There is a growing misconception among present-day Muslims (especially the younger generation) that the Taraawih Salaah which is performed during the month of Ramadhaan constitutes eight Rakaats only. This is however incorrect because:

1. It is in conflict with the Sunnah

2. It is in conflict with the Ijmaah [consensus] of the Sahaabah (R.A.)

3. It is in conflict with the Ijmaah (consensus) of the four madhaahib.

Although many, Ulema (eg. Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah, Allaamah Subki and Qaadi Shawkaani) are of the opinion that Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam never fixed the exact number of Rakaats for the Tarawih salaah, we are convinced that the Sunnah is twenty Rakaats because the twenty rakaat Taraawih was introduced by Hadrat Umar R.A. and Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallarn had commanded us to follow the Khulafa-e-Raashden (especially Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar R.A.). Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: "Hold firmly on to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Khulafa-e-Raashiden." "Follow the two after me (i.e. Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar.

Allaamah Badrud-Den Aini, writes that we understand from the above Hadeth that those who follow Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar R.A. will be rewarded and those who do not follow them will be punished.

The twenty rakaat Taraawih that was introduced by Hadrat Umar R.A. was unanimously accepted by all the Sahaabah R.A. without any objection. In other words, they had ijma [consensus] in this regard. Many aayaat of the Qur'aan and ahaadith of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam denote the Shari authority (hujjiyyah) of Ijmaa'. Among those are:

"And whoever opposes the Rasul after the guidance (of Allah) has been manifested unto him, and follows other than the believers way. We appoint for him that unto which he himself has turned, and we expose him unto Jahannam – a hopeless journey's end." "My Ummah will never unite upon baatil (falsehood., deception).

In addition to the above, it should also be borne in mind that consensus of the Sahabah (R.A). represents the highest and most authoritative form of ijmaa.

While Imam Abu Hanifah (R.A), Imam Shaafi'i (R.A)and Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal (R.A). agree that the Taraawih Salaah comprises of twenty Rakaats, there are two narrations from Imam Maalik According to one narration he too agrees that the Taraawih Salaah comprises of twenty Rakaats. Ibn Qaasim (R.A)has however narrated from Imam Maalik(R.A), that he preferred thirty-six Rakaats and three Rakaats witr thereafter. (Most Maaliki textbooks however mention the twenty rakaat narration only).

This however does not mean that Imam Maalik rejected the Ijmaa of the Sahaabah R.A. The standard practice in Madinah at that time was thirty-six Rakaats and the reason for performing thirty-six Rakaats was that the people of Makkah would perform tawaaf after every four Rakaats of Taraawih. Because tawaaf can only be performed in Makkah, the people of Madinah would perform an additional four Rakaats nafl salaah after every four Rakaats of Taraawih.

Considering the above and the fact that these additional sixteen Rakaats (4×4) were regarded as nafl (and not Sunnah mu'akkadah as in Taraawih) and were performed individually. We may conclude that Imarn Maalik and the other Fuqahaa of Madinah also agreed that the actual Taraawih comprises of twenty Rakaats only.

According to Sheikh Atiyyah Muhammad Saalim, from the fourth Hijri century, only twenty Rakaats Taraawih were performed in Madinah. Thereafter in the 8th century when Imam Zain-ud-Den AI-Iraaqi was appointed the Imam of Masjid-un-Nabawi the people would return to the Masjid later during the night to perform the additional sixteen Rakaats. The famous historian As-Sa'ud writes that this practice continued until the late ninth and early tenth Hijri century.

It is not permissible to oppose the consensus of the four madhaahib. This is understood from the fact that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam had commended us to follow the Sawaad-al-A'zam (vast majority). Since all the other true madhaahib do not any longer exist, these four madhaahib represent the Sawaad-al-A'zam.

Many Ulema (eg. Abu Ja'far Tahaawl, Abu Eesa Tirmidhi, Ibn Rushd Qurtabi, Ibn Qudaamah Maqdisi, etc.) Have discussed the divergent opinions of the Fuqahaa [jurists] in various topics. None of them have ever mentioned a single Faqeh [jurist] who held the opinion that the Taraawih salaah had eight Rakaats only.

Imam Bukhari R.A., has recorded a narration from Sayyadatina Aisha (R.A) in which she says:

"Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam would never read more than eleven Rakaats – neither in Ramadhaan nor in any other month. He would perform four Rakaats and do not ask of their beauty and length. He would thereafter perform another four Rakaats and do not ask of their beauty and length. He would thereafter perform three Rakaats." Sayyadatina Aisha R.A. says that she (once) asked Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam whether he slept before performing the witr salaah. Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam replied: "O Aisha! My eyes sleep but not my heart."

This Hadeth is often cited in substantiation of the claim that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam performed only eight Rakaats in the Taraawih Salaah. It is however incorrect to make such a deduction from this Hadeth because this Hadeth is discussing the Tahajjud Salaah and 'nafal Salaah and not the Taraawih The words "nor in any other month" are a clear indication that this Hadeeth is not regarding the Taraaweh Salaah. (Taraawih is not Performed in any other month besides Ramadhaan.)

There is a Hadith in which Sayyadatina Aisha R.A. narrates that during the last ten days of Ramadhaan. Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam would stay awake throughout the night and he would exert himself in ibaadah. It is possible that upon hearing this narration from Sayyadatina Aisha R.A. some people would think that compared to the rest of the Year, Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam read more Rakaats of Tahajjud Salaah in Ramadhaan. In order to dispel such doubts, Sayyadatina Aisha R.A. explained that Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam's Tahajjud Salaah always comprised of eleven lengthy Rakaats irrespective of whether it was Ramadhaan or any other month.

Imam Bukhaari R.A., has quoted the above mentioned Hadith of Hazrat A'isha R.A. in the following chapters of his Al-Jaami As-Saheh:

    The chapter regarding Nabe's (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) salaah during the nights of Ramadhaan and other months.
    The chapter regarding the virtue of salaah during Ramadhaan.
    The chapter that Nabi's Sallallahu alaihi wasallam eyes would sleep but not his heart.
    The chapter on Witr salaah.

 Imam Bukhari's R.A. not including this Hadith in the chapter on Taraawih indicates that he too understood that this Hadith discussed the Tahajjud salaah and not the Taraawih Salaah. In fact, none of the Muhaddithen [scholars of Hadeth] have included this Hadith in the chapter on Taraawih. Imam Muhammad Al-Marwazi R.A. has in his book "Qiyaam-ul-Layl" dedicated a separate chapter to discuss the number of Rakaats of the Taraawlh salaah. Despite quoting a number of Ahaadith in this chapter, he has not in the slightest manner indicated to this Hadeth of Sayyadatina Aisha R.A.

Proponents of the eight rakaat Taraawih reject the above explanation saying that Tahajjud and Taraawih is the same salaah. This claim Is also incorrect because there is a vast difference between the two. Among the various differences between the Tahajjud and Taraawih salaah is:

1.    Tahajjud was introduced in Makkah and Tarzaawih in Madinah,

2.    Taraawih is performed immediately after the Esha salaah whilst Tahajjud is performed much later at night (in the last third of the night).

NOTE: Neither Imam Bukhaari and Imam Marwazi nor any other Muhaddith regarded Tahajjud and Taraawih as the same!

There is a Hadith that is attributed to Hadrat Jaabir R.A. in which he narrates that once during the month of Ramadan Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam led them in eight Rakaats (of Taraawih) and thereafter the Witr salaah. The following night they gathered in the Masjid hoping that Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam would once again lead them in salaah as he had done the previous night. They however continued waiting for Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam till the morning. In the morning Rasulullah Sallallahu wlaihi wasallam explained to them the reason for not joining them. He said that he had feared that Witr would be made compulsory, upon them.

This Hadeth is however extremely, weak and can never form the basis for any Shar'i ruling. The person claiming that he is narrating this Hadeth from Hadrat Jaabir R.A.. is Eesa bin Jaariyah. He is an extremely unreliable narrator. Imam Nasa'i and Imam Abu Dawud R.A. have both called him "Munkar-ul-Hadeth" – one whose narrations are Munkar. A munkar narration is the narration of an untrustworthy narrator that contradicts the narration of a group of trustworthy narrators. Imam Nasa'i R.A. has also called him "Matruk". Matruk literally means left alone but in this context it means that Eesa bin Jaariyah is an unreliable narrator. The Muhaddithen normally use the word Matruk (and many other words) to show the unreliability of a narrator.

Muhammad bin Humaid Ar-Raazi, another narrator in this Hadith's chain of transmission [sanad] is also very weak. Some Muhaddithen (eg. Imam Abu Zur'ah) have declared him a liar.

Imam Maalik R.A. has recorded a narration from Hadrat Saa'ib bin Yazid R.A. that Hadrat Umar R.A. had commanded Hadrat Ubay bin Ka'b and Hadrat Tamim Daari R.A. to lead the people in eleven Rakaats of salaah (eight Rakaats Taraawih and three Rakaats Witr).

It is often claimed on the basis of this narration that Hadrat Umar R.A. had commanded the performance of only eight Rakaats Taraawih and not twenty.

However, a thorough study of the chains of transmission (asaanid) of this narration reveals that three people have narrated from Hadrat Sa'ib bin Yazid R.A. They are:

i) Haarith bin Abdir Rahmaan

ii) Yazid bin Khusayfah

iii) Muhammed bin Yusuf

Haarith bin Abdir Rahmaan and Yazid bin Khusayfah have narrated twenty Rakaats from Hadrat Saa'ib R.A. Yazid bin Khusayfah also has three students namely Ibn Abi Dhib, Muhammed bin Ja'far and Imam Maalik. All three have narrated twenty Rakaats from Yazid.

Muhammed bin Yusuf also has three students. They are:

    Imam Maalik
    Ibn Ishaaq
    Da'ud bin Qays

 While Imam Maalik narrates eleven Rakaats from Muhammed bin Yusuf, Ibn Ishaaq narrates thirteen Rakaats and Da'ud bin Qays narrates twenty one Rakaats.

When a Hadith is transmitted in different manners so that the contents of each transmission differ and it is not possible to give preference to any particular transmission, the Muhaddithen call it Mudtarib. The Mudtarib Hadith is regarded as unsound and insufficient evidence for the deduction of any Shar'e ruling. Muhammed bin Yusuf's narration is an ideal example of a Mudtarib Hadith.

On the contrary, the narrations of Harith bin Abdir Rahmaan and Yazed bin Khusayfah are authentic and supported by many other narrations in the books of Hadeth.

Some of Ibn Taymiyya's writings imply that he was of the opinion that eight Rakaats, twenty Rakaats, thirty Rakaats, thirty-six and forty Rakaats are all sunnah. It is clear from the preceding discussion that we do not agree with him. Nevertheless, he also explains that the more virtuous (and preferred) practice differs according to the condition of the Muslims. If the Muslims are able to perform eight very lengthy Rakaats as was the practice of Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam, the performance of eight Rakaats would be better. However, if they are unable to perform such lengthy Rakaats it would be better for them to perform twenty Rakaats.

NOTE: The length of Rasulullah's Sallallahu alaihi wasallam salaah (that he performed at night) may be estimated from the following:

    He would perform salaah until his feet would swell.

    He would continue performing salaah until half the night had passed.

    He sometimes continued performing salaah until the Sehri time had almost expired.

    Hadrat Abu Dharr R.A. narrates that one night he performed salaah with Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam. He says: "I stood in salaah with him (i.e. Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) until I began resting my head on the wall due to the length of his salaah.

Considering the worldly commitments of modern day, Muslims and their physical weakness, it is obvious that none of them can manage such lengthy Rakaats. Therefore, even according to Ibn Taymiyya's opinion, twenty Rakaats is best for them.

In view of the preceding discussion we conclude that:

The Sunnah Tariiwih consists of twenty Rakaats and not eight.

The performance of only eight Rakaats in Taraawih cannot be established from any sound Shar'e evidence/proof.

Moulana Muhammad Karolia