nine rak'ahs sometimes. But what is meant by the hadeeth is pray as
you have seen me praying with regard to how to pray not how many
rak'ahs, unless there is a text to state what the number is.
Whatever the case, a person should not be strict with people with
regard to a matter that is broad in scope. We have even seen some
brothers who are strict on this matter accusing the imams who pray
more than eleven rak'ahs of following bid'ah, and theyleave the
mosque, thus missing out on the reward of which the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever
stands with theimam until he finishes (the prayer), the reward of
qiyaam al-layl will be recorded for him." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,
806; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 646). Some
of them even sit down after completing ten rak'ahs, thus breaking up
the rowsof worshippers by sitting there, and sometimes they start
talking and disturb the people who are praying.
We have no doubt that their intentions are good and they are doing
their best to come to the right conclusion, but that does not mean
that they are correct.
The other group does the opposite. They sternly denounce those who
prayonly eleven rak'ahs and say that they have gone against scholarly
consensus. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after
the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than
the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and
burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!"
[al-Nisa' 4:115]
All the generations who came before you only knew the number as
twenty-three rak'ahs, and they denounce anyone who says anything
different.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 4/73-75
With regard to the evidence quoted by those who say that it is not
permissible to do more than eight rak'ahs in Taraaweeh, they quote the
hadeeth of Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan, who asked 'Aa'ishah (may
Allaah be pleased with her), "How did the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pray during Ramadaan?" She said:
"Hedid not pray more than eleven rak'ahs in Ramadaan or at other
times. He would pray four,and do not ask how beautiful and long they
were, then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long
they were, then he would pray three. I said, 'O Messenger of Allaah,
will you sleep before you pray Witr?' He said, 'O 'Aa'ishah, my eyes
sleep but my heart does not.'"
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1909; Muslim, 738
They said: This hadeeth indicates that the Messenger of Allaah was
consistent in his prayers at night in Ramadaan andat other times.
The scholars refuted this use of the hadeeth as evidence by saying
that this is what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) did, but the fact that he did something does not
implythat it is obligatory.
The evidence that there is no set number for prayersat night – which
include Taraaweeh – is the hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar according to which a
man asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) about prayer at night. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Prayers at night are to beoffered two by
two (two rak'ahs at a time). If any of you fears that the time of dawn
is approaching then let him pray one rak'ah as Witr."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 846; Muslim, 749)
If we look at what the scholars of the prominent schools of thought
said, you will clearly see that this matter is broad in scope and that
there is nothing wrong with doing more than eleven rak'ahs.
Al-Sarkhasi, who is one of the imams of the Hanafi school, said:
It is twenty rak'ahs, apart from Witr, in our view.
Al-Mabsoot, 2/145
Ibn Qudaamah said:
The favoured view according to Abu 'Abd-Allaah (i.e., Imam Ahmad, may
Allaah have mercy on him), is that it istwenty rak'ahs. This was the
view of al-Thawri, AbuHanfeefah and al-Shaafa'i. Maalik said it is
thirty-six.
Al-Mughni, 1/457
Al-Nawawi said:
Taraaweeh prayer is Sunnah according to scholarly consensus. Our view
is that it is twenty rak'ahs with ten tasleems,and it is permissible
to pray it individually or in congregation.
Al-Majmoo', 4/31
These are the views of thefour imams concerning the number of rak'ahs
of Taraaweeh prayer. All of them said something more than eleven
rak'ahs. Perhaps the reasons why they said something morethan eleven
rak'ahs include the following:
1- They thought that the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah did not mean that
this was the specific number.
2- A greater number was narrated from many of the salaf.
See al-Mughni, 2/604; al-Majmoo', 4/32
3- The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
pray eleven rak'ahs and make them very lengthy, so much so that it
used to take him most of the night. Indeed,:->
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