The Criterion for the Number of Rak'ahs in the Tarawih Prayer
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Question:
The questioner, Abu Turki, says: Shaykh, I am the imam of a mosque, and I say, if Allah wills, I will lead the congregation in the Tarawih prayer this year, if Allah wills. What is the criterion, Shaykh Salih, for increasing it beyond eleven rak'ahs? And am I allowed to pray more than these rak'ahs if my congregation is able to do so?
Answer:
My brother, the Tarawih prayer is made easy and has no fixed limit that it must end at. It is according to a person's strength, capacity, and ability. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged standing in night prayer and encouraged standing in Ramadan, but he did not set a limit for it. As for him (peace and blessings be upon him), he did not exceed eleven or thirteen rak'ahs in Ramadan or otherwise. However, he would lengthen the prayer. The prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was such that he would recite Surat al-Baqarah in two rak'ahs, and Surat al-Imran and Surat al-Nisa in two rak'ahs, which is five parts of the Qur'an and more. His bowing was approximately the length of his standing, and his prostration was approximately the length of his standing, (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger usually prayed alone and would lengthen the prayer to a degree that no one could match him in, (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the Companions, in the time of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), they prayed it in the mosque of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), in the presence of the Muhajireen and the Ansar. They prayed twenty-three rak'ahs: twenty for Tarawih and three for the odd-numbered prayer (witr). So they lightened the manner of the prayer and increased the number of rak'ahs.
As for the one who increases the manner of the prayer and lengthens it, he decreases the number, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did. This is what brings the evidence together, and it is the practice of the righteous Salaf, the Companions and the Tabi'un. It is upon this that the practice settled, and praise be to Allah. And there is no blame on the one who increases beyond that. The matter is broad, and praise be to Allah.
It is not said, as some say, that increasing beyond eleven rak'ahs is an innovation (bid'ah). In fact, this statement is the innovation. The one who says it does not know the difference between innovation and the Sunnah. If that were the case, the Companions, led by 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, would be innovators, because they increased beyond the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The prayer varies according to its nature. If it is lengthened, the number of rak'ahs is reduced. If it is lightened, the number of rak'ahs is increased.
With this statement, the evidence comes together. This is the statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and the meticulous scholars. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not set a fixed limit. Rather,Sunan an-Nasa'i 2198Sahih (Darussalam), and in another hadith, Jami` at-Tirmidhi 806Sahih (Darussalam), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not set a fixed limit in that matter. Yes. Ah.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
The questioner, Abu Turki, says: Shaykh, I am the imam of a mosque, and I say, if Allah wills, I will lead the congregation in the Tarawih prayer this year, if Allah wills. What is the criterion, Shaykh Salih, for increasing it beyond eleven rak'ahs? And am I allowed to pray more than these rak'ahs if my congregation is able to do so?
Answer:
My brother, the Tarawih prayer is made easy and has no fixed limit that it must end at. It is according to a person's strength, capacity, and ability. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged standing in night prayer and encouraged standing in Ramadan, but he did not set a limit for it. As for him (peace and blessings be upon him), he did not exceed eleven or thirteen rak'ahs in Ramadan or otherwise. However, he would lengthen the prayer. The prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was such that he would recite Surat al-Baqarah in two rak'ahs, and Surat al-Imran and Surat al-Nisa in two rak'ahs, which is five parts of the Qur'an and more. His bowing was approximately the length of his standing, and his prostration was approximately the length of his standing, (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger usually prayed alone and would lengthen the prayer to a degree that no one could match him in, (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the Companions, in the time of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), they prayed it in the mosque of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), in the presence of the Muhajireen and the Ansar. They prayed twenty-three rak'ahs: twenty for Tarawih and three for the odd-numbered prayer (witr). So they lightened the manner of the prayer and increased the number of rak'ahs.
As for the one who increases the manner of the prayer and lengthens it, he decreases the number, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did. This is what brings the evidence together, and it is the practice of the righteous Salaf, the Companions and the Tabi'un. It is upon this that the practice settled, and praise be to Allah. And there is no blame on the one who increases beyond that. The matter is broad, and praise be to Allah.
It is not said, as some say, that increasing beyond eleven rak'ahs is an innovation (bid'ah). In fact, this statement is the innovation. The one who says it does not know the difference between innovation and the Sunnah. If that were the case, the Companions, led by 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, would be innovators, because they increased beyond the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The prayer varies according to its nature. If it is lengthened, the number of rak'ahs is reduced. If it is lightened, the number of rak'ahs is increased.
With this statement, the evidence comes together. This is the statement of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and the meticulous scholars. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not set a fixed limit. Rather,
he said: 'Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer (Qiyam) out of faith and in the hope of reward
قال من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتساباIndeed, whoever stands (praying) with the Imam until he finished, then it is recorded for him that he prayed the whole night.
من قام مع الإمام حتى ينصرف كتب له قيام ليلةThe presenter:
May Allah reward you
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، برنامج (فتاوى) (065) لمعالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان بتاريخ [1435-08-27] - كبار العلماء — youtube.com (13:27)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.