the place of the qunut.

Generally speaking: If it is to be performed after ruku’, the imam or the person praying alone rises from ruku’ and, after saying “Sami’allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd,” recites qunut supplication

In some madhhabs, it is performed before ruku’.

There are also differing opinions regarding the raising of the hands. Raising the hands during qunut has been regarded as a behavior appropriate for supplication. However, not all madhhabs follow the same practice in this regard.

As a general principle, when asking for a blessing, help, or mercy from Allah during prayer, the palms of the hands are turned upward. When asking for the removal of a calamity or misfortune, the palms of the hands are turned downward.

Therefore, one may pay attention to the position of the hands depending on the content of the supplication recited during qunut nazilah.

What supplication is recited as qunut nazilah?

There is no single prescribed prayer for qunut nazilah. One prays to Allah Almighty in a manner appropriate to the hardship being experienced.

However, there are two well-known qunut prayers mentioned in books of Islamic fiqh:

Qunut Prayer Recited by Hanafis

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ، وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ، وَنُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ كُلَّهُ، نَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ، وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَفْجُرُكَ

اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ، وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي وَنَسْجُدُ، وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ، وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ، وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ، إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ

Allahumma inna nasta’inuka wa nastaghfiruka wa nastahdika wa nu’minu bika wa natubu ilayk. Wa natawakkalu alayka wa nuthni alaykal-khayra kullahu nashkuruka wa la nakfuruka wa nakhla’u wa natruku man yafjuruk.

Allahumma iyyaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu wa ilayka nas’a wa nahfidu narju rahmataka wa nakhsha adhabaka inna adhabaka bilkuffari mulhiq.

Its meaning:

“Oh Allah, we ask you for help and seek your forgiveness and guidance, and we believe in You and have trust in You, and we praise You in the best way and we thank You and we are not ungrateful to You, and we forsake and turn away from the one who disobeys You. O Allah, we worship You only and pray to You and prostrate ourselves before You, and we run towards You and serve You, and we hope to receive Your mercy, and we fear Your punishment. Surely, the disbelievers will receive Your punishment.”

Qunut Prayer Recited by Shafi’is

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

Allahummahdini fiman hadayta. Wa afini fiman afayta. Wa tawallani fiman tawallayta. Wa barik li fima a’tayta, wa qina sharra ma qadayta.

Fainnaka taqdi wala yuqda alayk, wa innahu la yazillu man walayta. Wa la ya’izzu man adayta. Tabarakta Rabbana wa taalayta.

Its meaning:

“O Allah, guide me with those You have guided aright, and grant me health with those that You have granted health. Take me into Your charge among those whom You have taken into Your charge. Bless me in what You have bestowed on me, and guard me against the evil that You have decreed, for You alone decree, and no one can decree against You. One whom You have patronized can never be despised and the one whom You have antagonized can never become honored. Blessed and exalted are You, our Lord Our Lord.” (4)

In conclusion, reciting qunut nazilah is considered legitimate by many scholars in situations where Muslims are experiencing great suffering, such as in Palestine. The method of recitation may vary according to different madhhabs. What matters is to sincerely turn to Allah Almighty, to pray for the removal of oppression, the protection of the oppressed, and the salvation of Muslims.

References:
1) Bukhari, Witr, 7; Muslim, Masajid, 294-308
2) Marghinani, al-Hidaya, 1/66-67; Nawawi, al-Majmu’, 3/492-493; Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, 2/111-115; Shinqiti, Lawami’ud-Durar, 2/127-130.
3) Wahba az-Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul-Islami wa Adillatuhu, 2/1000-1002.
4) Wahba az-Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul-Islami wa Adillatuhu, 2/1000-1002.

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