VOLUME 2 – 337 – REGARDING THOSE WHO DO NOT PERFORM WITR PRAYER
From Abdullah’s father, Burayda (may Allah be pleased with him), it is related that he said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “The Witir prayer is a right. Whoever does not perform Witir is not among us. The Witir prayer is a right. Whoever does not perform Witir is not among us. The Witir prayer is a right. Whoever does not perform Witir is not among us.”
It is narrated from Ibn al-Muhayriz, may Allah be pleased with him:
A man from the Banu Kinanah, known as Mahdaji, heard a person from Damascus, known as Abu Muhammad, say, “The Witr prayer is obligatory.” Mahdaji relates:
I immediately went to Ubada ibn Sami and informed him of what Abu Muhammad had said. Ubada ibn Sami said, "Abu Muhammad is not speaking truthfully. I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘There are five prayers. Allah has made them obligatory upon His servants. Whoever performs these five prayers without belittling them or neglecting their rights, Allah has promised to place him in Paradise. And Allah does not promise to place anyone in Paradise who does not perform them. He may punish him or may place him in His Paradise.’” [341]
According to Imam al-Azam, the Witr prayer is obligatory. According to Malik, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and ash-Shafi’i, it is sunna. (Al-Fiqh ala al-Mazahib, vol. 1, p. 338)