‘Ali ؓ said: Verily, Witr is not a must like your prescribed prayers, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed Witr, then he said: “Pray Witr, O people of the Qurʿan. Pray Witr, for Allah is One and loves that which is odd numbered.”
عَلِيٌّ أَلا إِنَّ الْوَتْرَ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ كَصَلاتِكُمِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَوْتَرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْتِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللهَ وَتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوَتْرَ وَهَذَا لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ صَنْدَلٍ وَمَعْنَاهُمَا وَاحِدٌ