Is there evidence to prove Taraweeh is twenty Rakah?


ⓘ Supported by Al Medina 313.

Quran

Hadith

Islamic Text

Yes, there is evidence to prove Taraweeh is twenty Rakah. However, it is not categorical. Therefore, it leaves room for difference of opinion.

The position of the Hanafi Madhab is that Taraweeh is twenty Rakahs, and there is evidence to substantiate this opinion. However, there is no Sahih Hadith that is explicit regarding the number of Rakahs the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah Most High be upon him) used to pray. Therefore, some scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah differed, as narrated by Imam al-Tirmidhi. The narrations below mention that the blessed Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah Most High be upon him) prayed twenty Rakahs, but they are weak narrations and therefore cannot be considered definitive evidence.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الرَّازِيُّ قَالَ: ثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْجَعْدِ قَالَ: ثَنَا أَبُو شَيْبَةَ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ مُقْسَمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: «كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَالْوِتْرَ». لَمْ يَرْوِ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثَ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ إِلَّا أَبُو شَيْبَة

On the Authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah Most High be upon him) used to pray twenty units of prayer in Ramadan and the Witr prayer. (Tabarani, al-Mo’jam al-Awsat 5440).

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْحُلْوَانِيُّ قَالَ: نا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْجَعْدِ قَالَ: نا أَبُو شَيْبَةَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ، عَنْ مِقْسَمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ «يُصَلِّي فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً سِوَى الْوِتْرِ» لَمْ يَرْوِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ إِلَّا أَبُو شَيْبَةَ وَلَا يُرْوَى عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِلَّا بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ

On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would pray twenty units of prayer, excluding the Witr, in Ramadan. (Tabarani, al-Mo’jam al-Awsat 798).

Both of these narrations from Tabarani describe the prayer of the blessed Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) being twenty Rakah. However they are weak according to Imam al-Haythami due to Abu Shaybah Ibrahim bin Uthmaan being in the chain of narrators (Sanad).

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: «كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَالْوِتْرَ». رَوَاهُ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ فِي الْكَبِيرِ وَالْأَوْسَطِ، وَفِيهِ أَبُو شَيْبَةَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ، وَهُوَ ضَعِيفٌ

On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray twenty units of prayer in Ramadan and the Witr prayer. (Imam) al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Mo’jam al-Kabir and (al-Mo’jam) al-Awsat, it (the Sanad) includes Abu Shaybah Ibrahim and he is weak. (Imam Noorud-deen al-Haythami, Majma al-Zawaid).

The same Hadith is narrated in the Musanaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah (7692). However Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani mentioned it has a weak chain (see Fath al-Bari).

In the absence of authentic narrations describing the Taraaweeh of the blessed Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) we will consider weak narrations. Since weak narrations are considered when speaking about non-obligatory actions (see link below).

Some people claim that there is an authentic Hadith establishing the Taraaweeh of the blessed Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) as eight Rakahs:

عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، كَيْفَ كَانَتْ صَلاَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي رَمَضَانَ؟ فَقَالَتْ: مَا كَانَ يَزِيدُ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَلاَ فِي غَيْرِهِ عَلَى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً

Abu Salamah bin Abd al-Rahman asked (Sayidah) Aishah (may Allah Most High be pleased with her) ‘How was the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Ramadan? So, she (may Allah Most High be pleased with her) said: ‘He (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him) would not go beyond eleven units of prayer in Ramadan or outside of it.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, 2013).

With a brief moment of reflection one realises that this narration cannot be used as evidence for Taraweeh. In the narration Sayidah Aishah clearly speaks of prayer in Ramadan and outside of it. Whereas our discussion is regarding a prayer within Ramadan, namely the Taraaweeh prayer. The above Hadith is relevant to the discussion on Tahajjud prayer, and the number of Rakahs it consists of, but not to the Taraweeh prayer. Therefore, we have Imam al-Tirmidhi narrating twenty Rakahs from the majority of the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah. Had this Hadith been speaking of Taraweeh prayer, we certainly would not find the majority of scholars ignoring it.

وَاخْتَلَفَ أَهْلُ العِلْمِ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ، فَرَأَى بَعْضُهُمْ: أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ إِحْدَى وَأَرْبَعِينَ رَكْعَةً مَعَ الوِتْرِ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَهْلِ المَدِينَةِ، وَالعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا عِنْدَهُمْ بِالمَدِينَةِ، وَأَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ العِلْمِ عَلَى مَا رُوِيَ عَنْ عُمَرَ، وَعَلِيٍّ، وَغَيْرِهِمَا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الثَّوْرِيِّ، وَابْنِ المُبَارَكِ، وَالشَّافِعِيِّ

The people of knowledge differed over the night prayer in Ramadaan (Taraaweeh), some held the opinion that it should be prayed as forty-one Rakahs including the Witr. This is the opinion of the people of al-Madinah. The majority of the people of knowledge were upon (the opinion of) twenty units of (Taraaweeh) prayer, as per what was narrated from ‘Umar and ‘Ali (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) and others besides them from the companions of the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him). And it is the opinion of (Imams) al-Thowri, Ibn al-Mubarak and al-Shafi. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi).

Some people cite a narration from the Muwatta of Imam Malik to say Sayidina Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) had the people pray Taraaweeh as eight Rakahs. However, in the same book we find a narration saying twenty Rakahs (twenty Taraaweeh and three Witr). Imam Qadi Iyaad explained this to be a transition in the time of Sayidina Umar (May Allah Most High be pleased with him).

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يُوسُفَ، عَنِ السَّائِبِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: أَمَرَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ أُبَيَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ وَتَمِيمًا الدَّارِيَّ أَنْ يَقُومَا لِلنَّاسِ بِإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً

Malik narrated from Muhammad ibn Yusuf, from Sa’ib ibn Yazid that he said: Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah Most High be pleased with him) ordered Ubay Ibn Ka’b and Tamim al-Dari to pray eleven units of prayer with the people. (al-Muwatta).

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ رُومَانَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّاسُ يَقُومُونَ فِي زَمَانِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فِي رَمَضَانَ بِثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً

Malik narrated from Yazid ibn Ruman that he said, In the time of ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (may Allah Most High be pleased with him), the people would pray twenty-three units of prayer in Ramadaan. (al-Muwatta).

فقد يمكن أن تكون إحدى عشرة أول ما جمعهم، وكانوا يطيلون القراءة حتى يعتمدون على العصىّ، ثم رأى التخفيف عنهم بكثرة الركعات فنقلهم بعد إلى عشرين والوتر. (إِكمَالُ المُعْلِمِ بفَوَائِدِ مُسْلِم)

It is possible that it was initially eleven Rakahs when he (Sayidina Umar) first gathered them (for Tarawih). They used to lengthen the recitation, to the extent that (some of them) would lean on their staffs. Then he (Sayidina Umar) felt he could make it easier for them by increasing the Rakahs, so took it to twenty plus the Witr prayer. (Imam Qadi Iyad, Sharh Sahih Muslim).

In conclusion it is evident that proof for the position of Taraweeh being twenty Rakahs does exist. However, it is not definitive and therefore allows for a difference of opinion, as narrated by Imam al-Tirmidhi above. It is important to highlight the fact that Imam al-Tirmidhi did narrate that the position of the majority is twenty Rakahs.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

-Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (22.03.2022)

 -Special thanks to Sidi Yusuf Asghar for assisting with Nusoos translation.

See also:

Using weak Hadith

Taraaweeh in the Hanafi Madhab

See also (video):