In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب الحث عَلَى صلاة الوتر وبيان أنه سنة مؤكدة وبيان وقته
Chapter on encouragement to perform Witr prayer, clarification that it is a confirmed Sunnah, and clarification of its timing.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/324
Ali ibn Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ فَأَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ
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, commented:
الْوِتْرُ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ كَصَلَاتِكُمْ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنْ سَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
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
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported:
مِنْ كُلِّ اللَّيْلِ قَدْ أَوْتَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ وَأَوْسَطِهِ وَآخِرِهِ فَانْتَهَى وِتْرُهُ إِلَى السَّحَرِ
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would perform Witr prayer every night, either at the beginning, middle, or end of the night, finishing his Witr prayer before the break of dawn.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 996, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Ibn Umar reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
اجْعَلُوا آخِرَ صَلَاتِكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وِتْرًا
Make the last of your prayers at night the witr prayer.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 998, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَوْتِرُوا قَبْلَ أَنْ تُصْبِحُوا
Perform witr prayer before the morning.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 754, Grade: Sahih
Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ خَافَ أَنْ لَا يَقُومَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيُوتِرْ أَوَّلَهُ وَمَنْ طَمِعَ أَنْ يَقُومَ آخِرَهُ فَلْيُوتِرْ آخِرَ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ صَلَاةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ مَشْهُودَةٌ وَذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ
Whoever fears he cannot stand for prayer at the end of the night, let him perform Witr prayer in its beginning. Whoever hopes to stand for prayer at the end of the night, let him perform Witr prayer at its ending. Verily, prayer at the end of the night is witnessed, and that is better.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 755, Grade: Sahih
Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُوتِرُ بِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً فَلَمَّا كَبِرَ وَضَعُفَ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed the night prayer with Witr by thirteen cycles, but when he became older and weaker, he performed it with seven cycles.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 457, Grade: Hasan
Imam al-Tirmidhi commented:
وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْوَتْرُ بِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ وَإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ وَتِسْعٍ وَسَبْعٍ وَخَمْسٍ وَثَلَاثٍ وَوَاحِدَةٍ
It has been narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he would perform night prayer with Witr by thirteen, eleven, nine, seven, five, three, or even one cycle.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1/473
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
