Is adding to eleven rak'ahs in the tarawih prayer a religious innovation (bid'ah)?

Question:
May Allah reward you. This questioner says: Some of the brothers accuse those who pray more than eleven rak'ahs in the nights of Ramadan of being innovators, and they say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not pray in Ramadan, nor in any other time, more than eleven rak'ahs. So how do we respond to them?

Answer:
I mean, this description of theirs is not limited to those who pray at this time; rather, it extends to 'Umar and the Companions, the Muhajireen and the Ansar, who used to pray twenty-three rak'ahs. So they are describing them as innovators. May Allah keep us safe from that. This person did not realize or reflect on his words. Yes. We say: If you pray the prayer of the Messenger, it does not contradict [the Sunnah]; pray eleven. But if you do not pray the prayer of the Messenger, nor the prayer of the Companions, that is not correct. You are the innovator. You did not pray the prayer of the Messenger, nor did you pray the prayer of the Companions. If that is the case, you are the innovator.