Hadith on Nawafil: Witr prayer recommended, not obligation

Ali ibn Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah is numerically odd and He loves what is odd, so perform the Witr prayer, O people of the Quran!”

Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Witr prayer is not required like your prescribed prayers, but rather it is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 453

Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Tirmidhi

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ فَأَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ

وَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ الْوِتْرُ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ كَصَلَاتِكُمْ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنْ سَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

453 سنن الترمذي أبواب الوتر باب ما جاء أن الوتر ليس بحتم

1/470 المحدث الترمذي خلاصة حكم المحدث حسن في سنن الترمذي

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Abu Amina Elias
Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrott) is an academic librarian, researcher, and translator specializing in the Quran, Hadith, and their commentaries. He is a former instructor of Islamic Creed for Mishkah University.
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