A bedouin with unkempt hair came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards the prayers." He replied: "You have to offer perfectly the five compulsory prayers in a day and night (24 hours), unless you want to pray Nawafil." The bedouin further asked, "Inform me what Allah has made compulsory for me as regards fasting." He replied, "You have to fast during the whole month of Ramadan, unless you want to fast more as Nawafil." The bedouin further asked, "Tell me how much Zakat Allah has enjoined on me." Thus, Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed him about all the rules (i.e. fundamentals) of Islam. The bedouin then said, "By Him Who has honored you, I will neither perform any Nawafil nor will I decrease what Allah has enjoined on me. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If he is saying the truth, he will succeed (or he will be granted Paradise). (Using translation from Bukhārī 1891)   

أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ ثَائِرَ الرَّأْسِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا افْتَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ قَالَ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا افْتَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ مِنَ الصِّيَامِ قَالَ صِيَامُ رَمَضَانَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا افْتَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ قَالَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِشَرَائِعِ الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي أَكْرَمَكَ لَا أَتَطَوَّعُ شَيْئًا وَلَا أَنْقُصُ مِمَّا فَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَفْلَحَ وَأَبِيهِ إِنْ صَدَقَ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَاللهِ إِنْ صَدَقَ أَخْرَجَاهُ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ قُتَيْبَةَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ وَدَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَبِيهِ إِنْ صَدَقَ  

The five (daily) prayers and one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer are expiations (for the sins committed in the intervals) between them. (Using translation from Muslim 233b)   

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ كَفَّارَاتٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُنَّ  

A man from among the people of Najd with disheveled hair came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The humming sound of his voice could be heard but what he was saying could not be understood. He came closer and it was then known that he was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Five times of prayer each day and night: He asked: Must I observe any more than them? He replied: No, unless you do it voluntarily. He (Talhah) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned fasting during the month of Ramadan. He asked: Must I observe anything else? He replied: No, unless you do it voluntarily. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned Zakat to him. He asked: Must I pay anything else? He replied: No, unless you do it voluntarily. The man then turned away saying: I swear by Allah, I shall not add anything to this or fall short of it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The man will be successful if he speaks truth. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 391)   

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ طَلْحَةَ بْنَ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ يَقُولُ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْدٍ ثَائِرَ الرَّأْسِ نَسْمَعُ دَوِيَّ صَوْتِهِ وَلَا نَفْقَهُ مَا يَقُولُ حَتَّى دَنَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَسْأَلُ عَنِ الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَيَّ غَيْرُهُنَّ؟ قَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ وَصِيَامُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَيَّ غَيْرُهُ؟ قَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ وَذَكَرَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الزَّكَاةَ فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَيَّ غَيْرُهَا؟ قَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ فَأَدْبَرَ الرَّجُلُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ وَاللهِ لَا أَزِيدُ عَلَى هَذَا وَلَا أَنْقُصُ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَفْلَحَ إِنْ صَدَقَ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ قُتَيْبَةَ  

[Machine] On the authority of the Prophet ﷺ , he said: The five daily prayers and the Friday prayer until the next Friday are expiations for what is between them, as long as major sins are avoided.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ كَفَّارَاتٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُنَّ مَا لَمْ يَغْشَ الْكَبَائِرَ  

Ibn Muhayriz said: A man from Banu Kinanah, named al-Makhdaji, heard a person called AbuMuhammad in Syria, saying: The witr is a duty (wajib). Al-Makhdaji said: So I went to Ubadah ibn as-Samit and informed him. Ubadah said: AbuMuhammad told a lie. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: There are five prayers which Allah has prescribed on His servants. If anyone offers them, not losing any of them, and not treating them lightly, Allah guarantees that He will admit him to Paradise. If anyone does not offer them, Allah does not take any responsibility for such a person. He may either punish him or admit him to Paradise. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1420)   

سَمِعَ رَجُلًا بِالشَّامِ يُدْعَى أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْوِتْرَ وَاجِبٌ قَالَ الْمُخْدَجِيُّ فَرُحْتُ إِلَى عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ فَاعْتَرَضْتُ لَهُ وَهُوَ رَائِحٌ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِالَّذِي قَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ فَقَالَ عُبَادَةُ كَذَبَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ كَتَبَهُنَّ اللهُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ فَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِنَّ لَمْ يُضَيِّعْ مِنْهُنَّ شَيْئًا اسْتِخْفَافًا بِحَقِّهِنَّ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَهْدٌ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْتِ بِهِنَّ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَهْدٌ إِنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُ وَإِنْ شَاءَ أَدْخَلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ  

[Machine] A man from the tribe of Kinanah and then from the tribe of Mudlij met a man from the Ansar (Helpers), known as Abu Muhammad, and asked him about the Witr prayer. He said that it is obligatory. The man from Kinanah then met Ubada ibn As-Samit and mentioned this to him. Ubada replied, "Abu Muhammad is lying. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, 'Allah has made it obligatory for the servants to perform five prayers. Whoever fulfills them without missing anything from them, he has a covenant with Allah that He will admit him to Paradise. And whoever does not fulfill them, then he has no covenant with Allah. If He wills, He may punish him and if He wills, He may forgive him.'"  

أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ بَنِي كِنَانَةَ ثُمَّ مِنْ بَنِي مُدْلِجٍ لَقِيَ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ يُقَالُ لَهُ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْوِتْرِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ وَاجِبٌ قَالَ الْكِنَانِيُّ فَلَقِيتُ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ ؓ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فَرَضَهُنَّ اللهُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مَنْ أَتَى بِهِنَّ لَمْ يُضَيِّعْ شَيْئًا مِنْهُنَّ كَانَ لَهُ عَهْدٌ عَلَى اللهِ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَأْتِ بِهِنَّ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَهْدٌ إِنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُ وَإِنْ شَاءَ رَحِمَهُ  

[Machine] A good and beautiful act that the Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims have done after him, but it is not obligatory.  

أَمْرٌ حَسَنٌ جَمِيلٌ عَمِلَ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَلَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ  

[Machine] Indeed, this odd number is not obligatory, but it is a good sunnah from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Allah is odd and He loves odd numbers. This is the narration of Zuhayr and in another narration by Ath-Thawri, it is mentioned that odd number is not obligatory, but it is a sunnah which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ established.  

إِنَّ هَذَا الْوِتْرَ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ وَلَكِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ حَسَنَةٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ زُهَيْرٍ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ الثَّوْرِيِّ الْوِتْرُ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ وَلَكِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ سَنَّهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ  

[Machine] "Witr is not an obligatory prayer like the prescribed prayers, but it is a recommended sunnah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ established. He said, 'Perform Witr, O people of the Quran, for indeed Allah, the Exalted, is odd and He loves the odd-numbered prayer.'"  

الْوِتْرُ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ كَالصَّلَاةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنَّهُ سُنَّةٌ سَنَّهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ  

“Allah is Witr and He loves the odd (numbered), so perform Witr, O people of the Qur’an.” A Bedouin said: ‘What is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying?’ He said: ‘That is not for you or your companions.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1170)   

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ فَأَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ وَزَادَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ مَا تَقُولُ؟ قَالَ لَيْسَ لَكَ وَلَا لِأَصْحَابِكَ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Perform the night prayer, O people of the Quran." A Bedouin man asked, "What does the Prophet ﷺ say?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "You are not one of them." This was narrated by Sufyan Ath-Thawri from Amr ibn Murrah and he transmitted it.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ قَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ مَا يَقُولُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ؟ فَقَالَ لَسْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَرَوَاهُ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ فَأَرْسَلَهُ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah, may ﷺ , said: "Perform Witr prayer, O people of the Quran, as Allah, the Exalted, is One and loves odd numbers." So, a Bedouin asked, "What does the Messenger of Allah, may ﷺ , say?" He was told, "This does not concern you nor your companions."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَوْتِرُوا يَا أَصْحَابَ الْقُرْآنِ إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ مَا يَقُولُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ؟ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ لَكَ وَلَا لِأَصْحَابِكَ هَكَذَا  

[Machine] Sheikh Abu al-Fath al-Umari reported that Abd al-Rahman al-Shuraihi reported that Abu al-Qasim al-Bagawi narrated from Ali ibn al-Jad that Shu'bah reported from Qatadah who said, "I heard Saeed ibn al-Musayyib say, 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform the Witr prayer and there is no obligation upon you to do so. He used to perform the Duha prayer and there is no obligation upon you to do so. He used to perform the Salat al-Duha before the noon prayer and there is no obligation upon you to do so.' Qatadah said, 'I said, 'This is what we only know about Witr.' He said, 'O people of the Quran! observe Witr prayer, for indeed Allah is Witr (the Odd) and He loves the odd.'  

أنبأ الشَّيْخُ أَبُو الْفَتْحِ الْعُمَرِيُّ أنبأ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ الشُّرَيْحِيُّ أنبأ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ الْبَغَوِيُّ ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْجَعْدِ أنبأ شُعْبَةُ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيِّبِ يَقُولُ أَوْتَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ وَضَحَّى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ وَصَلَّى الضُّحَى وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ وَصَلَّى قَبْلَ الظُّهْرِ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ فَقُلْتُ هَذَا مَا نَعْرِفُ غَيْرَ الْوِتْرِ قَالَ إِنَّمَا قَالَ يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْتِرُوا؛ فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "There are three obligations upon me, and they are optional for you: the offering of the sacrifice, the Witr prayer, and the two Rak'ahs of the Duha prayer." Abu Janab al-Kalbi, whose name was Yahya ibn Abi Hayah, is a weak narrator. However, Yazid ibn Harun considered him truthful and accused him of deception.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ ثَلَاثٌ هُنَّ عَلَيَّ فَرَائِضُ وَهُنَّ لَكُمْ تَطَوُّعٌ النَّحْرُ وَالْوِتْرُ وَرَكْعَتَا الضُّحَى أَبُو جَنَابٍ الْكَلْبِيُّ اسْمُهُ يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي حَيَّةَ ضَعِيفٌ وَكَانَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ يُصَدِّقُهُ وَيَرْمِيهِ بِالتَّدْلِيسِ