What is the Sunnah in the Tarawih prayer?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : My Shaykh, some students of knowledge have informed us that the Tarawih prayer does not exceed eleven rak'ahs.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : As for the question regarding 'Umar, direct it to him, and may Allah guide them to good. His ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) is incorrect.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What is your opinion if we pray twenty rak'ahs behind al-Sudais?
The Shaykh : Twenty rak'ahs behind al-Sudais?
The questioner : Twenty rak'ahs.
The Shaykh : And al-Shuraym as well.
The questioner : Ten, ten.
The Shaykh : And al-Shuraym.
The questioner : Ten, ten, and al-Shuraym.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. We will speak about this, if Allah wills, and there is no harm in it, even though it is not our topic.. And it is established from her that he Sahih Muslim 737c. Therefore, the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at night was either eleven or thirteen. Understood? Good. And it is established from him from the hadith of Ibn 'Umar . He said: and he did not specify it by a number, even though the man did not know about the manner of the night prayer, let alone its quantity. So he explained the manner to him and remained silent regarding the quantity. His explanation of the manner and his silence regarding the quantity indicate that the matter in the quantity is what? Broad, and that a person prays as much as his energy allows. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exceed eleven or thirteen, but he never said to his Ummah (Muslim community) in all of history, "Do not exceed that." Rather, when the answer came, he left the matter open regarding the quantity. But the manner is fixed: how much? . In the manner, my brothers, it is eleven in quantity. So when he made the quantity absolute and open, it is known that his action (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was not for the purpose of specification. Rather, a person has the right to increase. For this reason, it is narrated from the Companions, and by Allah, they are closer to the truth than we are and more knowledgeable in the religion of Allah than we are. Various types are narrated from them regarding this: some increased from twenty-three to thirty-nine. Various forms are narrated from the Salaf (the earliest generations) regarding this. The Salaf, by Allah, are more eager for good than we are and more knowledgeable in the religion of Allah than we are. Then, it is established regarding 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Muwatta " that he ordered Tamim al-Dari and Ubayy ibn Ka'b to lead the people in eleven rak'ahs", to lead the people in eleven rak'ahs. And in the hadith of Yazid ibn Ruman, he said: " The people used to pray in the time of 'Umar in Ramadan twenty-three rak'ahs". So we have the statement of 'Umar, and we have what was done in his time, if it is authentic. Which of the two is more appropriate for 'Umar? His statement, or what the people did in his time? His statement, and this is what is fitting for 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): that he does not specify for the people anything in excess of what the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, because he is the most perfect, without doubt. So 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not specify twenty-three. Rather, what is established in al-Muwatta is Muwatta Malik 6:4.
Then we say: Consensus, consensus is a greater objective of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), meaning the consensus of the Ummah (Muslim community), I mean the unity of the Ummah and the absence of its disagreement, is a matter intended by the Shari'ah. If you look at many texts, you will find that they revolve around preventing everything that causes division and hatred in transactions and in acts of worship. Have you seen the prohibition of selling on the sale of a Muslim? Why? So that enmity and division do not occur between Muslims. The prohibition of proposing marriage on top of another's proposal, the prohibition of bidding on top of another's bid, many things, all of which indicate that the Shari'ah wants this Ummah to be one united Ummah. Even when the Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful) Uthman ibn 'Affan completed the prayer in Mina during Hajj (the major pilgrimage). And what is prescribed in Hajj is that people pray in Mina shortened, and this is what is prescribed in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and in the time of Abu Bakr and in the time of 'Umar, and for eight years or six years of the caliphate of Uthman, he used to shorten the prayer, then he completed it. So the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) disapproved of that from him, until Ibn Mas'ud, when he was informed that he had completed it, said: " To Allah we belong and to Him we return". So he recited the phrase of remembrance, and this indicates that the matter is great: that Uthman completed the prayer in a place where the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) used to shorten it. And yet, he prayed behind Uthman and completed it, even though he disapproved of the completion. Why did he complete it? Why did he not pray in his place in his tent and leave the people to pray shortened, while Uthman and the people prayed completed? He was asked about that, and he said: " Disagreement is evil". And you see now that the increase here is in one prayer. And the increase in one prayer invalidates it. And yet, the Companions bore this increase to avoid being an outlier and to avoid disagreement. So how can people come who claim that they want to apply the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) and then contradict the Muslims in what is more than eleven rak'ahs, even though there is no specification from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he did so, and he did not disapprove of the increase, but rather left the matter open in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar when he was asked about the night prayer. Then they contradict and say, "This is contrary to the Sunnah; do not pray with this imam if he prays ten rak'ahs, sit down." Then it reached me that some of those who sit sit and talk while the Muslims are praying, disturbing the people and harming them, and they want to say that they are followers of the Sunnah. The Sunnah, by Allah, is consensus, except in disobedience. So disobedience is blameworthy, but something that is not disobedience, but rather something broad, it is absolutely not befitting for a person who wants to give sincere advice to Allah, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims, and the common people, to be an outlier from the Muslims. Pray, my brother, and say to the one who disapproves of the increase, "Bring me one piece of evidence from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that disapproves of the increase." And on this basis, following the imams in what is more than eleven rak'ahs is permissible, and it is not considered a contradiction of the Sunnah, nor is it considered disobedience to Allah and His Messenger. Rather, it is the very truth for the sake of what? For the sake of consensus and the absence of disagreement. Did you understand, my brother?
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes, now bring the questions you have.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Good, are you allowed to...
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the prayer and peace be upon our Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and his Companions), abundantly, until the Day of Judgment.
As for what follows, may Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : As for the question regarding 'Umar, direct it to him, and may Allah guide them to good. His ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) is incorrect.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : What is your opinion if we pray twenty rak'ahs behind al-Sudais?
The Shaykh : Twenty rak'ahs behind al-Sudais?
The questioner : Twenty rak'ahs.
The Shaykh : And al-Shuraym as well.
The questioner : Ten, ten.
The Shaykh : And al-Shuraym.
The questioner : Ten, ten, and al-Shuraym.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. We will speak about this, if Allah wills, and there is no harm in it, even though it is not our topic.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked how the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in Ramadan, and she said: He did not exceed eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan or otherwise.
سئلت عائشة رضي الله عنها كيف كانت صلاة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في رمضان فقالت : ما كان يزيد في رمضان ولا غيره على إحدى عشرة ركعةthe Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray thirteen rak'ahs
أنه كان يصلي ثلاث عشرة ركعةThat a man asked him, saying, "What do you think about the night prayer?" He said: "Two, two, and if one of you fears the dawn, he prays one, and it makes odd for him what he has prayed."
أن رجلا سأله قال ما ترى في صلاة الليل؟ قال : مثنى مثنى فإذا خشي أحدكم الصبح صلى واحدة فأوترت له ما صلىTwo by two
مثنى مثنىTwo by two
مثنى مثنىUmar ibn al-Khattab ordered Ubayy ibn Kab and Tamim ad-Dari to watch the night in prayer with the people for eleven rakas.
أنه أمر أبيًّا بن كعب وتميما الداري أن يقوم للناس بإحدى عشرة ركعةThen we say: Consensus, consensus is a greater objective of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law), meaning the consensus of the Ummah (Muslim community), I mean the unity of the Ummah and the absence of its disagreement, is a matter intended by the Shari'ah. If you look at many texts, you will find that they revolve around preventing everything that causes division and hatred in transactions and in acts of worship. Have you seen the prohibition of selling on the sale of a Muslim? Why? So that enmity and division do not occur between Muslims. The prohibition of proposing marriage on top of another's proposal, the prohibition of bidding on top of another's bid, many things, all of which indicate that the Shari'ah wants this Ummah to be one united Ummah. Even when the Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful) Uthman ibn 'Affan completed the prayer in Mina during Hajj (the major pilgrimage). And what is prescribed in Hajj is that people pray in Mina shortened, and this is what is prescribed in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and in the time of Abu Bakr and in the time of 'Umar, and for eight years or six years of the caliphate of Uthman, he used to shorten the prayer, then he completed it. So the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) disapproved of that from him, until Ibn Mas'ud, when he was informed that he had completed it, said: " To Allah we belong and to Him we return". So he recited the phrase of remembrance, and this indicates that the matter is great: that Uthman completed the prayer in a place where the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) used to shorten it. And yet, he prayed behind Uthman and completed it, even though he disapproved of the completion. Why did he complete it? Why did he not pray in his place in his tent and leave the people to pray shortened, while Uthman and the people prayed completed? He was asked about that, and he said: " Disagreement is evil". And you see now that the increase here is in one prayer. And the increase in one prayer invalidates it. And yet, the Companions bore this increase to avoid being an outlier and to avoid disagreement. So how can people come who claim that they want to apply the Sunnah (the Prophet's way) and then contradict the Muslims in what is more than eleven rak'ahs, even though there is no specification from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he did so, and he did not disapprove of the increase, but rather left the matter open in the hadith of Ibn 'Umar when he was asked about the night prayer. Then they contradict and say, "This is contrary to the Sunnah; do not pray with this imam if he prays ten rak'ahs, sit down." Then it reached me that some of those who sit sit and talk while the Muslims are praying, disturbing the people and harming them, and they want to say that they are followers of the Sunnah. The Sunnah, by Allah, is consensus, except in disobedience. So disobedience is blameworthy, but something that is not disobedience, but rather something broad, it is absolutely not befitting for a person who wants to give sincere advice to Allah, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims, and the common people, to be an outlier from the Muslims. Pray, my brother, and say to the one who disapproves of the increase, "Bring me one piece of evidence from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that disapproves of the increase." And on this basis, following the imams in what is more than eleven rak'ahs is permissible, and it is not considered a contradiction of the Sunnah, nor is it considered disobedience to Allah and His Messenger. Rather, it is the very truth for the sake of what? For the sake of consensus and the absence of disagreement. Did you understand, my brother?
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Yes, now bring the questions you have.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Good, are you allowed to...
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the prayer and peace be upon our Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and his Companions), abundantly, until the Day of Judgment.
As for what follows, may Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh.