The ruling on increasing the tarawih prayer beyond eleven rak'ahs
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It is established in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan. Then we find that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab made it twenty rak'ahs. So which is more correct?
First, may Allah bless you: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand in prayer for eleven rak'ahs,But did he say to the people: Did he say, "Do not increase beyond them"? No, he did not. Rather, he left the door open.When the man asked him about the night prayer, he said: (Two by two, and when one of you fears the dawn, he prays one rak'ah to make it odd) and he did not restrict it. Then, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand in prayer for eleven rak'ahs, but was it like our standing? He used to stand until his feet swelled, and until the young men among the Companions were unable to keep up with him except with great difficulty. Do you not know that Ibn Mas'ud stood with him one night, and the Prophet (may Allah send prayers and blessings upon him) recited and lengthened the recitation until Ibn Mas'ud was about to sit down from the length of the standing? So the matter in this is broad. If you wish, pray eleven, but with calmness, tranquility, and recitation. If you wish, pray twenty-three. If you wish, pray thirty-nine. The matter is broad. The important thing is that you do not burden yourself.
Then, your saying: That 'Umar made it twenty-three requires evidence. Who said this? The most likely thing is that 'Umar ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Tamim al-Dari to lead the people in eleven rak'ahs. And this is what is presumed of 'Umar: that he would order what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do.
But in the hadith of Yazid ibn Ruman, and it has a break in the chain: [That the people in the time of 'Umar used to stand in prayer for twenty-three] This indicates that the people were doing it. So it is possible that 'Umar knew or did not know. It may be that he ordered it, but it did not happen.But if it is established that he approved of it, then it is said: This indicates that the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)—who is more knowledgeable than us about the Sunnah and more fearful of Allah than we are—held that there is no harm in a person increasing beyond eleven rak'ahs.
First, may Allah bless you: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand in prayer for eleven rak'ahs,But did he say to the people: Did he say, "Do not increase beyond them"? No, he did not. Rather, he left the door open.When the man asked him about the night prayer, he said: (Two by two, and when one of you fears the dawn, he prays one rak'ah to make it odd) and he did not restrict it. Then, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand in prayer for eleven rak'ahs, but was it like our standing? He used to stand until his feet swelled, and until the young men among the Companions were unable to keep up with him except with great difficulty. Do you not know that Ibn Mas'ud stood with him one night, and the Prophet (may Allah send prayers and blessings upon him) recited and lengthened the recitation until Ibn Mas'ud was about to sit down from the length of the standing? So the matter in this is broad. If you wish, pray eleven, but with calmness, tranquility, and recitation. If you wish, pray twenty-three. If you wish, pray thirty-nine. The matter is broad. The important thing is that you do not burden yourself.
Then, your saying: That 'Umar made it twenty-three requires evidence. Who said this? The most likely thing is that 'Umar ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Tamim al-Dari to lead the people in eleven rak'ahs. And this is what is presumed of 'Umar: that he would order what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do.
But in the hadith of Yazid ibn Ruman, and it has a break in the chain: [That the people in the time of 'Umar used to stand in prayer for twenty-three] This indicates that the people were doing it. So it is possible that 'Umar knew or did not know. It may be that he ordered it, but it did not happen.But if it is established that he approved of it, then it is said: This indicates that the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)—who is more knowledgeable than us about the Sunnah and more fearful of Allah than we are—held that there is no harm in a person increasing beyond eleven rak'ahs.