Ramadan Specialty of Taraweeh Prayer

The month of Ramadan holds unique virtues that set it apart from all other months. Among its many blessings is the Taraweeh prayer, which further enhances the sanctity of this sacred time. Taraweeh is a highly esteemed act of worship performed by believers during Ramadan, reflecting their devotion and reverence. However, some proponents of innovation attempt to distort its essence by introducing new arguments.
Taraweeh in Ramadan is a special prayer not found in other months. However, some innovators argue that it holds no unique status apart from being the same non-obligatory night prayer performed throughout the year, merely referred to as "Taraweeh" during Ramadan.

They often refrain from publicly acknowledging this, as it could negatively impact their acceptance among the public.
The Prophet ﷺ has explicitly taught that Taraweeh is a special prayer in Ramadan. He said:

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “إن الله فرض عليكم صيام رمضان، وسننت لكم قيامه”

“Allah has made fasting during Ramadan obligatory for you, and I have prescribed for you the night prayer (Qiyam) during it.”

This hadith clearly teaches us that just as fasting holds a special place in Ramadan, so does the Taraweeh prayer.

Hadith books quoted by this hadith and hadith number

المُصَنَّف ابن أَبِي شَيْبَة/ 7705
سُنَنُ ابن مَاجَة / 1328
السُنَنُ الصَغِير/ الإِِمَام النَسَائِي/ 2210
السُنَنُ الكَبِير/ الإِمَام النَسَائِي/ 2531
مُسْنَد أَحْمَد/ 1660
صَحِيحُ ابن خُزَيمَة/ 2201

This hadith refutes the arguments of those who deny the special status of Taraweeh in Ramadan. Consequently, they attempt to weaken its authenticity. However, many expert scholars have deemed this hadith acceptable.

Some examples

الأحاديث المختارة/ الإمام ضياء الدين المقدسي - 3/ 105
فتاوى الإمام السبكي - 1/ 158
تاريخ الإسلام/ الحافظ الذهبي - 1/ 217
سير أعلام النبلاء/ الحافظ الذهبي - 1/ 71
فيض القدير/ الإمام المناوي - 1/ 382
التيسير/ الإمام المناوي - 1/ 246
السراج المنير/ الإمام العزيزي 1/ 352

In fact, Ibn Taymiyya himself uses this hadith as an evidence to confirm that Taraweeh is a Sunnah, not a bid'atat.

Ibn Taymiyya says:

فأما صلاة التراويح، فليست بدعة في الشريعة، بل سنة بقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وفعله، فإنه قال: «إن الله فرض عليكم صيام رمضان، وسننت لكم قيامه )اقتضاء الصراط المستقيم ٢/‏٩٣ — ابن تيمية (ت ٧٢٨

Is Ibn Taymiyyah using a weak hadith as evidence?
In the month of Ramadan, the Prophet ﷺ and his companions offered special prayers, as mentioned in a hadith narrated by the esteemed Aisha ﵂. This hadith has been recorded by Imam Bukhari himself in Sahih al-Bukhari. Notably, Imam Bukhari included this hadith in the chapter "The Virtue of Standing in Prayer During Ramadan" within Kitab Salat al-Tarawih. The fact that he placed it under this specific chapter highlights how Imam Bukhari ﵀ emphasized the special status of Taraweeh in Ramadan.

في صحيح البخاري: عن عائشة أم المؤمنين رضي الله عنها: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى ذات ليلة في المسجد، فصلى بصلاته ناس، ثم صلى من القابلة، فكثر الناس، ثم اجتمعوا من الليلة الثالثة أو الرابعة، فلم يخرج إليهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلما أصبح قال: «قد رأيت الذي صنعتم ولم يمنعني من الخروج إليكم إلا أني خشيت أن تفرض عليكم وذلك في رمضان) صحيح البخاري/ رقم الحديث: 1129/ كتاب صلاة التراويح/ باب فضل من قام رمضان(

Aisha ﵂ narrated:
“One night, the Prophet ﷺ came to the mosque and performed prayer, and his companions joined him. The following night, the Prophet ﷺ again prayed, and more companions joined in. As the number of people increased, on the third and fourth nights, the companions gathered again, but the Prophet ﷺ did not come out to the mosque. The next morning, he said:
‘I refrained from coming out to lead the prayer last night because I feared that it might be made obligatory upon you.’
All of these events took place during the blessed month of Ramadan.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 1129)

In summary, the hadiths clearly teach us that Taraweeh prayer is a special act of worship in Ramadan. Early scholars have also explicitly explained this.

The Rak‘ahs of the Prophet’s ﷺ Taraweeh

The Prophet ﷺ prayed Taraweeh in the mosque for a few nights. However, as we discussed earlier, he later refrained from coming out due to concern that people's enthusiasm and eagerness might lead to Taraweeh being made obligatory upon them. (Sahih al-Bukhari 1129)

How Many Rak‘ahs Did the Prophet ﷺ Pray for Taraweeh?

Various reports exist regarding the number of rak‘ahs the Prophet ﷺ prayed during these nights. However, the reality is that no specific, authenticated number has been definitively established.

Consider the statement of the renowned hadith scholar, Imam Subki ﵀:

قال الإمام تقي الدين السبكي: إعلم أنه لم ينقل كم صلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم تلك الليالي هل هو عشرون أو أقل). شرح المنهاج/ الإمام تقي الدين السبكي)
Imam Subki ﵀ states:
“It has not been definitively established whether the Prophet ﷺ prayed 20 rak‘ahs or fewer during those nights.”

Many other scholars have also documented that the exact number of rak‘ahs the Prophet ﷺ prayed for Taraweeh is not confirmed through authentic hadiths.

Here are a few examples:

الحاوي للفتاوى/ الإمام السيوطي - 1/ 417
تحفة الأخيار بإحياء سنة سيد الأبرار/ الإمام عبد الحي اللكنوي - 108
فتح الباري/ الإمام ابن حجر العسقلاني - 12/ 3
الحوادث والبدع/ الإمام محمد أبوبكر الطرطوش المالكي - 55
إقامة البرهان على كمية التراويح في رمضان/ الإمام ابن زياد - 4

However the fact that the scholars have explicitly stated the exact number of rak‘ahs for Taraweeh, it becomes clear that both the claim that the Prophet ﷺ prayed only 11 rak‘ahs and the argument that Taraweeh has no fixed number are meaningless.

There are numerous da‘eef hadiths that indicate the Prophet ﷺ prayed 20 rak‘ahs for Taraweeh. Any weaknesses in these reports can be resolved based on different scholarly principles. In the upcoming sections, we will discuss these hadiths in detail.

Umar ﵁ Established '20' Rak‘ahs—An Undeniable Fact

We have already clarified that the exact number of rak‘ahs the Prophet ﷺ prayed for Taraweeh is not definitively mentioned in an authentic chain. Now, let us examine the Taraweeh prayer performed by the noble Sahabah, who were like guiding stars.
Imam Bukhari, in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 2010), records that Umar ﵁ appointed Ubayy ibn Ka‘b ﵁ as the imam to revive Taraweeh in congregation.
Now, let us explore the number of rak‘ahs performed in this Taraweeh.

وفي سنن البيهقي عن السائب بن يزيد قال: كانوا يقومون على عهد عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه في شهر رمضان بعشرين ركعة. )السنن الكبرى/ الإمام البيهقي 4288)
Imam Bayhaqi ﵀ records from the noble companion Sa’ib ibn Yazid ﵁:
"During the time of Umar ﵁, the Sahabah prayed 20 rak‘ahs in Ramadan." (Bayhaqi 4266)

This hadith confirms that under the instruction of Umar ﵁, the Sahabah, led by Ubayy ibn Ka‘b ﵁, performed 20 rak‘ahs of Taraweeh—not 11.
Addressing Four Common Questions

1️⃣ If the Prophet ﷺ prayed only 11 rak‘ahs, did Umar ﵁ arbitrarily add the remaining rak‘ahs to the religion?
2️⃣ If Umar ﵁ had introduced an innovation, did the other Sahabah accept it without objection?
3️⃣ Would the Sahabah—whom the Prophet ﷺ described as "like guiding stars"—act against his Sunnah?
4️⃣ Does this consensus among the Sahabah not indicate that the Prophet ﷺ also prayed 20 rak‘ahs?

In the year 970 Hijri, Imam Ibn Najib al-Nujaym al-Misri ﵀ discussed the practice of Taraweeh as follows

*قال الإمام ابن نُجيم المصري:* ثم وقفت المواظبة عليها في أثناء خلافة عمر رضي الله عنه ووافقه عامة الصحابة رضي الله عنهم كما ورد ذلك في السنن. ثم ما زال الناس من ذلك الصدر إلى يومنا هذا على إقامتها من غير نكير، وكيف لا ؟ وقد ثبت عنه صلى الله عليه وسلم "عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين عضوا عليها بالنواجز رواه أبو داود) " البحر الرائق/ الإمام ابن نجيب المصري 2/ 71)

Imam Ibn Najib al-Nujaym al-Misri ﵀ stated:

"During the reign of Umar ﵁, it became a regular practice for Taraweeh to be prayed with 20 rak‘ahs under one imam. This practice continued without any objection until our time (around 900 CE). How could anyone oppose it? Wasn't it the practice of the rightly-guided Caliphs to hold fast to the way of the Prophet ﷺ?"
(Al-Bahr al-Ra'iq, Imam Ibn Najib al-Misri, 2/71)

Similarly, Imam Mulla Ali al-Qari ﵀ also affirms this view

قال الإمام الملا علي القاري: وكونها عشرين سنة الخلفاء الراشدين، وقوله- عليه الصلاة والسلام"عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين" ندب إلى سنتهم )مرقاة المفاتيح/ الإمام الملا علي القاري 3/ 93)

In this way, many scholars have explained the matter, and we can find these details in their books. Due to the length, I am summarizing it briefly here.

The hadith narrated by Sa`ib ibn Yazid is indeed authentic, as it clearly teaches us that during the time of Umar ﵁, the Sahabah performed 20 rak‘ahs of Taraweeh.
While some may claim that this hadith is weak, many renowned early hadith scholars have confirmed its authenticity. At least 26 classical texts affirm the reliability of this hadith.

Below are some examples of such sources that confirm its authenticity.

خلاصة الأحكام/ الإمام النووي 1/ 56
نصب الراية/ الإمام الزيلعي 2/ 252
طرح التثريب/ الإمام العراقي 3/ 97
عمدة القاري/ الإمام بدر الدين العيني 5/ 267
الحاوي للفتاوى/ الإمام السيوطي 1/ 415
منحة الباري/ الإمام زكري الأنصاري 4/ 441
مغني المحتاج/ الإمام الخطيب الشربيني 1/ 460
النجم الوهاج/ كمال الدين الدميري 2/ 310
كنز الراغبين/ الإمام المحلي 1/ 249
لمحات التنقيخ/ الإمام عبد الحق الدهلوي 3/ 404
إرشاد الساري/ الإمام القسطلاني 3/ 426
تخريج أحاديث الشرح الكبير/ الإمام ابن الملقن 4/ 349

These scholars are not recent or contemporary figures; they are renowned scholars who lived many years ago and dedicated their lives to writing great works for the Muslim community.
If they did not observe any weakness in the hadith, how then did the claim of weakness arise from a report in Bayhaqi's collection?

Taraweeh's Rak‘ahs and the Unquestionable Ijma‘

Fundamentally, there are four sources for Islamic law: the Qur'an, Hadith, Ijma‘, and Qiyas. Among these, the third source is Ijma‘. Ijma‘ means the consensus of all the Mujtahids of a particular era on a matter. At times, it becomes even more binding than the Qur'an or Hadith in the religion. Ijma‘ is considered superior to textual evidence (الإجماع مقدم على النص).
Let us look at what Imam Taj al-Din Subki ﵀ says:

قال الإمام تاج الدين السبكي: (قال الشافعي:) رضي الله عنه (و)يرجح (الإجماع على النص) لأنه يؤمن فيه النسخ بخلاف النص (وإجماع الصحابة على إجماع غيرهم) غيرهم )شرح الإمام المحلي على جمع الجوامع)

Imam Shafi‘i ﵀ says: Ijma‘ should be preferred over textual evidence (Qur'an and Hadith), because in verses and hadiths, there is a possibility of abrogation, whereas Ijma‘ does not have that issue.
This topic is extensively discussed in all the books of Usul al-Fiqh.
Ijma‘ in Taraweeh
As we have previously discussed, under the guidance of Umar ﵁, the Sahabah prayed 20 rak‘ahs of Taraweeh without any opposition. When this practice of 20 rak‘ahs was established, not a single Sahabi disagreed with it. All the Sahabah accepted this practice, and they participated in it. As a result, Ijma‘ was established among the Sahabah on the number of rak‘ahs for Taraweeh.
However, there are some innovators (bid‘ah practitioners) who oppose this Ijma‘. They claim that such an Ijma‘ has not been firmly established. Nonetheless, the Ijma‘ of the Sahabah is quoted by many scholars in their works. At least 33 texts affirm this Ijma‘.

Imam Kasani ﵀ Says:
The number of rak‘ahs for Taraweeh prayer is 20 rak‘ahs, divided into 5 sets of 4 rak‘ahs each. This is the prevailing opinion among the majority of scholars, as it is reported that Umar ﵁ instructed that during the nights of Ramadan, the Sahabah prayed 20 rak‘ahs under the leadership of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b ﵁, and no one objected to this. Therefore, the practice of 20 rak‘ahs is considered an ijma’ (consensus) among the Sahabah.

بَدَائِعُ الصَّنَائِعِ/ الإِمَامُ الكَاسَانِي 1/ 288

قال الإمام ابن حجر الهيتمي :أجمع الصحابة على أن التراويح عشرون ركعة؛ وصح أنهم كانوا يقيمون على عهد عمر عشرين ركعة) فتح الإلاه/ الإمام ابن حجر الهيتمي 5/ 130)
قال الإمام الرباني: لما اجتمع الناس على أبي بن كعب صلى بهم التراويح ركعة، وهذا إجماع منهم) بحر المذهب/ الإمام الرؤياني 2/ 231)
المغني/ الإمام ابن قدامة 2/ 123
طرح التثريب/ الإمام الحافظ العراقي 3/ 98
إرشاد الساري/ الإمام القسطلاني 3/ 426
تحفة الأخيار/ الإمام عبد الحي اللكنوي 108
شرح بافضل/ الإمام ابن حرغ الهيتمي 1/ 322
مرقاة المفاتيح/ الإمام الملا علي القاري 3/ 346
البناية شرح الهداية/ الإمام بدر الدين العيني 2/ 551
مراقي الفلاح/ حسن بن عمار المصري 158
مجمع الأنهر/ الإمام سيخ زادة 1/136

The world-renowned Maliki scholar, Imam Ahmad al-Dardir ﵀, says: "Both the predecessors and successors all agreed that Taraweeh consists of 20 rak‘ahs."

قال الإمام أحمد الدردير: "وهي ثلاث وعشرون لكن الذي جرى عليه العمل سلفا وخلفا الأول." (الشرح الكبير/ الإمام أحمد الدردير 1/ 315)

There are many other scholars who have quoted the consensus, and I will pause here for the moment.
The foundation of the consensus is solid.
When the consensus of the Sahabah on 20 rak‘ahs of Taraweeh became established, some people, in an attempt to break this consensus, argue that the basis of this consensus is incorrect. Imam Abdul Haq al-Dihlawi says:

قال الإمام عبد الحق الدهلوي: "فالظاهر أنه كان ثبت عندهم صلاة النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- عشرين ركعة كما جاء في حديث ابن عباس رضي الله عنه." (لمعات التنقيخ/ الإمام عبد الحق الدهلوي 3/ 404)

"The apparent conclusion is that it was firmly established among them that the Prophet ﷺ prayed 20 rak‘ahs, as mentioned in the hadith of Ibn Abbas ﵁."
The consensus of the Sahabah that Taraweeh is 20 rak‘ahs was established due to their clear observation of the Prophet ﷺ performing 20 rak‘ahs.
Furthermore, Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah quoted a hadith from Ibn Abbas ﵁ that clearly states the Prophet ﷺ prayed 20 rak‘ahs. (لمعات التنقيخ 3/ 404)
The weakness in this hadith is resolved.

قال الشيخ زكريا محمد الصديقي: "ولكن ينجبر ضعفه بإجماع الصحابة، ولا تجمع الصحابة على أمر إلا إذا كان معلوما لديهم فعله صلى الله عليه وسلم. فمستند الإجماع فعله صلى الله عليه وسلم." (أوجز المسالك/ الشيخ محمد زكريا الصديقي 2/ 298)

"However, its weakness is compensated by the consensus of the Sahabah, and the Sahabah would never agree on something unless it was clearly known to them to be the practice of the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, the foundation of the consensus is his ﷺ practice."

قال الإمام ابن عابدين الحنفي: "وأما تضعيف الحديث بمن ذكر فقد يقال إنه اعتضد بما مر من تقل الإجماع." (منحة الخالق/ الإمام ابن عابدين 23/ 112)

Imam Ibn Abidin al-Hanafi also states: "As for the weakening of the hadith by those mentioned, it can be said that it is supported by the consensus that has already been established."

In all four madhabs, the number of rak'ahs for Taraweeh is 20! Let's go through some of the key classical texts of each of the four madhabs

Hanafi Madhhab

Imam Kasani ﵀

﵀ قال الإمام الكاساني: فَصْلٌ فِي قَدْر صَلَاةِ التَّرَاوِيحِ : وَأَمَّا قَدْرُهَا فَعِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً فِي عَشْرِ تَسْلِيمَاتٍ، فِي خَمْسِ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ كُلُّ تَسْلِيمَتَيْنِ تَرْوِيحَةٌ وَهَذَا قَوْلُ عَامَّةِ الْعُلَمَاءِ. وَقَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي قَوْلٍ: سِتَّةٌ وَثَلَاثُونَ رَكْعَةً، وَفِي قَوْلٍ سِتَّةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً، وَالصَّحِيحُ قَوْلُ الْعَامَّةِ لِمَا رُوِيَ أَنَّ عُمَرَ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - جَمَعَ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ عَلَى أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً، وَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ أَحَدٌ عَلَيْهِ فَيَكُونُ إجْمَاعًا مِنْهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ. )بدائع الصنائع/ الإمام الكاساني 1/ 288(

"Taraweeh prayer consists of 20 rak'ahs in five sets of two rak'ahs, and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars. According to the narration, during the time of Umar (RA), the companions performed Taraweeh in 20 rak'ahs under the leadership of Ubayy ibn Ka'b. No one objected to this, so it became the consensus of the companions." (Bada'i al-Sana'i, Imam Kasani, 1/288)

Imam Badr al-Din al-Ayni ﵀

(﵀ قال الإمام بدر الدين العيني: فتصير الجملة عشرين ركعة سوى الوتر وهو مذهبنا)
البناية/ الإمام بدر الدين العيني2/55

Imam Ibn Najim al-Misri ﵀

قال الإمام ابن نجيم المصري: وسنّ في رمضان عشرون ركعة بعد العشاء قبل الوتر ...وعليه عمل الناس شرقا وغربا )البحر الرائق/ الإمام ابن نجيب ﵀ 2/ 71)

"Taraweeh consists of 20 rak'ahs after Isha prayer before Witr... This is the practice of people both in the East and the West." (Al-Bahr al-Ra'iq, Imam Ibn Najim, 2/71)

Imam Ibn Abidin ﵀

قال الإمام ابن عابدين: وهي عشرون ركعة هو قول الجمهور وعيه عمل الناس شرقا وغربا) رد المختار/ الإمام ابن عابدين ﵀ 2/ 45(

"Taraweeh consists of 20 rak'ahs. This is the opinion of the majority, and it is the practice of people in both the East and the West." (Radd al-Mukhtar, Imam Ibn Abidin, 2/45)

Maliki Madhhab Similar to the other madhabs, in the Maliki madhab, Taraweeh is also performed as 20 rak'ahs. However, there is a narration from Ibn Qasim, a student of Imam Malik, where it is mentioned as 36 rak'ahs. In fact, out of these 36 rak'ahs, only 20 are considered Taraweeh, while the remaining 16 are performed as a separate act of prayer for those performing Tawaf in Makkah.
Imam Said Ba' Ashin ﵂ says:

﵀ قال الإمام سعيد باعشن: قال الشرقاوي: ويثابون على الست عشرة ركعة ثواب النفل المطلق لا التراويح على الأقرب )بشرى الكريم/ الإمام سعيد باعشن)

Imam Ibn Abdul Barr ﵀

﵀ قال الإمام ابن عبد البر: واستحب جماعة من العلماء والسلف الصالح بالمدينة عشرين ركعة والوتر واستحب منهم آخرون ستا وثلاثين ركعة والوتر وهو إختيار مالك في الرواية ابن قاسم) الكافي/ الإمام ابن عبد البر 1/ 256(

Imam Swafi ﵀

(التراويح) برمضان(وهي عشرون ركعة) بعد صلوة العشاء، يسلم من كل ركعتين غير الشفع والوتر) حاشية الصوي على الشرح الصغير: ١٧٧/٢(

Imam Ahmad al-Dardir ﵀

قال الإمام أحمد الدردير: والتراويح وهي عشرون ركعة بعد صلواة العشاء، يسلم من كل ركعتين) أقرب المسالك/ الإمام أحمد الدردير ﵀: ١٣٦/١(

Shafi'i Madhhab

Imam al-Nawawi ﵀

﵀ قال الإمام النووي: (فَرْعٌ) فِي مَذَاهِبِ الْعُلَمَاءِ فِي عَدَدِ رَكَعَاتِ التَّرَاوِيحِ مَذْهَبُنَا أَنَّهَا عِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً بِعَشْرِ تَسْلِيمَاتٍ غَيْرَ الْوِتْرِ وَذَلِكَ خَمْسُ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ وَالتَّرْوِيحَةُ أَرْبَعُ رَكَعَاتٍ بِتَسْلِيمَتَيْنِ هَذَا مَذْهَبُنَا وَبِهِ قَالَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ وَأَحْمَدُ وَدَاوُد وَغَيْرُهُمْ وَنَقَلَهُ الْقَاضِي عِيَاضٌ عَنْ جُمْهُورِ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَحُكِيَ أن الاسود بن مزيد كَانَ يَقُومُ بِأَرْبَعِينَ رَكْعَةً وَيُوتِرُ بِسَبْعٍ وَقَالَ مالك التراويح تسع ترويحات وهى ستة وَثَلَاثُونَ رَكْعَةً غَيْرَ الْوِتْرِ

Imam al-Rafi'i ﵀

قال الإمام الرافعي: صلاة التراويح عشرون ركعة بعشر تعليمات ) فتح العزيز/ الإمام الرافعي ﵀ 4/ 264(

Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami ﵀

قال الإمام الإمام ابن حجر الهيتمي: وهي عندنا لغير أهل المدينة عشرون ركعة كما أطبقوا عليها في زمن عمر )تحفة المحتاج/ الإمام ابن حجر الهيتمي ﵀ 2/ 240)

Imam Ramli ﵀

﵀ قال الإمام الرملي: وهي عشرون ركعة بعشر تسليمات في كل ليلة من من رمضان )نهاية المحتاج/ الإمام الرملي)

Imam Zainuddin al-Makhdoom al-Malibari ﵀

قال الإمام زين الدين المخدوم المليباري: وهي عشرون ركعة بعشر تسليمات في كل ليلة من رمضان )فتح المعين/الإمام زين الدين المخدوم المليباري ﵀ 168)

Hanbali Madhhab Imam Ibn Qudama ﵀

قال الإمام ابن قدامة: والمختار فيها عشرون ركعة ) المغني/ الإمام ابن قدامة ﵀:2/ 132)

Imam Ibn Muflih ﵀

قال الإمام ابن مفلح: وهي عشرون ركعة) المبدع/ الإمام ابن مفلح ﵀ 2/ 22)

Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Khurqi ﵀

قال الإمام أبو القاسم الخرقي: قيام شهر رمضان عشرون ركعة )متن الخرقي/ الإمام أبو القاسم الخرقي ﵀ 1/ 425)

In summary, a Taraweeh prayer of fewer than 20 rak'ahs is unknown in all four madhabs.

The Hadith of Aisha ﵂ in Sahih Bukhari

The hadith narrated by Aisha ﵂ regarding the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ is often misused by Wahhabis in relation to the issue of Taraweeh. In reality, this hadith has no connection with Taraweeh.
When asked about the Prophet ﷺ's Ramadan prayers, Aisha ﵂ responded:

ما كان أي النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يزيد في رمضان ولا في غيره على إحدى عشرة ركعة
(Sahih Bukhari/2013)

“The Prophet ﷺ did not exceed eleven rak‘ahs in Ramadan or at any other time.”

Some people have taken the phrase "did not exceed eleven rak‘ahs" to claim that Taraweeh should only be 11 rak‘ahs. However, Aisha ﵂’s statement here is not referring to the special Taraweeh prayer in Ramadan. It is clear from the context that Aisha ﵂ was speaking about the regular prayers, not the special Ramadan Taraweeh.
Numerous proofs have established that Taraweeh is a special prayer in Ramadan, and we have demonstrated this. Thus, it is evident that Aisha ﵂ was speaking about a general prayer, not the specific Taraweeh prayer in Ramadan.
If this were otherwise, we would have to claim that the Prophet ﷺ did not perform 17 rak‘ahs of obligatory prayers or other Sunnah prayers, which is clearly incorrect. Na’udhubillah!

What Did Aisha ﵂ Mean by This Hadith?
Aisha ﵂'s statement about the Prophet ﷺ not exceeding eleven rak‘ahs refers to the Witr prayer. Imam Al-Qastallani ﵀ explains:

قال الإمام القسطلاني وأما قول عائشة الآتي في هذا الباب إن شاء الله تعالى ما كان أي النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يزيد في رمضان ولا في غيره على إحدى عشرة ركعة فحمله أصحابنا على الوتر

(Irshad al-Sari, Imam Al-Qastallani 3/426)

"Aisha ﵂'s hadith in this chapter should be understood as referring to the Witr prayer."
Many scholars have clarified that Aisha ﵂'s hadith is about the Witr prayer. Some examples of these scholars include:

إرشاد الساري/ الإمام القسطلاني 3/ 426
فتح الرحمان/ الإمام أحمد الرملي 1/ 258
دليل الفالحين/ الإمام ابن علان 6/ 498
تحفة المحتاج/ الإمام ابن حجر الهيتمي 2/ 255
الغرر البهية/ الإمام زكريا الأنصاري 1/ 395
الإبريز/ الإمام البلقيني 223
إقامة البرهان/ الإمام ابن زياد 15

Why Was the Witr Hadith Included in the Chapter on Taraweeh?

Usually, Faqihs and Muhaddiths discuss the Witr prayer in connection with the chapter on Hajj, as people commonly pray the Witr after performing the Taraweeh in Ramadan. Similarly, after Taraweeh, people generally perform the Witr prayer. This is why the hadith regarding Witr is included in the chapter on Taraweeh.
Imam Bukhari may have included this hadith in the chapter on Taraweeh to emphasize that Witr is not meant to be skipped and is part of the regular prayer routine, rather than being treated as an optional prayer.
Imam Bukhari included this hadith in several chapters of Sahih al-Bukhari. It was narrated by Imam Malik ﵀, who included it in the chapter on Witr in his Muwatta. This is noteworthy as it highlights the relevance of the Witr prayer in the context of Taraweeh.

The hadith of Jabir ﵁ is not valid as evidence.

Another hadith often cited by the "Salafis" is the one narrated from Jabir ﵁, which is quoted by Imam Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.

حدثنا يعقوب القمي، قال حدثنا عيسى بن جارية عن جابر بن عبد الله، قال: صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في رمضان ثمان ركعة والوتر)ابن حبان: 2409)

Imam Ibn Hibban narrates from Jabir ﵁ via Isa ibn Jariyah: "The Prophet ﷺ prayed 8 rak‘ahs and the Witr with us in Ramadan."
As we have established based on numerous classical texts, the exact number of rak‘ahs the Prophet ﷺ prayed for Taraweeh has not been definitively settled.
Thus, Jabir ﵁'s hadith cannot be considered as conclusive evidence.
Moreover, Isa ibn Jariyah, the narrator in this chain, is considered an unreliable transmitter in hadith criticism.
Many scholars of hadith have clarified this point. Here are a few examples.

ميزان الإعتدال/ الحافظ الذهبي 3/ 311
تهذيب التهذيب/ الإمام ابن حجر العسقلاني 8/ 207
الضعفاء الكبير/ أبو جعفر العقيلي 3/ 383
الضعفاء والمتركون/ الإمام ابن الجوزي 3/ 238
أوجز المسالك/ الشيخ محمد زكريا 503، 504

The Prayer and Allegations of Innovation Between Rak‘ahs

In the special nature of Taraweeh, both in terms of its number and its unique aspects, those who are accustomed to planting poison in their thoughts criticize the prayers said during the breaks between rak‘ahs, calling it innovation. The term Taraweeh itself has been derived from Tarweeh, meaning "to rest," which occurs when four rak‘ahs are performed. The rest can be taken in the form of a small prayer, tahleel, or simply staying silent.
Imam Jamaluddin Rumi says:

قال جمال الدين الرومي: فإن أهل مكة يطوفون بين كل ترويحتين أسبوعا، وأهل المدينة يصلون بدل ذلك أربع ركعات، وأهل كل بلدة بالخيار يسبحون أو يهللون أو ينتظرون سكوتا) العناية شرح البداية/ الإمام جمال الدين الرومي 1/ 168(

“People in Mecca perform Tawaf between each Tarweeh, and the people of Medina perform four rak‘ahs instead. In every other town, people can choose what to do: it can be tasbeeh, tahleel, or just waiting in silence.” (Al-Inaayah: 1/168)
In later times, Muslims around the world have made it a custom to recite prayers in the name of the Prophet ﷺ at these intervals. If such prayers are deemed innovations, this accusation would then apply to Imam Shafi’i ﵀, Imam Malik ﵀, and the righteous scholars of that era, which is something to be remembered. This is because they endorsed practices like Tawaf and prayers during these breaks in Taraweeh.
Thus, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami ﵀ clarified that there is no issue with offering prayer during these breaks in Taraweeh:

وسئل الإمام ابن حجر الهيتمي رضي الله عنه هل تسن الصلاة عليه - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بين تسليمات التراويح أو هي بدعة ينهى عنها؟
فأجاب بقوله الصلاة في هذا المحل بخصوصه. لم نر شيئا في السنة ولا في كلام أصحابنا فهي بدعة ينهى عنها من يأتي بها بقصد كونها سنة في هذا المحل بخصوصه دون من يأتي بها لا بهذا القصد كأن يقصد أنها في كل وقت سنة من حيث العموم بل جاء في أحاديث ما يؤيد الخصوص إلا أنه غير كاف في الدلالة لذلك،
(الفتاوى الكبرى/ الإمام ابن حجر الهيتمي 1/ 186)

"The prayer in this specific context, between the greetings of Taraweeh, is not found in the Sunnah or in the words of our companions. Therefore, it is an innovation (Bid‘ah) and should be avoided if performed with the intention of it being a specific Sunnah in this particular place. However, if done without this specific intention—such as considering it an act of prayer at any time—it does not become an innovation." (Al-Fatawa al-Kubra / Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami 1/186)

This concludes the study series on Taraweeh: A Comprehensive Study.

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