حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ إِنَّ الْوَتْرَ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ وَلَكِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوَتْرَ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 786
It was narrated that 'Ali (RA) said: Witr is not a must, but it is a Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is One and loves that which is odd numbered.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020