Prophet Muhammad (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: Don’t pray three rakaat witr, pray five rakaat witr or seven rakaat witr but don’t make similarity to salat ul Maghrib.

{Narrated in Dar Qutni, all the narrators of this hadith are reliable, also narrated by Imam Hakim, Imam Zahabi, Imam Ibn Habban, Allama Iraqi, Mujadid-ud-deen Ferozabadi and Ibn Qayyam, all declared this hadith to be Sahih (Taleeq-ul-Mughni Ala Sunan Dar Qutni pg. 172 and Neil-ul-Outar Vol. 3 pg 31) and Salat ul Muslimeen pg. 397}

From the above hadith it is clear we shouldn’t pray three witr making similarity to salat ul Maghrib, if we are to pray three witr then it shouldn’t be all together with one salaam.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that: Witr are seven and also five and certainly I consider praying three witr in one salaam to be makrooh (disliking).

(Narrated by Muhammad bin Nasarfi in Qiyam ul lail and declared Sahih by Allama Iraqi, Neil-ul-Outar Vol. 3 pg. 31 and Salat ul Muslimeen pg. 400)

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Five witr can be prayed but we dislike three witr all together.

(Narrated by Muhammad bin Nasarfi in Qiyam ul lail and sanad is Sahih, Neil-ul-Outar Vol. 3 pg. 31 and Salat ul Muslimeen pg. 408)

For further details consult Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, chapters regarding witr or read Syed Masood Ahmad’s ‘Salat ul Muslimeen’ for the detailed argument on witr, while we also have another article called ‘Misconceptions regarding witr’ available on the website.