20 Rak’aat Taraaweeh

Special prayer offered in the Holy month of

Ramadan
Table of Content
• Meaning of Taraaweeh
• Background
• Sunnah
• A Logical Confirmation of Sahaaba’s practice
• Misconception of 8 rak’aat
– Main Base - An Argument
– Second Base - Other similar Bases
• Those who still claim
• Consensus of Ummah:
– Sahaaba - Mujtahideen
– Ulama - Today …2
• Hadith about Consensus
• Hadith about Misguided Sects
• Conclusion
• Dua
• Humble Appeal
Meaning of Taraaweeh
• The Arabic word Taraaweeh is the plural of the word
Tarweeha which literally means to have rest or
break.
• In the context of Taraaweeh prayer, it means to have
rest or break between every four rak’aat.
• In eight rak’aat followed by Witr we get only two
rests, which should be called as Tarweehatain
/Tarweehain (Two rest periods).
• According to the Arabic language anything less than
three is NOT plural. (There are different words for single, double,
plural)

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Background
• Our beloved Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wasallam said: Whoever offers salaah
in Ramadan due to faith for earning reward, his next &
previous sins will be forgiven. [Bukhari]
• He sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam led Salat Al-Taraweeh for three nights, but did
not come out to lead the same on fourth night with the fear
that it might become an obligation on the Ummah. [Bukhari &
Muslim]
• Seeing people performing salaat separatelely at a night of
Ramadan, Ameerul Mumineen Umar RadiAllahu anhu decided to
gather them all behind one Imaam & said “This is a good
innovation”. [Bukhari]
• From the time of Umar radiAllahu anhu it got established to perform 20
rak’aat taraaweeh in congregation, which was continued by
later people (till now). [Al-Baihaqi, Tirmidhi, Kanzul Ummaal…]

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Sunnah
• Ibn abi Shaibah, Tabrani, Baihaqi, Abdullah ibn Hameed &
Imam Bagwi rahimahumullah reported on authority of Ibn Abbas
radiAllahu anhu “Indeed Prophet sallaAllahu alahi wasallam used to perform 20
rak’aat apart from Witr in the month of Ramadan” Al-Baihaqi
added ‘without congregation’.

• Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahmatullah alaih, (well-known interpreter of Sahih Al-

Bukhari) reported in his book Al-Talkhees Al-Habeer on the
authority of Aisha radhiallahu anha that the Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wasallam
performed twenty rak'aat Taraweeh on those three nights.

• Fiqhi view: 20 rak’aat Taraaweeh is emphasized (Mu’akkedah)

Sunnah for every sane, mature and adult Islamic brother
(more virtuous with congregation) & Sister.

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A Logical Confirmation of
Sahaaba’s practice
• There are 540 Ruku’ in Quran
• If we divide 540 (rak’aat) with 27 (days) to
complete the Quran recitation in Ramadan.
• The result we would get will be:
* 20 rak’aat *

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 Misconception of 8 rak’aat… contd

• Main Base of the Confused sect:

– Bukhari’s narration through Aisha Siddiqua Radiallahu anhuma:The Prophet
sallAllahu alaihi wasallam never performed more than eleven raka’aat, whether
in the month of Ramadan or any other time of the year.
• Reason for misconception
– Self opinioned interpretation of the Hadith
• Correct explanation
– The mentioned Hadith talks about Tahajjud, not Taraaweeh.
– Note the words: whether in the month of Ramadan or any other time
of the year
– Everyone knows that Taraaweeh prayer is performed only in Ramadan.

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 Misconception of 8 rak’aat… contd

• An Argument:
– Tahajjud & Taraaweeh are same prayers.
• Base of the argument
– Confusion because of self opinioned interpretation
• Tahajjud & Taraaweeh are different prayers.
– Tahajjud was ordained by Qur'anic verse mentioned in Surah Muzzammil at
Makkah while Taraweeh was established through the Hadith of Prophet sallAllahu
alaihi wasallam at Madina.
– Tahajjud is performed after sleeping a while & Taraweeh is performed
immediate after Isha.
– Imam Bukhari compiled two chapters for “Night prayers” and “Night prayers in
Ramadan” separately in his Saheeh.
– People in Haramain still perform both 20 rak’aat Taraaweeh & Tahajjud after
Isha.
– All major Shaareheen of Bukhari mentioned Taraaweeh as 20 rak’aat & none
counted Taraaweeh & Tahajjud to be the same.

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 Misconception of 8 rak’aat… contd

• Second major base:

– Muwatta’s narration: Hadrat Umar ordered Ubi ibn Kaa'b radiAllahu
anhuma to lead the people with 11 rak'aat

• Reason for misconception

– Incomplete view for self-satisfaction
• Correct explanation
– The mentioned Hadith is Mudtarib (Mixed-up); not Sahih.
– Meaning - it is transmitted in different manners so that the
contents of each transmission clashes with other.
– Thus it is unsound and insufficient evidence for the deduction of
any Shara’ee ruling. Especially against ijma’ (consensus).

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 Misconception of 8 rak’aat… contd

• Other similar bases:

– Narration from Ibn Haban & Khuzaima that Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wasallam
lead 20 rak’aat Taraaweeh
• Reason for misconception
– Double standard (as usual)
• Correct explanation
– The Hadith narrated for 8 rak'aat is considered to be extremely
weak due to narrators like Eisa bin Jaariyah. This can be verified in
book of ilmur rijaal.
– There are certain weird fatawa (like Naziriya) which compel Ahlul
hawa to accept weak narration as evidence in the matter.
• Isn’t it a ‘Double standard’ or even ‘No standard’???

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Those who still claim
• People who claim 8 rakaat to be Sunnah should first
prove the same through marfu’ sahih hadith.
• They must also perform Taraaweeh in congregation
for 3 days ONLY as they claim to follow Prophet sallAllahu
alaihi wasallam directly leaving consensus.

• If not, make Tauba & join Ahlus Sunnah.

Else, simply accept:
• They are actually Ahlul-hawa (people of self-desire)
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Consensus of Ummah *Sahaaba*
• From the time of Umar radiAllahu anhu to this day, people
have always prayed twenty rak’aat Taraweeh
throughout the world, including Harmain Sharifain.
• Hadrat Umar, Uthman, Ali and all Sahaaba radiAllahu anhum

unanimously practiced 20 rak’aat.

• There is no objection recorded in any authentic book
from our beloved mother Aaisha radiAllahu anha or any other
Sahaaba radiAllahu anhum.

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Consensus of Ummah *Mujtahideen*
• Tabi’ee Ata ibne Abi Rubah radiAllahu anhu always found People of
Makkah performing twenty rak’aat. [Ibn Abi Shaiba, Fathul
Baari, Fathul Mulhim]
• Imam Shafi’ee radiAllahu anhu also found People of Makkah
performing twenty rak’aat. [Tirmidhi]
• Imam Abu Hanifah & Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal Rahmatullahi alaihim
ajma’een never said Taraaweeh to be anything less twenty rak’aat.

• Imam Malik Rahmatullah Alaih on the other hand insisted on thirty six
raka’aat followed by Witr at Madina.
– 20 Sunnah +16 Nawafil (to make up for more thawaab in place of
Tawaaf).
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Consensus of Ummah *Ulama*
• Ulama (Scholars) across the world asserted 20 rak’aat Taraaweeh as
Sunnah. Few names:
– Imam Tirmidhi in his Jaame’
– Imam Abdul Razzaq & Ibn Shaiba in their Musannaf
– Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Hussain al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan
– Imam Tabraani in Mu’jam al-Awsat
– Ibne Humaid in his Musnad
– Ibn Hajr Asqalani in Fath-ul-Bari
– Imam Ghazaali in Ahyaa-ul-Uloom
– Imam Nawawi in Sharh-ul-Muhazzab
– Imam Subki in his Sahih
– Imam Al-Tahtaawi in Sharh Durr al-Mukhtar
– Mulla Ali Qari in Mirqaat
– Shaykh Badruddin Al-Aini in Umdatul Qari…

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Consensus of Ummah *Today*
– In spite of some Extremist people in rule for more then 200 years…
– In spite of increasing influence of Ahlul hawa for past few years…

• Chief Mufti of Saudi declared:

• The people who don’t pray ‘Taraaweeh’ in Haramain
considering 20 rak’aat to be innovation must consider: And
whoso opposes the Messenger after the right way has become
clear and follows a way other than the way of Muslims, We
shall leave him on his own conditions and shall cause him to
enter Hell…[Al-Nisa 115]
• 20 Rak’aat have continued to be performed as Sunnah since
early times in Haramain.
• People who perform 20 rak’aat follows trustworthy, most
upright & reliable Imams & scholars. Do you have more
knowledge then them?

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Consensus of Ummah *Today*
– Extract from Fatwa Contd…
• If someone says that I don’t pray (20 rak’aat Taraaweeh) in
Haram because its new prayer than we say that you are an
Innovator.
• We suspect such people to be victim of ‘Pride’ & ‘Heresy’.
They presume self to be most perfect & better than others.
• This is because of deficiency of their mind & view; the result
of lacking Islamic Knowledge.
• It is not at all fair to consider an act to be improper which
has been continued among Muslims with consistency.
– Published in Al Madina News Paper 1st Ramadan, Thursday 1428 AH

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Hadith about Consensus
• Rasoolullah sallAllahu Ta’aala alaihi wasallam said:
– My Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects,
and all of them will be in Hell fire except one sect. The
companions asked Allah’s messenger which group that
would be. He sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam replied, It is the one to which I
and my companions belong [Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood &
Hakim]
– My Ummah will not agree upon an error, so when you find
dispute, then follow the largest group (Sawaade Aazam).
[Hakim & Ibn Majah]

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Hadith about Misguided Sects
• There will be towards the end of time a people who will say
to you what neither you nor your forebears ever heard
before. Beware of them lest they misguide you and bring
you confusion. [Muslim]
• In the last days of this world there will appear some young
foolish people who will use (in their claim) the best speech of
all people (i.e. the Qur'an) and they will abandon Islam as an
arrow going through the game. Their belief will not go
beyond their throats…[Bukhari]
• One who walks to show respect for the man of bid’at
(innovator) has helped in destroying Islam. [Tabraani, Hilyatul
Awliya]

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Conclusion
• The Sunnah of Taraweeh consists of twenty rak’aat.
• The word ‘Taraaweeh’ itself refutes concept of 8
rak’aat
• Whole Ummah (Sahaaba, Mujtahideen, Scholars)
anonymously accept Twenty rak’aat Taraaweeh to be
Sunnah through out the world including Haramain
Sharifain (even now).
• The people who object in the matter after 1400 years
& call 8 rak’aat as Sunnah are actually Ahle Bida’
(those who make evil innovations) as it is against
Sunnah and Ijmaa’.
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 Dua
May Allah keep us on the practice of the Prophet &
Sahaaba sallAllahu alaihi wasallam waradiAllahu anhum

May Allah open hearts of those who are unable to

conceive the light of truth.
May Allah safeguard our Iman from all devious
Ideologies.
May Allah guide us all.
Aameen
bijaahin Nabiyyil Kareem.
sallAllahu Ta’aala alaihi wa aalihi wasallam

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 Humble Appeal

• If you agree with the content, please forward this to all your
contacts.
• Please request all your contacts to perform Salaah behind
Sunni Imams.

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