Taraaweeh prayers, - Dought&clear, - * Numbers of rak’ahs in Taraaweeh prayer

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have asked this earlier but did not get a satisfactory answer. My question is about Taraweeh Prayer in Ramadan. You have answered to me in a question before that Taraweeh should not be more that 11 rakat. It has been authentically reported that Muhammad SAAW prayed Taraweeh 3 times in Ramadan and it consisted 11 Rakah. Also the book by Shaykh Naasir-ud-Din Al-Albani (May Allah have mercy on him)، Qiyam and Taraweeh states that Taraweeh should be 11 Rakah. The sunnah is 11 Rakat. Now the question which is confusing and often becomes a discussion among brothers is whether the number of Rakat in Taraweeh should be 11 Rakat or 20 Rakat. Some people during Ramadan go to masjids where the Imam does 11 Rakats and other go to Masjids where the Imam does 20 Rakats. In most of the Hanafi Masjids around the US the Imam does 20 Rakat. The point to note is whether 20 Rakat or 11 Rakat the Imam completes the entire Qurran during Ramadan. The people are very sentitive about this issue and this issue becomes a topic in gathering in the United States. The people who pray 20 Rakat blame the other groug praying 11 as being wrong and the group praying 11 Rakat blames the group praying 20 as wrong. This is a big fitnah in the US. This leads to disunity. People always quote that in Prophets Mosque the Imam prays 20 Rakats and also in Masjid-ul-Haraam in Mecca the Imam prays 20 Rakat. Also those who during Ramadan go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah say that the Imam prays 20 Rakat. This is a confusion.
Please answer and explain to me the following issues:
1. The sunnah is to pray 11 Rakat then why is Prophets mosque in Medina and also in Masdid-ul-Haram the imam leads the people to pray 20 Rakat? Why? Why is this different from the sunnah?
2. Why are the number of Rakat of Taraweeh in Prophets mosque and Masjid-ul-Haraam 20 Rakat? Please explain to us so.
Praise be to Allaah.
We do not think that the Muslims should be so sensitive with regard to issues that are the matter of scholarly differences or make them the cause of division and fitnah among the Muslims.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, when speaking about the matter of one who prays ten rak’ahs with the imam, then sits down and waits for Witr and does not complete the Taraaweeh prayers with the imam:
It grieves us deeply that we find in the Muslim ummah a group which differs concerning matters in which differences of opinion are acceptable, and they take these differences as a means to cause division. Differences within the ummah existed at the time of the Sahaabah, yet they remained united. The youth in particular and to all those who are committed to Islam must remain united, because they have enemies who are laying in wait.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/225
Two groups have gone to extremes with regard to this matter. The first group denounced everyone who prays more than eleven rak’ahs and said that doing so was bid’ah. The second group denounced those who do only eleven rak’ahs and said that they are going against scholarly consensus (ijmaa’).
Let us listen to what Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Here we say that we should not go to extremes or be negligent. Some people go to extremes in adhering to the number mentioned in the Sunnah, and say that it is not permissible to do more than the number mentioned in the Sunnah, and they aggressively denounce those who do more than that, saying that they are sinners.
This is undoubtedly wrong. How can they be sinners, when the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), upon being asked about night prayers, said that they are to be done two by two, and he did not specify any particular number? Of course the one who asked him about the night prayer did not know the number, because if he did not know how to do it, it is even more likely that he did not know the number. And he was not one of those who served the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) so that we might say that he knew what happened inside his house. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told him how to do it but did not say how many times, it may be understood that the matter is broad in scope, and that a person may pray one hundred rak’ahs then pray Witr with one rak’ah.
With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Pray as you have seen me praying”, this does not apply in absolute terms even for these people. Hence they do not say that a person should pray Witr with five rak’ahs sometimes and with seven rak’ahs sometimes and with nine rak’ahs sometimes. If we understand it in absolute terms, then we would have to pray Witr with five rak’ahs sometimes and with seven rak’ahs sometimes and with 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 they leave 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 the imam 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 inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi, 646). Some of them even sit down after completing ten rak’ahs, thus breaking up the rows of 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 pray only 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: “He did 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 and at 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 imply that it is obligatory.
The evidence that there is no set number for prayers at 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 be offered 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 is twenty rak’ahs. This was the view of al-Thawri, Abu Hanfeefah 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 the four 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 more than 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.
Seeal-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, one night in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in praying Taraaweeh, he did not end his prayer until just before dawn, and the Sahaabah feared that they would 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 unspecified number 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. The narration 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 pray Taraaweeh as twenty rak’ahs. There have been generation after generation of those imams (who used to pray twenty rak’ahs), and all of them are good.
And Allaah knows best.

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Taraaweeh prayers, - Dought&clear, - * Ruling on following the imam from the house

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What is the ruling on praying at home behind the imam when the minaret of the mosque is next to the roof of the house?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Prayer offered at home behind the imam is not valid.
It is not valid to pray with the imam who is in the mosque unless you are also inside the mosque, or you are outside the mosque but the rows are continual, such as when the mosque is full of worshippers and some of them pray outside, then their prayer is valid.
With regard to praying outside the mosque when there is room inside the mosque to pray, this prayer is not valid.
The Standing Committee was asked about a person who prays jamaa’ah in his house following what he can hear from the loudspeakers of the mosque, and there is no connection between the imaam and the person praying behind him, as happens in Makkah and Madeenah at the time of Hajj.
They replied:
This prayer is not valid. This is the view of the Shaafa’is and was also the view of Imam Ahmad, unless the rows reach his house and he can follow the imam by seeing him and hearing his voice, in which case his prayer is valid, as is the prayer of the people in rows that reach his house. But unless this condition is met, his prayer is not valid, because what the Muslim is obliged to do is to offer the prayer in congregation in the houses of Allaah (the mosques) with his Muslim brothers. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever can hear the call and does not come, there is no prayer for him, except for one who has an excuse.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah and al-Haakim; al-Haafiz said: its isnaad meets the conditions of Muslim. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to the blind man who asked him about praying in his house, “Can you hear the call to prayer?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “Then answer it.” Narrated by Muslim in hisSaheeh.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 8/32.

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Taraaweeh prayers, - Dought&clear, - * Communal du’aa’ after Taraaweeh prayer

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My question is about the saheeh Sunnah with regard to Taraaweeh prayer and what innovations have been introduced into it, and the communal du’aa’ after Taraaweeh prayer. May Allaah reward you with all good on my behalf and on behalf of the Muslims.
Praise be to Allaah.
With regard to the first part of your question, please see the section on Taraaweeh prayer and Laylat al-Qadr underthe heading of Fastingon this website.
With regard to communal du’aa’ after Taraaweeh prayer, this action is an innovation (bid’ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (Islam), will have it rejected.” Narrated by Muslim, 3243.
What was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was that after Taraaweeh prayer he would say, “Subhaan al-Malik al-Quddoos(Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy)”, three times, raising his voice on the third time.
Ahmad (14929), Abu Dawood (1430) and al-Nasaa’i (1699) narrated that Ubayy ibn Ka’b (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite in Witr “Sabbih isma Rabbika al-A’la(Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High)…” [i.e., Soorat al-A’laa 87] andQul yaa ayyuha’l-kaafiroon(Say (O Muhammad), ‘O al-Kaafiroon (disbelievers))…’” [i.e., Soorat al-Kaafiroon 109] and “Qul Huwa Allaahu ahad(Say (O Muhammad), ‘He is Allaah, (the) One)…” [i.e., Soorat al-Ikhlaas 112]. And after he said the tasleem he would say “Subhaan al-Malik al-Quddoos, Subhaan al-Malik al-Quddoos, Subhaan al-Malik al-Quddoos(Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy; Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy; Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy)”, raising his voice. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Nasaa’i, 1653.
Then in Witr prayer the imam will recite du’aa al-qunoot and the worshippers will say Ameen behind him, as Ubayy ibn Ka’b (may Allaah be pleased with him) used to do when he led the people in praying Taraaweeh at the time of ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him). So there is no need to introduce this bid’ah. How true are the words of the one who said, “All goodness is in following those who came before, and all evil is in the innovation of those who came later.”
And Allaah knows best.

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Taraaweeh prayers, - Dought&clear, - * Delaying ‘Isha’ prayer in Ramadaan

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The imam in our mosque delays ‘Isha’ prayer for almost an hour in Ramadaan. Is this permissible?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The time for ‘Isha’ prayer lasts from when the red afterglow in the sky after sunset disappears until halfway through the night.
It is preferable to delay ‘Isha’ prayer so long as that does not cause any hardship to the people, because Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Were it not that it would be too hard for my ummah, I would have commanded them to delay ‘Isha’ until one-third of the night had passed, or one half.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 167.
This hadeeth indicates that it is mustahabb to delay ‘Isha’ so long as that does not cause hardship to the members of the congregation. If it will cause hardship to them, then the prayer should be brought forward.
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stayed late one night until most of the night had gone and the people in the mosque had fallen asleep, then he went out and prayed. He said, “This would be its time, were it not that this would be difficult for my ummah.” Narrated by Muslim, 638.
And it was narrated that Jaabir said, when he mentioned the times when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed: “He sometimes delayed ‘Isha’, and sometimes brought it forward if he saw that they had gathered early. But if he saw that they were coming late, he would delay it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1/141; Muslim, 646. SeeMa’rifat Awqaat al-‘Ibaadaatby Dr. Khaalid al-Mushayqih, 1/291.
In some countries the people are accustomed to delaying ‘Isha’ for half an hour or so after the time for it begins, so that people can break their fast at leisure and get ready to pray ‘Isha’ and Taraaweeh.
There is nothing wrong with doing this, on condition that the imam does not delay the prayer so much that he causes hardship to the members of the congregation, as mentioned above.
It is better to refer to the people who attend the mosque and reach an agreement with them on the time for the prayer, because they know best what suits them.
And Allaah knows best.

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