VOLUME 2 – 336 – The Recommendation of Witir Prayer
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “O people of the Witr prayer, observe it. Indeed, Allah is One, and He loves Oneness.”
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Mas'ud:
A narration was related in the meaning of the preceding hadith. In that narration there is this addition:
A Bedouin asked Ibn Mas'ud about (this matter). He said to the Bedouin, “What I have said (regarding the Witir prayer) is something which neither concerns you nor your people.”
EXPLANATION
This hadith is the evidence of those who maintain that the Witir prayer is not obligatory. They say, "If it were obligatory, it would be commanded to the people of the Qur'an and the Bedouin would not be exempted."
Hârice ibn Huzâfa, may Allah be pleased with him, has narrated:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out to his companions and said, “Allah has added a supererogatory prayer for you that is better than red camels for you. That is the Witir prayer. He gave it to you between nightfall and dawn.”