The Ruling on Fixing the Number of Rak'ahs in Tarawih Prayer and Advice to the Imams

Question:
May Allah reward you. This questioner says: Is there a specific limit for the Tarawih prayer and the night prayer? And what is your advice to the imams regarding how to perform it?

Answer:
Yes, it has no specific limit. As Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) established, it is not established that there is a specific number for the Tarawih prayer. Rather, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged standing in prayer during Ramadan but did not specify a number. He said, "Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward," and he did not say, "such and such a number." He also said, "Whoever stands in prayer with the imam until he finishes," and he did not specify a number. He encouraged standing in prayer during the night but did not specify a number, and he left this matter to the Muslim, so he determines for himself. If he increases, his reward is greater; if he decreases, his reward is less, and he stands in prayer for as much of the night as is easy for him.
However, the imam specifically should not prevent the ma'mum (those praying behind him) from the night prayer in Ramadan. Rather, he must strive to utilize this time for standing in prayer during the night for himself and for the ma'mum. He should exert effort in this and refrain from engaging in disputes and casting doubt, because some students of knowledge have no concern with Ramadan other than gossip. They say, "So-and-so is an innovator," "So-and-so contradicted the Sunnah," and "So-and-so did such and such." No, my brother, Ramadan is standing in prayer during Ramadan, and there is no specific limit in it. Whoever increases has not contradicted the Sunnah, and whoever decreases the number has not contradicted the Sunnah. The matter is broad in this regard. However, Shaykh Taqi al-Din (may Allah have mercy on him), considering that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) or thirteen, and considering that the Companions prayed twenty-three in the time of 'Umar, twenty-three rak'ahs in the mosque of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), in the presence of the Muhajireen and the Ansar, said (may Allah have mercy on him): Whoever wants to lengthen the prayer should decrease the number of rak'ahs, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. And whoever wants to lighten the prayer should increase the number, as the Companions did. So the Companions increased the number and lightened the manner.
Be gentle with the people. His saying (peace and blessings be upon him): "Whoever leads the people, let him shorten the prayer, for among them are the old and the weak, for among them are the old and the sick and the one in need, the old and the sick and the one in need. And if he prays for himself, let him lengthen as he wishes." When a person prays alone, he lengthens as he wishes, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. He stood in prayer with al-Baqarah, al-Nisa, and al-Imran in two rak'ahs, reciting more than five parts in two rak'ahs. 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. He did not complete the two rak'ahs until Bilal came to call him for the Fajr prayer. This is the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
So who can endure this? Even when Hudayfah stood with him, he said, "I was about to sit down." Hudayfah ibn al-Yaman [testified to] the length of the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). These people want to decrease the number and lighten the manner. Decreasing the number and lightening the manner is contrary to the Sunnah. Decreasing the number and lightening the manner is contrary to the Sunnah. The Sunnah is that if one lengthens the prayer, he decreases the number, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did. And if he lightens the manner, he increases the number of rak'ahs, as the Companions did. This is justice, this is justice, and the middle and moderation is the good. But we do not declare as innovators those who pray twenty-three, as some ignorant people say. We do not declare this as an innovation; all of this is Sunnah, praise be to Allah.
The one who prays eleven is following the Sunnah. The one who prays thirteen is following the Sunnah. The one who prays twenty-three is following the Sunnah. Whoever increases or decreases is following the Sunnah. We do not say so-and-so is an innovator, as some reckless people with little knowledge and jurisprudence in this matter say. And as I told you, some of those who claim to be students of knowledge, their concern in Ramadan is gossip, confusion, and declaring people innovators. We have even seen them in the Sacred Mosque, unfortunately, in the Sacred Mosque. When the imam stands for the remaining five, because they pray twenty-three in the Haram.
When the imam stands for the remaining five, they sit and laugh and drink shahi (tea) and say, "This is the Sunnah and this is an innovation." The people are doing an innovation, and they are laughing and drinking shahi and confusing the people. We have seen them doing this action. These are students of knowledge. This is not permissible to do. If they had at least left the mosque. If they had left the mosque and gone to their homes or to any place. But they sit in the mosque laughing and drinking shahi and water, joking among themselves, and saying, "We are contradicting the innovators." This is something that is not permissible. Yes.