He says: I have heard in these days through your program, Light on the Path, that the Messenger did not exceed thirteen rak'ahs, neither in Ramadan nor otherwise, during the night.
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The questioner : He says: I have heard in these days through your program, Light on the Path, that the Messenger did not exceed thirteen rak'ahs, neither in Ramadan nor otherwise, during the night. But we see people praying twenty-three rak'ahs in the last ten days. Why is this increase, and which is better: praying thirteen in the first part of Ramadan and in the last ten days, or increasing in the end? May Allah guide you?
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did is better, more complete, and more excellent, whether in the first part of Ramadan or the last part of Ramadan. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) defined the night prayer by his action and did not forbid people from increasing. Rather, he was asked (peace and blessings be upon him): "What do you say about the night prayer?" He said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1319Sahih (Darussalam) and he did not specify a number. He said: Since he did not specify anything in this matter, it is known that the matter is broad in this regard. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would limit himself to eleven rak'ahs or thirteen rak'ahs, but he would prolong them greatly. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood in the night and recited al-Baqarah until he completed it, then recited al-Nisa until he completed it, then recited al-Imran until he completed it. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one day, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prolonged the prayer. Ibn Mas'ud said: "Until I was about to do something bad".
They said: What were you about to do, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman? He said: "I was about to sit down and leave him". So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would limit himself to this number because he would prolong the standing, may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him. It is known to most people that he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand until his feet would swell and crack. Since this long standing was very difficult for people, they moved to lightening the standing while increasing the number. This was known from ancient times, even in the era of the righteous Salaf. So we say: If a person limits himself to the number the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did, that is better and more complete, and more complete and more complete than that if it matches the standing of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in quantity and quality. But if he increases beyond that, there is no harm in it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a limit, whether that is in the first part of Ramadan or the last part of Ramadan. Yes.
The questioner : We received...
The Shaykh : And the summary of the answer is this.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That increasing beyond eleven and thirteen is permissible in the first part of Ramadan and in the last part, and that limiting oneself to one of the two numbers in the first part of Ramadan and in the last part is better and more excellent. And Allah knows best.
The questioner : Limiting oneself to the two numbers?
The Shaykh : One of the two numbers.
The questioner : One of the two numbers.
The Shaykh : Meaning either eleven or thirteen.
The questioner : Meaning: he does not pray, for example, twenty-three?
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning limiting oneself to one of the two numbers is better.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if he prays, we do not say that this is reprehensible or that it is an innovation.
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did is better, more complete, and more excellent, whether in the first part of Ramadan or the last part of Ramadan. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) defined the night prayer by his action and did not forbid people from increasing. Rather, he was asked (peace and blessings be upon him): "What do you say about the night prayer?" He said:
The night prayer is (to be offered) two by two.
صلاة الليل مثنى مثنىLet one of you pray as long as he is energetic
ليصل أحدكم نشاطهThey said: What were you about to do, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman? He said: "I was about to sit down and leave him". So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would limit himself to this number because he would prolong the standing, may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him. It is known to most people that he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand until his feet would swell and crack. Since this long standing was very difficult for people, they moved to lightening the standing while increasing the number. This was known from ancient times, even in the era of the righteous Salaf. So we say: If a person limits himself to the number the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did, that is better and more complete, and more complete and more complete than that if it matches the standing of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in quantity and quality. But if he increases beyond that, there is no harm in it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a limit, whether that is in the first part of Ramadan or the last part of Ramadan. Yes.
The questioner : We received...
The Shaykh : And the summary of the answer is this.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : That increasing beyond eleven and thirteen is permissible in the first part of Ramadan and in the last part, and that limiting oneself to one of the two numbers in the first part of Ramadan and in the last part is better and more excellent. And Allah knows best.
The questioner : Limiting oneself to the two numbers?
The Shaykh : One of the two numbers.
The questioner : One of the two numbers.
The Shaykh : Meaning either eleven or thirteen.
The questioner : Meaning: he does not pray, for example, twenty-three?
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning limiting oneself to one of the two numbers is better.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But if he prays, we do not say that this is reprehensible or that it is an innovation.