Witr prayer

Witr is the odd number — "God is witr and loves the witr" — and in usage the prayer performed between 'isha' and dawn that seals the night prayer; it is prayed as an odd number, one rak'a, three, or more, and may not be made even. ¹

It is disputed whether it is part of qiyam al-layl and tahajjud — the sounder stated Shafi'i position per al-Nawawi — or distinct from tahajjud. ¹

The majority hold witr an emphatic sunna, not obligatory: "God is witr and loves the witr, so perform witr, people of the Quran," and the Prophet ﷺ's constancy in it; against obligation they cite the bedouin's report — "five prayers… is there more upon me? No, unless you volunteer" — 'Ali's words "witr is not binding like the prescribed prayer but a sunna the Messenger established," and its permissibility on a riding mount. ^{1 2}