Giving a talk after four rak’ahs of Taraaweeh

What is the shar'i ruling on giving a lesson after four rak'ahs of
Taraaweehprayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
With regard to the lesson which some imams and preachers give after
four rak'ahs of Taraaweeh, there is nothing wrong with it in sha
Allaah, but itis better not to do that all the time lest the people
think that it is part of the prayer and lest they think it is
obligatory and denounce the one who does not do it.
The imam, teacher or preacher can draw the people's attention to a few
shar'i rulings, especially those that they need to know in this month
of matters, provided that he does notdo that every time.
Undoubtedly words such as these are more beneficial than going out or
engaging in worldly conversations or raising one's voice, and it is
better than innovated dhikrs that some imams have introduced after
completing four rak'ahs.
Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen said:
Because people nowadaysmake the prayers short and do it in an hour or
less, there is no need for them to have this rest, because they do not
get tired or find it difficult. But if some imams separate the
rak'ahs of Taraaweeh by sitting or by pausing to catch their breath,
then it is better touse this rest to offer someadvice or give a
reminder,or to read from a useful book, or to give some tafseer
(commentary) on a verse that the imam hasrecited, or to give a
lessonor reminder of an Islamic ruling, so that the people will not
leave or get bored. And Allaah knows best.
Al-Ijaabat al-Bahiyyah fi'l-Masaa'il al-Ramadaaniyyah (Question 2)
And Allaah knows best.

3a] Ruling on praying tahajjud on Laylat al-Qadr only

3a]
With regard to singling out one night of Ramadaan as Laylat al-Qadr,
this requires evidence to show that it isthis night and not any other.
But the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights of Ramadaan are
more likelythan others (to be Laylat al-Qadr) and the twenty-seventh
night is the most likely night to be Laylat al-Qadr, because of the
ahaadeeth to that effect.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta', 10/413
Hence the Muslim should not assume that any particular night is Laylat
al-Qadr, because that would mean that he is being certain about
something concerning which we cannot be certain, and because it means
that he is missing out on something that is good for him. It may be
the night of the twenty-first, or the twenty-third, or the
twenty-ninth. If he spends the night of the twenty-seventh only in
prayer, then he will have missed out on a lot of goodness, and he may
have missed that blessed night.
The Muslim should strive his hardest to do acts of obedience and
worship throughout Ramadaan, and more so in the last ten days. This is
the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him).
It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
When the last ten days of Ramadaan began, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) would tighten his waist-wrapper,
spend his nights in prayer, and wake his family.
Narrated by Muslim, 2024;Muslim, 1174.
And Allaah knows best.

3] Ruling on praying tahajjud on Laylat al-Qadr only

3]
What is the ruling on praying tahajjud on Laylatal-Qadr and not on
other nights?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
There are reports which speak of the great virtue of doing acts of
worship on Laylat al-Qadr. Our Lord, may He be blessed and exalted,
has told us that it is better than a thousand nights, and the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that whoever spends
this night in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward will be
forgiven his previous sins.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"Verily, We have sent it (this Qur'aan) down in theNight of Al-Qadr (Decree).
2. And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?
3. The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months
(i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him
a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).
4. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by
Allaah's Permission with all Decrees,
5. (All that night), there is peace (and goodness fromAllaah to His
believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn"
[al-Qadr 97:1-5]
And it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaahbe pleased with him)
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Whoeverspends this night in prayer out of faith and in the hope of
reward will be forgiven his previous sins." Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
1901; Muslim,760.
Out of faith means believing in its virtue and in the reward for that.
In the hope of reward means by seeking the pleasure of Allaah.
Secondly:
The scholars differed as tothe definition of Laylat al-Qadr, and there
are many opinions, more thanforty as it says in Fath al-Baari. The
most likely to be correct is the view that it is one of the
odd-numbered nights among the last ten nights of Ramadaan.
It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that
theMessenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Seek Laylat al-Qadr among the odd numberednights of the last
ten nights of Ramadaan." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2017; Muslim, 1169.
Al-Bukhaari included this hadeeth in a chapter entitled: "Seeking
Laylat al-Qadr among the odd numbered nights of the last ten nights
(of Ramadaan)."
The reason why it is hidden is to encourage the Muslim to strive hard
in worship and du'aa' and dhikr during all the last ten nights of
Ramadaan. This is the same reason why the time when du'aa'is answered
on Friday has not been defined, and why the ninety-names of Allaah
have not been defined, concerning whichthe Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoeverlearns them by heart
will enter Paradise." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2736; Muslim, 2677.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The words of Imam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) -
"Seeking Laylat al-Qadr among the odd numberednights of the last ten
nights (of Ramadaan)" - indicate that it is most likely that Laylat
al-Qadar cannot be in any month other than Ramadaan, and is in the
last ten nights thereof, and is one of the odd-numbered nights, but
not on any particular night. This is what is indicated by a number of
the reports that have been narrated concerning it.
Fath al-Baari, 4/260.
And he said:
The scholars said: The reason why Laylat al-Qadar has been concealed
is so that people will strive to seek it, because if its timing was
known, they would limit their efforts to that night only, as we have
explained previously about the time on Friday (when du'aa's are
answered).
Fath al-Baari, 4/266.
Thirdly:
Based on this, it is not possible for anyone to be certain that a
particular night is Laylat al-Qadr, especially since we know that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to tell his
ummah when it was, then he told them that Allaah had taken away that
knowledge.
It was narrated from 'Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) cameout with the news of Laylat al-Qadr, but two men
among the Muslims started arguing. He said: "I came out to tell you
about Laylat al-Qadr, but So and so and So and so started arguing, so
(that knowledge) was taken away. Perhaps that will be better for you.
So seek it on the (twenty-) seventh and the (twenty-)ninth and the
(twenty-) fifth." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 49.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
With regard to singling out one night of Ramadaan as Laylat al-Qadr,
this requires evidence to show that it isthis night and not any
other.:->

2b] Numbers of rak’ahs in Taraaweeh prayer

2b]
most of the night. Indeed, one night in which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in
prayingTaraaweeh, he did not end his prayer until just before dawn,
and the Sahaabah feared that theywould miss suhoor. The Sahaabah (may
Allaah be pleased with them) loved to pray behind the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and they did not feel that it was
too long. The scholars thought that if the imam made the prayer so
long, this would be too difficult for the members of the congregation
and that might put them off. So they thought that the imam should make
the recitation shorter and increase the number of rak'ahs.
The point is that the one who prays eleven rak'ahs in the manner
narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
is doing well and is following the Sunnah. Whoever makes the
recitation shorter and increases the number of rak'ahs is also doing
well. A person who does either of these two things is not to be
denounced. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
If a person prays Taraaweeh according to the madhhabs of Abu
Haneefah, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad, with twenty rak'ahs, or according to
the madhhab of Maalik, with thirty-six rak'ahs, or with thirteen or
eleven rak'ahs, he has done well, as Imam Ahmad said, because there is
nothing to specify the number. So the greater or lesser number of
rak'ahs depends on how long or short the qiyaam (standing in the
prayer) is.
Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 64
Al-Suyooti said:
What is narrated in the saheeh and hasan ahaadeeth is the command to
observe night prayers during Ramadaan, which is encouraged without
specifying a particular number. It is not proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed twenty rak'ahs of
Taraaweeh, rather that he prayed at night, with an unspecifiednumber
of rak'ahs. Then he delayed it on the fourth night lest it become
obligatory for them and they might not be able to do it. Ibn Hajar
al-Haythami said: There is no saheeh report that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed twenty rak'ahs of
Taraaweeh. Thenarration which suggests that he "used to pray twenty
rak'ahs" is extremely weak (da'eef).
Al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 27/142-145
So you should not be surprised that people prayTaraaweeh as twenty
rak'ahs. There have been generation after generation of those imams
(who used to pray twenty rak'ahs), and all ofthem are good.
And Allaah knows best./