Hadith 354

Musnad Ahmad

Book 5: Musnad 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib Qawi (Darussalam)]
Qawi (Darussalam)]
Musnad Ahmad 927
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، وَالثَّوْرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ لَيْسَ الْوَتْرُ بِحَتْمٍ كَهَيْئَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ سَنَّهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ‏.‏
It was narrated that ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه) said:

Witr is not a must like the obligatory prayers, but it is a Sunnah established by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).