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As for the prayer called “al-zahhāfah” and their claim, “Whoever does not observe it regularly is not among Ahl al-Sunnah”—by which they mean the two rak‘ahs prayed while seated after witr—the Muslims unanimously agree that this prayer is not obligatory. Even if someone omits it throughout his life and never performs it even once, he does not thereby become one of the people of innovation or deserve blame or punishment. Nor is he to be shunned or branded with any derogatory label whatsoever.
Indeed, even if a person omits practices more firmly established than this, such as prolonging the night prayer as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do, or praying eleven rak‘ahs as he used to do, and similar practices, he does not thereby depart from the Sunnah, become an innovator, or deserve blame. The Muslims nevertheless agree that praying eleven lengthy rak‘ahs at night, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to do, is better than omitting that and praying two rak‘ahs while seated after witr.
For it is authentically reported in Sahīh Muslim from ‘Ā’ishah that:
“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray eleven rak‘ahs at night while seated. Later, he began praying nine, sitting after the eighth and ninth, and would not give the salutation until after