Sunan Ibn Majah 1169
سنن ابن ماجه#1169Sahihحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ السَّلُولِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ إِنَّ الْوِتْرَ لَيْسَ بِحَتْمٍ وَلاَ كَصَلاَتِكُمُ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَوْتَرَ . ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْتِرُوا. فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ " .
‘Ali bin Abu Talib said:“Witr is not definite (obligatory) nor is it like your prescribed prayers. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Witr, then he said: ‘O people of the Qur’an! Perform Witr, for Allah is Witr* and He loves the odd (numbered).’” * Meaning 'one' which is the first of the odd numbers; He is unique, and there is nothing like Him, similar or equal
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
In-book reference: 5:367