The Correct Method of Praying Witr in Isha

There are two ways to pray the Isha Witr prayer. One is the method practiced in the Haramain (Makkah and Madinah), where two Rakats are prayed first (ending with Salam), followed by a separate single Rakat of Witr. The second method is to pray all three Rakats of Witr together. When praying this way, one must distinguish them from the Maghrib prayer. There are three main differences: In Maghrib, there is no Quranic recitation (Surah) in the third Rakat, whereas, in Witr, you must recite a Surah in the third Rakat as well. In Maghrib, you sit for Tashahhud in both the second and third Rakats. However, in this specific Witr method, you do not sit for the first Tashahhud; you only sit for the final Tashahhud at the end. In Maghrib, when you stand up for the third Rakat, you perform Rafa-ul-Yadein (raising hands), but this is not the case in this Witr method. The method practiced in the Haramain is considered more preferable.