Witr and Nawaafil

Q:

1. How many rakaats must be read?

2. Is it Sunnat, Fard, Nafl etc?

Q: Are there two Witr namaaz's per day? ie. 1. Esha - 3 rakaats Witr Wajib 2. Tahajjud - 2 rakaat followed by 1 rakaat Witr? Should both be read every night or are they the same and only one should be read?

Q: I want to know how should one pray haajat nafil Salaah? How many rakaats should one pray and what are the Surahs to be recited?

Q: I want to know that is there any other way of doing istikhara (accurate and fast). Someone told my mum that take a bowl with water and write the decision on the paper and let it float on the water and the direction will determine the answer. But I am not sure and forgot the way. So please guide me in the light of Islam.

Q: I have received a proposal and read Istikhara for which I received a positive reply. On Saturday a lady came to my house who "sees" and asked if she could "see" for me. I thought it was like going to a Moulana where they check to see if any nazar or jaadu is troubling you. She told me a lot of things about my future. She also said that my Istikhara even though it was positive, if I married the man it would be the biggest mistake of my life. She is a Muslim and made me read durood sharif and blow in a glass of water before taking the glass and "seeing". I have always been under the impression that Istikhara is guidance from Allah and that only Allah can know what our future holds. I am very confused. Please advise if what this woman does is accepted in Islam? Is my Istikhara still valid. Would it be best to get an Aalim to read istikhara on my behalf? I am very confused.

Q: If I reach the musjid at a time when the jamaat of Fajr has already commenced, should I immediately join the jamaat or should I first offer the sunnah of Fajr?

Q: I usually pray two rakaats sitting after witr since this was the practise of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alyhi Wasallam). However, I now came across a Hadith saying that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) didn't do these rakats 100% sitting, rather he stood up before ruku and made the ruku from a standing position. Can you please advice how to perform the two rakats. The hadith is: “He observed thirteen rak'ahs (in the night prayer). He observed eight rak'ahs and would then observe Witr and then observe two rak'ahs sitting, and when he wanted to bow he stood up and then bowed down, and then observed two rak'ahs in between the Adhaan and lqama of the dawn prayer.” (Sahih Muslim)

Q: Can we offer Tahajjud Salaah after we have offered our Witr Wajib or we should not offer our Witr Wajib before Tahajjud?

Q: A person is faced with some aspect that needs a decision, or some haajaat. He makes dua. Someone asks him if he read two rakaats salaatul istikhara /haajaat to fulfil his need? He says that I made dua. How does one reply to this, how to give targheeb to him that the salaah and then the dua will be more effective?

Q: Could one do istikhaarah to find out what happened in the past in someone's life such as husband's life before marriage?