The Book of Qiyam Al-Lail (The Night Prayer) and Voluntary Prayers During the Day
20/40. Chapter:
Mentioning the different narrations from Az-Zuhri, for the hadith of Abu Ayyub concerning Witr
Sunan an-Nasai
أَخْبَرَنَا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو مُعَيْدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَطَاءُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، يَقُولُ الْوِتْرُ حَقٌّ فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوتِرَ بِخَمْسِ رَكَعَاتٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوتِرَ بِثَلاَثٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوتِرَ بِوَاحِدَةٍ فَلْيَفْعَلْ .
Abu Mu'aid narrated from Az-Zuhri, who said: "Ata' bin Yazid narrated to me that he heard Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari say: 'Witr is a duty, so whoever wants to pray witr with five rak'ahs let him do so, whoever wants to pray witr with three, let him do so; and whoever wants to pray witr with one, let him do so.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1712In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 115English translation : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1713