Question Summary:
To save time instead of reading durood e ibrahim i recited ‘Allahumma salli ala sayyidina Muhammad’ in my esha prayer and my witr prayer. Now I am worried whether my prayer was valid or not – please could you tell me?

Question Detail:

I was reading my esha prayer five minutes before fajr comes in because i had fallen asleep.  To save time instead of reading durood e ibrahim i recited 'Allahumma salli ala sayyidina Muhammad' in my esha prayer and my witr prayer.  Now I am worried  whether my prayer was valid or not - please could you tell me?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
We appreciate you contacting our institute concerning your Ibadaat.  Verily this is a sign of Imaan which has caused a worry and concern for the validity of your salah.
To begin with, we advice you to turn towards Allah Ta’ala and ask for forgiveness for delaying the salah to such an extent where the time of salah was about to end.   We understand that it was not done intentionally.  However, in the future one should be very cautious in the matters of salah.  If one has a doubt he will not wake up in time to perform his salah, then it is better to make effort to stay awake then sleep after performing Isha salah.
It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari:
عن أبي برزة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يكره النوم قبل العشاء والحديث بعدها
Abu Barzah narrates that Rasulullah (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to dislike sleeping before Isha prayers and talking (of worldly things) afterwards.
 
However, in such circumstances one should also not totally leave out salah thinking that the time is too short and will perform qadha later.  Even if there is very little time for salah, it should be performed and not delayed and made qadha.  To delay salah from its stipulated time is a grave sin.
It comes in a narration:
عن ابن عباس قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من جمع بين الصلاتين من غير عذر فقد أتى بابا من أبواب الكبائر (الحاكم فى المستدرك)
Ibn Abbas (Radhiyallahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said, “A person who combines two salahs without any strong excuse reaches one of the doors of ‘Kabair’ (major sins) – Hakim in al-Mustadrak
Regarding your query, the Isha salah and Witr salah will be valid if it was performed before the time of Fajr comes in.  If the time of salah is about to end, then the sunnah prayers should be left out.  The sunnah and nafl acts which take place in salah should be left out as well (e.g. the tasbeehaat in ruku and sajdah should be said once). The durood should be recited up to Allahuma Salli ala Muhammad and then salam should be made.
Ahsan al-Fatawa (3:43) H.M. Saeed
Aap kay masail aur un ka hal (2:106) Maktaba Bayinaat
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ehzaz Ajmeri,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah