TARAWEEH/QIYAAM UL LAYL 8 OR 20?

TARAWEEH/QIYAAM UL LAYL 8 OR 20?

Here comes the most conflicted Topic in Ramadan "The Number of Rakahs of Taraweeh Prayer"

Allah Taa'la has blessed the Muslims with a very sacred and blessed month in which all rewards are multiplied, the reward for a nafl (optional) act becomes equivalent to a compulsory act (fardh) and the reward for a compulsory act is multiplied 70 times. In this month the gates of heaven are opened, the punishment of hell is ceased and heaven is at its best.

~ "ORIGIN OF TARAWEEH PRAYER"

One thing that should be kept in mind is that Our Beloved Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wassalam) prayed Taraweeh prayer for only three days and stopped with the fear that it will become compulsory on us.

Initially Prophet Muhammad salla lahu alaihi wa sallam Prayed In The Mosque
Praying at Night in Ramadaan (Taraweeh) Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 32 :: Hadith 229Narrated 'Urwa:
That he was informed by 'Aisha, "Allah's Apostle went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, the people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). In the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the mosque was full with a large number of people. Allah's Apostle came out and the people prayed behind him. On the fourth night the Mosque was overwhelmed with people and could not accommodate them, but the Prophet came out (only) for the morning prayer. When the morning prayer was finished he recited Tashah-hud and (addressing the people) said, "Amma ba'du, your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer (Qiyam) should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on." So, Allah's Apostle died and the situation remained like that (i.e. people prayed individually). "

Then later on, Later Umar RadiAllahu Anhu Allowed Congregation:

Praying at Night in Ramadaan (Taraweeh) Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 32 :: Hadith 227 Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever prayed at night the whole month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." Ibn Shihab (a sub-narrator) said, "Allah's Apostle died and the people continued observing that (i.e. Nawafil offered individually, not in congregation), and it remained as it was during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and in the early days of 'Umar's Caliphate." 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Abdul Qari said, "I went out in the company of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab one night in Ramadan to the mosque and found the people praying in different groups. A man praying alone or a man praying with a little group behind him. So, 'Umar said, 'In my opinion I would better collect these (people) under the leadership of one Qari (Reciter) (i.e. let them pray in congregation!)'. So, he made up his mind to congregate them behind Ubai bin Ka'b. Then on another night I went again in his company and the people were praying behind their reciter. On that, 'Umar remarked, 'What an excellent Bid'a (i.e. innovation in religion) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time is better than the one they are offering.' He meant the prayer in the last part of the night. (In those days) people used to pray in the early part of the night."

~ "NUMBER OF RAKAHS OF TARAWEEH PRAYER"

Regarding the Salah, offered after the Isha Salah (i.e. Taraweeh), in Ramadan, the right opinion is that one can offer as many number of rakat as one wishes because there is no fixed limit on it.

Narrated Nafi:

Ibn 'Umar said, "While the prophet was on the pulpit, a man asked him how to offer the night prayers.He replied, ' Pray two Rakat at a time and then two and then two and so on, and if you are afraid of the dawn (the approach of the time of the Fajr prayer) pray one Rakat and that will be the witr for all the Rakat which you have offered." Ibn 'Umar Said, "The last Rakat of the night prayer should be odd, for the prophet ordered it to be so. ( Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1,Hadith#461).

Narrated Amr ibn Anbasahas-Sulami:

I asked: "Apostle of Allah,in which part of the night the supplication is more likely to be accepted? He Replied: In the last part, Pray as much as you like, for the prayer is attended by the angels and it is recorded till you offer the dawn (Fajr) prayer. (Abu Dawood,Vol. 1, Hadith#1272).

"However, it is preferable to offer it the way prophet Muhammad (Sallalahu Alaihi Wassalam) did. He used to offer 11 rakats,as mentioned in the following Hadith."

Narrated Abu Salma bin Abdur Rahman:

I asked Aisha, "How is the prayer of Allah's Apostle during the month of Ramadan." She said,"Allah's Apostle never exceeded eleven Rakats in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four Rakats do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four Rakats, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three Rakat." Aisha further said, " I said, ' O Allah's Apostle! Do you sleep before offering the Witr prayer?' He replied, 'O 'Aisha! My eyes sleep, but my heart remains awake!' (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2, Hadith No. 1147).

Praying at Night in Ramadaan (Taraweeh) Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 32 :: Hadith 230 Narrated Abu Salama bin 'Abdur Rahman:
that he asked 'Aisha "How was the prayer of Allah's Apostle in Ramadan?" She replied, "He did not pray more than eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in any other month. He used to pray four Rakat ---- let alone their beauty and length----and then he would pray four ----let alone their beauty and length ----and then he would pray three Rakat (Wiitr)." She added, "I asked, 'O Allah's Apostle! Do you sleep before praying the Witr?' He replied, 'O 'Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep."
*Note:The Hadith says “He did not pray more than eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in any other month”

~ "PRACTISE OF SALAF-AS-SALIHEEN"

Twenty Three Rakats

Prayer in Ramadan Malik :: Book 6 : Hadith 6.2.5
Yahya related to me from Malik that Yazid ibn Ruman said, "The people used to watch the night in prayer during Ramadan for twenty-three rakas in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab."

*Note:Twenty of Taraweeh and 3 of witr.

We also find that some of the Taba'een used to pray 20 and some used to pray 36 Rakats in Tarawih. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba, Vol.2, Pages 165 & 166).

On the authority of Abu Najeeh al-’Irbaad ibn Saariyah (RA) who said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. So we said, "O Messenger of Allah! It is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us." He (SAW) said, "I counsel you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah, and to listen and obey [your leader], even if a slave were to become your ameer. Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafa ar-Rashideen (the rightly guided caliphs), those who guide to the right way. Cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for verily every bidah (innovation) is misguidance." It was related by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi, who said that it was a good and sound hadith. (Imam An Nawawi Hadeeth Number 28)

~ CONCLUSION:

* If one prays 8 Rakahs then he fulfils the Sunnah of Our Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wassalam) and if one prays 20 Rakahs then he fulfils the Sunnah of Our Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wassalam) as well as The Sunnah of Our Salaf-As-Saliheen.

* Further more, Allah says in the Holy Qur'an :

"And We do not let the reward of the righteous people to go to waste." (Surah Yousuf Ayah 56)

Those who will pray More will get More Reward In sha Allah.

* The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887)

SubhanAllah the more the pray the greater will be the Reward In sha Allah.

* From all the above mentioned Hadith, it is clear that there is no fixed limit for the Taraweeh Prayer; therefore, one should refrain from getting into any controversy in this regard. However, in mosques, where eight congregational Rakats are offered, it is advisable not to offer further 12 Rakats in congregation, thus avoiding any unwanted disputes amongst the Muslims. For those who wish to offer more Rakats can very well do so at their homes. Similarly, in mosques, where 20 congregational Rakats are offered, it is advisable not to offer 8 Rakats in different congregation so that there is no conflict among the Muslims.

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