How many rak'ahs are in the Tarawih prayer?

Question : The questioner asks: How many rak'ahs are there in the tarawih prayer? Is it twenty rak'ahs or eight? If it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exceed eleven rak'ahs, is it better to follow the imam or to adhere to the Sunnah?

Answer : We say that there is no doubt that limiting the tarawih to eleven or thirteen rak'ahs is the better option and what conforms to the Sunnah. However, there is no harm in adding to that number, because the Salaf used to add to this number and did not denounce one another for it. As for the one who denounces it and claims that adding to it is forbidden, his statement is refuted by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was asked about the night prayer; he said, "Two, two." Thus, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) specified the number that the night prayer must be in for every taslim.
If there had been a specific number that the night prayer must be in regarding the general amount of taslims, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have specified it, for it is not permissible to delay clarification until the time of need. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left the matter general, it is known that there is no obligatory limit. Based on this, we say that following the imam...
...in a prayer of twenty-three rak'ahs or more is the Sunnah and the best, due to the saying of the Prophet You believed that he was your imam from the moment you entered with him, so follow him. Because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked disagreement most intensely, and he said, "Do not differ, for if you differ, your hearts will differ." Therefore, what the brothers who are eager to follow the Sunnah in this and other matters should do is follow the imam in what he does. For this reason, Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) was asked about bowing (ruku') with those he knew; he said, "When your imam bows, bow," meaning even if he does not bow at the time that is the Sunnah, wait for him and bow with him. This is despite the fact that Ibn 'Umar was among the most rigorous people in seeking to follow the Sunnah and holding fast to it. However, disagreement is a serious matter, not a light one. When it reached Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed four rak'ahs in Mina, whereas the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray two rak'ahs in Mina during Hajj, and Abu Bakr used to pray two rak'ahs, and 'Umar prayed two rak'ahs, and 'Uthman prayed two rak'ahs for eight years of his caliphate, then he prayed four rak'ahs, that reached Abu Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said, "Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return." He recited the phrase of remembrance (istirja') and considered this a serious matter. Nevertheless, he prayed four rak'ahs behind him. He was asked, "O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman, how did you complete the prayer?"
He said, "Disagreement is evil, so I completed it," even though he had recited the phrase of remembrance regarding the completion. This indicates that the righteous Salaf held that unity of word, agreement, and lack of disagreement, as long as it is not in a forbidden matter, is the best, and it is what brings about the unity, cohesion, and agreement of the Ummah. Yes.