حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ سَمِعْتُ عَاصِمَ بْنَ ضَمْرَةَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ لَيْسَ الْوَتْرُ بِحَتْمٍ كَالصَّلَاةِ وَلَكِنْ سُنَّةٌ فَلَا تَدَعُوهُ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ وَوَجَدْتُهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدِي وَقَدْ أَوْتَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 842
It was narrated that 'Ali (RA) said: Witr is not a must like (obligatory) prayer, but it is Sunnah, so do not omit it. Shu'bah said: I found it written with me: And the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) prayed Witr.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020