Which is better: lengthening the standing or increasing the number of rak'ahs?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner asks: Which is better, praying five rak'ahs with a long standing, or praying seven rak'ahs with a short standing?

Answer:
They are equal. If you specify the rak'ahs, you increase the number; if you lengthen the rak'ahs, you decrease the number. This is equal to that, if Allah wills. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) specified the tarawih and increased them to twenty.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray eleven or thirteen, but he would lengthen the prayer. The Companions saw that the people were not lengthening the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), so they erred in the description and increased the number, making it twenty. This was during the caliphate of 'Umar, with the presence of 'Uthman and 'Ali, and the presence of the Companions from the Muhajireen and the Ansar. If the description is shortened, the number is increased, as the Companions did. If the prayer is lengthened, the number is decreased, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. This is not the fiqh. Some people say it is not permissible to increase beyond that if it becomes difficult. It cannot be so. The Messenger did not prevent this. The Messenger said: "Whoever stands in prayer in Ramadan and it does not happen..." and he encouraged standing in prayer at night and it did not happen. What did not happen?
Rather, he gave us the command in general, for each person to increase or decrease according to his condition. For you to restrict it broadly and forbid people from prayer, or to change for them what they are unable to do, this is not permissible. The jinn... the illusion... the best of matters... or is it dropped? Yes.