“Witr is Haqq.* Whoever wishes let him pray Witr with five (Rak’ah), and whoever wishes let him pray Witr with three (Rak’ah), and whoever wishes let him pray Witr with one (Rak’ah).”  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ الْوِتْرُ حَقٌّ فَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُوتِرْ بِخَمْسٍ وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُوتِرْ بِثَلاَثٍ وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُوتِرْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ  

“I asked ‘Aishah: ‘O Mother of the Believers! Tell me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ She said: ‘We used to keep his tooth stick and water for ablution ready for him. Allah would wake him as He willed to during the night, and he would use the tooth stick and perform ablution, then he would pray nine Rak’ah, during which he would not sit until the eighth Rak’ah. Then he would call upon his Lord and remember Allah and praise Him and supplicate to Him. Then he would get up without saying the Salam. Then he would stand up and pray the ninth Rak’ah. Then he would sit and remember Allah and praise Him, and supplicate to his Lord and send blessing upon His Prophet. Then he would say Salam that we could hear. Then he would pray two Rak’ah after the Salam, while he was sitting down. That was eleven Rak’ah. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew older and had gained weight, he would pray Witr with seven Rak’ah and then pray two more Rak’ah after he had said the Salam.’”  

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ قُلْتُ يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَفْتِنِي عَنْ وِتْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَتْ كُنَّا نُعِدُّ لَهُ سِوَاكَهُ وَطَهُورَهُ فَيَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ فِيمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَتَسَوَّكُ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي تِسْعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لاَ يَجْلِسُ فِيهَا إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الثَّامِنَةِ فَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُوهُ ثُمَّ يَنْهَضُ وَلاَ يُسَلِّمُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي التَّاسِعَةَ ثُمَّ يَقْعُدُ فَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَيَحْمَدُهُ وَيَدْعُو رَبَّهُ وَيُصَلِّي عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمُ تَسْلِيمًا يُسْمِعُنَا ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا يُسَلِّمُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ فَتِلْكَ إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً فَلَمَّا أَسَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَخَذَ اللَّحْمُ أَوْتَرَ بِسَبْعٍ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ مَا سَلَّمَ  

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray Witr with seven or five Rak’ah, and he would not say Salam or speak in between them.”  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُوتِرُ بِسَبْعٍ أَوْ بِخَمْسٍ لاَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُنَّ بِتَسْلِيمٍ وَلاَ كَلاَمٍ