Twenty Rakaats Taraweeh: Authenticity And Indepth Analysis
LAST UPDATE: 29/AUGUST/2015
Twenty Rakaats Taraweeh: Authenticity And
Indepth Analysis
CONTENTS:
PART 1: SHORT VIDEO
CLIPS
PART 2: ARTICLES
PART 3: BOOKS IN
ENGLISH AND URDU
PART
1: SHORT VIDEO CLIPS
ENGLISH VIDEO: 01 Meaning of Word
'Taraweeh' | 1 MIN 43 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: 02 Taraweeh is
Sunnate Maukadah | 22 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: 03 Purpose of
Taraweeh | 55 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: 04 Best time of
Taraweeh(including No. of Rakaats) and difference between Traweeh and Tahajjud
| 4 MINS 41 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: 05 No. of Taraweeh
Rakaats is 20 and not 8(its tahajjud rakaats) | 3 MINS 11 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: 8 or 20 rak'ahs
for Tarawih prayers | 6 MINS 46 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: ANSWERED - 20 OR 8
RAKAAT TARAWEEH PRAYER_ Shaykh Nabeel Afzal Qadri | 15 MINS 36 SECS
URDU VIDEO: Dr Tahir Ul Qadri
Book About 20 Rakaat Tarawih Hadith Ki Roshni Mein By Mufti Irfan Khan India |
1 HOUR 16 MINS 32 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: Fiqh of Taraweeh
Salah- by Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam-20 rakaats NOT 8!!!! | 10 MINS 22 SECS
URDU VIDEO: Is Ramadhan Taraweeh
8 or 20 Rakat By Allama Munir Ahmed Yousfi | 20 MINS 56 SECS
URDU VIDEO: Is Ramadhan Taraweeh
8 or 20 Rakat by Syed Muzzafar Shah | 12 MINS 56 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: Night Prayers of
Ramadan #Full By Dr. Tahir ul Qadri | 10 mins 22 secs
URDU VIDEO: Tadad e Rakat e Taraweeh from book of Dr. Tahir ul
Qadiri | 20 MINS 11 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: Taraweeh 8 or 20 -
Proof from Hadith (English) | 17 MINS 32 SECS
URDU VIDEO: Taraweeh- 20 Rakat Ya
8 Rakat, Sahi kya hae _____ by 'Shaikh e Kaamil', Mufti Akmal Madani Sahib | 3
MINS 2 SECS
URDU VIDEO: Taraweeh Prayer
Answer to those who say 20 rakats are Biddah | 17 MINS 45 SECS
ENGLISH VIDEO: Tarawih prayer - 8
or 20 rak'ahs | 9 MINS 49 SECS
CORRECTING ZAKIR
NAIK ABOUT 20 RAKAATS OF TARAWEEH
0092 ZAKIR NAIK'S FALSE CLAIM
ABOUT 20 RAKAATS TARAWEEH #ENGLISH | Duration: 42mins 56secs
0093 ZAKIR NAIK'S FALSE CLAIM
ABOUT 20 RAKAATS TARAWEEH #URDU | Duration: 59mins 28secs
PART 2: ARTICLES
Twenty Proofs of Twenty (20)
Rakat of Taraweeh (roman urdu)With scan proof By Wajahat Hussain Al Hanfi|
Pages: 45
ENGLISH: Tarawih (scan Pages) |
Pages: 67
Al-Albani Unveiled: TARAWEEH PRAYER 8 OR 20 rakats? by Ahmed ibn Muhammad
Taraweeh: Twenty or Eight? by
Ahmed ibn Muhammad
PART 3: BOOKS IN
ENGLISH AND URDU
URDU HADITH BOOK: At-Tasrih fi
Salat-it-Tarawih (20 Rakat namaz e Taraweeh ka Saboot) (41 Hadiths) by Dr.
Tahir ul Qadiri | Pages: 41
ENGLISH BOOK: The number of
Rakats in Taraveeh | Pages: 4
ENGLISH BOOK: Taraweeh is 20
Rakaats | Pages: 22
URDU BOOK: 20 Rakats
Taraweeh Tehqiq wa Tajziya by Maulana
Zia ud Din Naqshbandi | Pages: 62
ENGLISH BOOK: 20 Rakaats Taraweeh
in the Light Of Hadith Tajziya by Maulana Zia ud Din Naqshbandi | Pages: 37
ENGLISH BOOK: 20 Rakaats Taraweeh
| Pages: 61
This is a Nice Short Response:
ENGLISH BOOK: Answering The
Claims That There Are No Authentic Narrations For 20 Rak'ats Taraweeh By Dr.
Abul Hasan | Pages: 351
This Book Deals with the
authenticity of the 20 Rakaats Taraweeh Narrations in great detail:
ENGLISH BOOK: Answering the claim
that Imam Abu Hanifa advocated 8 rakats Taraweeh
By Dr. Abul Hasan | Pages: 75
ENGLISH BOOK: Answering The Claim That Some Hanafis
Tampered With Sunan Abi Dawud By Dr. Abul Hasan | Pages: 21
English Book: Perfecting The
Proofs That The Prophet (Saw) Performed 20 Rak’ats Of Taraweeh Prayer By Dr.
Abul Hasan | Pages: 150
URDU BOOK: 8 Rakat Taraweeh Ka
Tahqeeqi-o-Tanqeedi Jaiza By Naeem Ullah Khan Qadri | Pages: 110
This is also a Good to the point
response
URDU BOOK: 20 Taraveeh yani Al
Zarbat ul Qahira by Abdul majeed saeedi | Pages: 320
This is a Refutation of one
Wahhabi gair muqallideen. This Book deals the case from different angles and
gives the logical answers to the baseless objections. Read or Download:
URDU BOOK: 20 Taraweeh | 98 Pages
URDU BOOK: Mishkat ul Masabeeh fi
Tahqeeq Rakat ul Taraveeh | Pages: 59
URDU BOOK: Tehqeeq-o-Taraweeh by
Abul Husain Ahmad Noori | Pages: 162
INSHA’ALLAH
IN FUTURE I WILL ADD MORE INFO ON IT
MAY
ALLAH(SWT) GRANT US THE DEEDAR E MUSTAFA(PEACE BE UPON HIM) BA HALT E BEDARI!
AMIIN!
COMPILED BY: MUHAMMAD REHAN
SIDDIQUI
Tarawih
There has been a lot of confusion about how many Rakahs does Salaat ut-Tarawih have. The Muslims should be well aware that from past twelve centuries the Muslim Ummah has been performing at least twenty rakat of Tarawih (including inside Haramayn Shareefayn where Muslims till today are continuing this). This has been the practice of Muslims from the times of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), the Sahaba (Allah be pleased with them), the Tabi'een and the Ulama (Allah have mercy upon them) until a new sect from Hijaz came into existence which shattered the Muslim unity on this issue. All they have is a singular hadith regarding "TAHAJJUD" which they misapply on Tarawih and thus misguide innocent Muslims. So let us see this in light of abundant proofs that Tarawih consists of 20 Rakahs.
Before the overwhelming proofs on Rakahs of Tarawih are shown, we would like to show this rigorously authentic hadith which elaborates the meaning of word "SUNNAH" in Islamic Shariah. Some people from minority section after being refuted on rakahs of tarawih are left with no option but to say that Practise of Umar (ra) and other Sahaba is one thing whereas practice of Prophet (Peace be upon him) is another i.e. in simple words they accuse the sahaba of contradicting with what the Prophet had done (Naudhobillah)
But to their surprise, the Holy Prophet (May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him) said: Hold firmly onto my sunnah"And the Sunnah of Khulafa ar-Rashideen (the four rightly-guided caliphs)"(Narrated in Sunnan Abu Dawood, Volume No. 2, Page No. 635. Sunnan Tirmidhi Volume No.2, Page No.108, Sunan Darimi vol.1 pg.43, Ibn Majah and others)
Proof # 1
أخبرنا أبو طاهر الفقية، قال: أخبرنا أبو عثمان البصري، قال: حدثنا أبو أحمد: محمد بن عبد الوهاب، قال: أخبرنا خالد بن مخلد، قال: حدثنا محمد بن جعفر، قال: حدثني يزيد بن خصيفة، عن السائب بن يزيد، قال: كنا نقوم في زمان عمر بن الخطاب بعشرين ركعة والوتر.
Sa'eeb ibn Yazid: who said: 'In the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) the people used to observe “20 rak'ahs” (Tarawih) and the witr.' [Marifat-us-Sunan wa'l athar - Imam Bayhaqi, Volume 004, Page No. 42, Hadith Number 5409]
Click here for Scanned Page (113)
Imam al-Bayhaqi (rah) has also reported another version of the above narration through a different channel of transmission.وقد أخبرنا أبو عبد الله الحسين بن محمد بن الحسين بن فنجويه الدينوري بالدامغان ثنا أحمد بن محمد بن إسحاق السني أنبأ عبد الله بن محمد بن عبد العزيز البغوي ثنا علي بن الجعد أنبأ بن أبي ذئب عن يزيد بن خصيفة عن السائب بن يزيد قال كانوا يقومون على عهد عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه في شهر رمضان بعشرين ركعة قال وكانوا يقرؤون بالمئين وكانوا يتوكؤن على عصيهم في عهد عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه من شده القيام
Sa'eeb bin Yazeed (ra) who said: "In the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him), they would perform “20 rak'ahs” (Tarawih) in the month of Ramadan. He said (also): And they would recite the Mi'in, and they would lean on their sticks in the time of Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him), from the discomfort of standing." [Bayhaqi Sunan al-Kubra Volume 002, Page No. 698-9, Hadith Number 4617] Click here for Scanned Page (114)
Imam al-Nawawi said: 'Its Isnad is Sahih'. (بإسناد صحيح) [Al-Khulasa al-Ahkam, Hadith Number 1961] Click here for Scanned Page (115)
Imam Badr ud din Ayni (rah) states:
رواه البيهقي بإسناد صحيح عن السائب بن يزيد الصحابي، قال: كانوا يقومون على عهد عمر ، رضي الله تعالى عنه، بعشرين ركعة، وعلى عهد عثمان وعلي، رضي الله تعالى عنهما، مثله
Translation: Imam al-Bayhaqi has narrated with “SAHIH CHAIN” from the companion Sai’b bin Yazid (RA) who said: During the tunure of Umar (RA) people used to stand for 20 Rakahs (of Tarawih), same was done in the time Uthman (ra) and Ali (ra) [Umdat ul Qari, Sharh Sahih ul Bukhari, Volume No. 5, Page No. 264, Published by Dar ul Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon]
Al-Mubarakfuri the famous Salafi scholar also declared the Sanad of this hadith as “Sahih” and he cited Imam al-Nawawi (rah)’s authentication [Tuhfa Tul Ahwadhi, Volume No. 3, Page No. 453, Published by Dar ul Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon]
Imam Nimawi al Hanafi (rah) said
رجال هذا الاسناد كلهم ثقات
Translation: All the men in this Isnaad are “THIQA” [Athaar al-Sunnan (2/54)]
Proof # 2
و حدثني عن مالك عن يزيد بن رومان أنه قال
كان الناس يقومون في زمان عمر بن الخطاب في رمضان بثلاث وعشرين ركعة
كان الناس يقومون في زمان عمر بن الخطاب في رمضان بثلاث وعشرين ركعة
Yahya related to me from Malik that Yazid ibn Ruman said, "The people used to watch the night in prayer during Ramadan for twenty-three rakahs in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab." [Muwatta Imam Malik, Book : As Salah Chapter : Ma Ja-a Fi Qayam e Ramzan Volume : 1 Page : 159 Hadith number : 380] Click here for Scanned Page (116)
Note: 3 Rakahs were of Witr
Imam Tirmidhi (rah)'s opinion:
وأَكْثَرُ أهْلِ العِلمِ على ما رُوِيَ عن عليٍّ وعُمر وغَيْرِهِمَا مِنْ أَصحابِ النبيِّ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً. وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الثَّوْرِيِّ وابنِ المُبَارَكِ والشَّافِعيِّ رحمه الله. وقَالَ الشَّافِعيُّ: وهَكَذَا أدْرَكْتُ بِبَلَدِنَا بِمَكَّةَ، يُصَلُّونَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً
The Majority amongst People of Knowledge, (agree) upon praying 20 Rakahs (of Tarawih) as is narrated from Umar (RA), Ali (RA) and other Sahaba of Prophet (Salallaho alaihi wasalam) Sufyan Thawri (rah), Abdullah Ibn Mubarak (rah) and Imam Shafi’i (rah) said the same, Imam Shafi'i (rah) said that he saw people of Makkah praying 20 Rakahs (Tarawih) [Sunnan Jami’i al Tirimdhi, Book of Fasting, Chapter on Qiyaam in Ramadan Volume 3 Page No. 169 Hadith No. 806] Click here for Scanned Page (117)
Proof # 3
حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ، عَنْ حَسَنٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ رُفَيْعٍ ، قَالَ كَانَ أُبَيّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فِي رَمَضَانَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَيُوتِرُ بِثَلاَثٍ.From Abdul Aziz bin Rafi who said: Ubay Ibn Ka'b (Allah be pleased with him) used to lead people during Ramadan in Madina Munawara for “20 Rakah” (Tarawih) and 3 Rakah Witr. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005. Page No. 224, Hadith Number 7766] Click here for Scanned Page (118)
Proof # 4
أخبرنا أبو الحسن بن الفضل القطان ببغداد أنبأ محمد بن أحمد بن عيسى بن عبدك الرازي ثنا أبو عامر عمرو بن تميم ثنا أحمد بن عبد الله بن يونس ثنا حماد بن شعيب عن عطاء بن السائب عن أبي عبد الرحمن السلمي عن على رضي الله عنه قال دعا القراء في رمضان فأمر منهم رجلا يصلي بالناس عشرين ركعة قال وكان علي رضي الله عنه يوتر بهم وروى ذلك من وجه آخر عن علي
Abdur Rahman Sulami narrates that Ali (Allah be pleased with him) called the reciters of the Quran in Ramadan and commanded one of them to perform “twenty rakat” (Tarawih) while Ali (Allah be pleased with him) himself used to lead the witr prayer. [Bayhaqi Sunan al-Kubra Volume 002, Page No. 699, Hadith Number 4620] Click here for Scanned Page (119)
Proof # 5
عَنِ الْحَسَنِ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ جَمَعَ النَّاسَ عَلَى أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ، فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً
Imam Hassan al-Basri (May Allah have mercy upon him) said: Umar Ibnul Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) gathered people behind Ubayy Ibn Kab (Allah be pleased with him) in the Qiyaam of Ramadan and he led them for “20 Rakat” [Siyar al A'lam wa al Nubalah Volume 001, Page No. 400-1, Biography of 'Ubayy Ibn Kab']
Imam al-Nawawi said: 'Its Isnad is Sahih'. (بإسناد صحيح) [Al-Khulasa al-Ahkam, Hadith Number 1961]
Proof # 6
حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ ، عَنْ حَسَنِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ قَيْسٍ ، عَنِ أَبِي الْحَسْنَاءِ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا أَمَرَ رَجُلاً يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً
Abu al Hasna says that Ali (Allah be pleased with him) order a person to lead “20 rakat (Tarawih)” during Ramadan. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 223, Hadith Number 7763] Click here for Scanned Page (120)
Proof # 7
حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ ، عَنْ نَافِعِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ، قَالَ كَانَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ يُصَلِّي بِنَا فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً، وَيَقْرَأُ بِحَمْدِ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ فِي رَكْعَةٍ
Narrated by Waki’i from Nafe bin Umar (Allah be pleased with him) who said: Ibn Abi Mulaika (RA) used to lead us in Ramadan for “20 Rakahs”. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 223, Hadith Number 7765] Click here for Scanned Page (121)
Proofs # 8, 9 & 10 Plus detailed refutation on their misuse of ahadith
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصلي في شهر رمضان في غير جماعة عشرين ركعة والوتر
Ibn Abbas (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) used to pray “twenty raka’at” by himself followed by Witr (every night) in the month of Ramadan. [Sunan Al-Baihaqi, Hadith Number 12102]
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصلي في رمضان عشرين ركعة والوتر
Ibn Abbas (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) used to pray “twenty raka’at” followed by Witr in the month of Ramadan. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah, Volume 002, Hadith Number 7692]
حديث أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى بالناس عشرين ركعة ليلتين فلما كان في الليلة الثالثة اجتمع الناس فلم يخرج إليهم ثم قال من الغد خشيت أن تفرض عليكم
On the authority of Aisha (R.A)] the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) performed “twenty raka’at on 2 nights with people but he did not come out on the 3rd night and said that I am afraid that it might become obligatory upon you (Sahaba) [Ibn Hajr, al-Talkhees al-Habeer, Volume 002, Hadith Number 540]
Note: After this hadith Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah) said:
متفق على صحته من حديث عائشة دون عدد الركعات
Translation: "All the traditionalists (Muhaddithin) are unanimous about the soundness of this report from Ayesha (ra), but without the number of Rakahs.
The Ahlul Bidah exclaim with joy saying: Look Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (rah) accepted the hadith to be Sahih but only without the number of Rakahs, therefore the number of Rakahs in Tarawih are not established.
Answer: First of all this saying of Imam Ibn Hajr (rah) goes against them not us because we have overwhelming other proofs which establish 20 Rakahs however they have only 2 proofs from which they hypocrtically claim that Tarawih consists of 8 Rakahs
Their primary proof is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari which states:
Volume 2, Book 21, Number 248: (Sahih Bukhari - Book of Tahajjud)
Narrated Abu Salma bin 'Abdur Rahman: I asked 'Aisha, "How is the prayer of Allah's Apostle during the month of Ramadan." She said, "Allah's Apostle never exceeded eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four Rakat-- do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four Rakat, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three Rakat." Aisha further said, "I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Do you sleep before offering the Witr prayer?' He replied, 'O 'Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake'!"
Even a layman can see that Aisha (ra) is talking about Tahajjud because she said "OR IN OTHER MONTHS" whereas Salaat ut-Tarawih is only the prayer of Ramadan. Although we can go in length about this issue and decisively prove that the above hadith specifically refers to Tahhajud and not Tarawih, but we would like to concentrate on another point. This hadith also comes under the verdict of Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah) i.e. "All the traditionalists (Muhaddithin) areunanimous about the soundness of this report from Ayesha (ra), but without the number of Rakahs.
Let us see the proofs from Sahihayn (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim)
Narrated 'Aisha: Allah's Apostle used to offer thirteen Rakat in the night prayer and on hearing the Adhan for the morning prayer, he used to offer two light Rakat.
This hadith proves Tahajjud to be atleast 10-12 Rakahs (without witr) whereas these people consider 8 Rakahs to be Sunnah of Prophet (Peace be upon him).. This is why Imam Ibn Hajr (rah) has also declared the hadith of 20 Rakahs from Sayyida Aisha as "SAHIH" but without the number of Rakahs.
Narrated Masruq: I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Apostle and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven Rakat besides the two Rakat of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna). "
This also proves "IDHTIRAB" in the hadith of Aisha (ra) and Tarawih could never be considered as 8 Rakahs because there is consensus on it being 20.
It is reported on the authority of 'A'isha that the prayer of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in the night consisted of ten rak'ahs. He observed a Witr and two rak'ahs (of Sunan) of the dawn prayer, and thus the total comes to thirteen rak'ahs.
Abu Jamra reported: I heard Ibn 'Abbas saying that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed thirteen rak'ahs at night.
Zaid b Khalid al-Juhani said: I would definitely watch at night the prayer observed by the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He prayed two short rak'ahs, then two long, long, long rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs which were shorter than the two preceding rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs which were shorter than the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'ahs which were shorter than the two preceding, then observed a single one (Witr), making a total of thirteen rak'ahs
Now coming to the Proofs 8 & 9 which we have shown above i.e. the hadith from Ibn Abbas (ra) establishing 20 Rakahs directly from the Prophet (Peace be upon him), however both the ahadith have a narrator called Abu Shaybah (i.e. grandfather of mighty Muhadith Ibn Abi Shaybah) who has difference of opinion over his reliability, most of the muhaditheen have considered him "WEAK" ... Now these people again jump with joy saying that Abu Shaybah is weak therefore 20 Rakahs is not established from Prophet (Peace be upon him), in reply they show this following hadith
Jabir Bin ‘Abdillah (ra) reported:“Allah’s Messenger (saw) led us (one night) during Ramadhan, praying Eight Rakaah and Witr. On the following night, we gathered in the Masjid hoping that he will come out again (to lead the prayer). We stayed there until the morning. Then we entered (to the centre of the Masjid) and said, `O Messenger of Allah” Last night we gathered in the Masjid hoping that you would lead us in prayer.’ To which he replied `Indeed I feared that it would become an obligation on you’” [Ibn Khuzaimah (2/138 Hadith #1070), Mu’ajam as-Sagheer (1/190) of Tabaraanee and others]
Now these are the same people who declare every second hadith as Daeef which does not go in conformity to their agendas, now let us see Jarh on narrators of false hadith from Jabir bin Abdullah (ra)
The Hadith “ONLY” comes through the route of “Isa Ibn Jariyah” , Here is what mighty Muhaditheen and masters of al-Jarh wa't Tadeel said on this narrator
قال ابن أبـي خيثمة عن ابن معين: ليس بذاك ، لا أعلم أحداً روى عنه غير يعقوب
Yahya Bin Ma'een said: He is "NOTHING" and he does not know whether anyone other than Yaqub (Shia) has narrated from him[Tahdhib ut-Tahdhib (4/518)]
In Tahdhib ul Kamaal of Imam al-Mizzi (rah), the declaration of Imam Abu Dawud (rah) is also there who called him Munkar ul Hadith.
وقال أبو عُبـيد الآجُري ، عن أبـي داود: منكر الحديث
Translation: Abu Ubaid al-Ajri narrates from Abu Dawud that (Isa bin Jariyah) is “MUNKAR UL HADITH” [Tahdhib ul Kamaal, Volume No. 14, Page No. 533]
Imam Nasai’i said in his “DU’AFA WAL MATROOKEEN”
عيسى ابن جارية: يروي عنه يعقوب القُمِّي، منكر
Translation: Isa bin Jariyah narrated from Yaqub al-Qummi (shia narrator) and he (Isa ibn Jariyah) is “MUNKAR” [Nasai’i in Duafa wal Matrooken (2/215)]
Hence 2 great Imams from Six most authentic books i.e. Imam Abu Dawud (rah) and Imam Nasai'i (rah) declared him "MUNKAR UL HADITH"
Here is what other great scholars said of him
قلت: وذكره الساجي، والعقيلي في الضعفاء. وقال ابن عدي: أحاديثه غير محفوظة
Translation: Imam al Saaji (rah) and Imam al-Uqayli (rah) mentioned him in their “DUAFA (i.e. weak narrators)”
Imam Ibn Adi (rah) said: His ahadith are “NOT MAHFOOZ” [Tahdhib ut Tahdhib (4/518)]
Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (rah) himself said: فيه لين (i.e. he is Lain i.e. inclined towards weakness) [Taqrib ut Tahdhib (1/768)]
Even highest authorities of Salafis such as Albani, Hussain Saleem Asad have declared the hadith itself as "Daeef"
Hussain Saleem Asad in his Tahqiq to Musnad Abu Ya’la said:
إسناده ضعيف
Translation: It’s chain is “WEAK” [Musnad Abu Ya’la, with Tahqeeq of Hussain Saleem Asad (3/336), Published by Dar ul Ma’moon, Dimishq]
Hence The highest authorities in al-Jarh wa't Ta'deel like Yahya bin Ma'een (rah) plus Imam Nasa’i (rah) and Abu Dawud (rah) declared Isa bin Jariyah as Munkar ul Hadith (Rejected in hadith) let alone Da'eef, hence the narration which Salafis show becomes “Mawdo!”
Hence The highest authorities in al-Jarh wa't Ta'deel like Yahya bin Ma'een (rah) plus Imam Nasa’i (rah) and Abu Dawud (rah) declared Isa bin Jariyah as Munkar ul Hadith (Rejected in hadith) let alone Da'eef, hence the narration which Salafis show becomes “Mawdo!”
A famous subcontinental Salafi scholar Moulana Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri (1353 A.H.) has written that the ahadîth of a narrator who is known as munkarul hadîth, are worthy of being rejected.(Ibkarul Matn pg.191)
Hence the hadith of Ibn Abbas (ra) and Jabir (ra) are both atleast weak (latter one being forged) so according to Usool of hadith which Imam Abu Dawud clarified the hadith of Ibn Abbas (ra) becomes Muqbool (accepted). Imam Abu Dawud (rah) said after narrating a hadith:
اذا تنازع الخبران عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ينظر بما اخذ به اصحابه
Translation: If there seems to be "contradiction" between 2 reports of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) then we take the practise which is “CONFIRMED BY SAHABA” [Sunnan Abu Dawud under Hadith No. 1577]
Hence the hadith of Ibn Abbas (ra) is confirmed as it corresponds to the ahadith from Umar (ra), Ali (ra), Ubay Ibn Ka'b (ra) and many others. The Wahabis have another hadith from Muwatta Imam Malik which they use to defend their stance, this hadith contradicts overwhelming ahadith regarding Practise of Ubay Ibn Ka'b that he prayed 20 Rakahs.
It is states in Muwatta:
Book 6, Number 6.2.4: (Muwatta Imam Malik)
Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn Yusuf that as-Sa'ib ibn Yazid said, "Umar ibn al-Khattab ordered Ubayy ibn Kab and Tamim ad-Dari to watch the night in prayer with the people for eleven rakas.The reciterof the Qur'an would recite the Mi'in (a group of medium-sized suras) until we would be leaning on our staffs from having stood so long in prayer. And we would not leave until the approach of dawn."
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This is the second biggest proof which Salafis use. Unfortunately the Salafis can only deceive innocent public who are not well-aware of sciences of al-Jarh wa't Ta'deel & Asma ur Rijaal etc... but the Ahlus Sunnah will teach Salafis some good lessons in these fields.
In Muwatta this is the Isnaad
محمد بن يوسف عن السائب بن يزيد أنه قال أمر عمر بن الخطاب
Note at: "Muhammad bin Yusuf An Saib Ibn Yazid"
In Musannaf Abdur Razzaq the same hadith is present with same chain but it states:
محمد بن يوسف عن السائب بن يزيد أن عمر جمع الناس في رمضان على أبي بن كعب وعلى تميم الداري على إحدى وعشرين ركعة
Translation: Narrated by Muhammad bin Yusuf from Saib bin Yazid that Umar (RA) gathered people in Ramadan behind Ubay Ibn Kaab (ra) and Tamim Dari (ra) and he made them lead people in "TWENTY-ONE" Rakahs [Musannaf Abdur Razzaq, Volume No. 4, Page No. 260, Hadith No. 7730]
Hence even the Hadith in Muwatta does not prove 8, rather 20 is decisively proven as proven from above hadith, now the Salafis have no hadith from Khulafa ar Rashideen in regards to 8 Rakah Tarawih, therefore the hadith in Muwatta is proven to be "MUDHTARIB" and cannot be used as proof. Please see the overwhelming proofs above, you will find many ahadith which prove that Ubai Ibn Ka'b prayed 20 Rakahs, even Ibn Taymiyyah al-Mujasmi the sheikh ul Islam of Salafis said:
ثبت أن أبي بن كعب كان يقوم بالناس عشرين ركعة في قيام رمضان، ويوتر بثلاث. فرأي كثير من العلماء أن ذلك هو السنة؛ لأنه أقامه بين المهاجرين والأنصار، ولم ينكره منكر
Translation: "It has been proven that Ubayy ibn Ka'b (Allah be pleased with him) used to lead the Companions, during Ramadan, for 20 rak'ahs and 3 rak'ahs of witr. Hence it is the principle (maslak) of most of the Ulama that this is the Sunnah, because Ubayy ibn Ka'b led 20 rak'ahs of prayer in the presence of the Muhajirin (the emigrants) and the Ansars (the helpers) and not a single Companion repudiated it!" [Ibn Taymiyyah: Majmua al Fatawa (1/191)]
Proof # 11
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ ، عَنْ حَجَّاجٍ ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَؤُمُّ النَّاسَ فِي رَمَضَانَ بِاللَّيْلِ بِعِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَيُوتِرُ بِثَلاَثٍ وَيَقْنُتُ قَبْلَ الرُّكُوعِ
Al-Harith narrates that he used to offer “20 rakats” (tarawih) in Ramadan and also used to lead 3 witr and used to offer Qunut before Ruku. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 224, Hadith Number 7767] Click here for Scanned Page (122)
Proof # 12 and also definition of Tarawih itself:
حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ ، عَنْ خَلَفٍ ، عَنْ رَبِيعٍ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ خَيْرًا ، عَنْ أَبِي الْبَخْتَرِيِّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُصَلِّي خَمْسَ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَيُوتِرُ بِثَلاَثٍ
It is narrated from Hadrat Abi al-Bakhtari (ra) that he used to lead people in “5 Tarvihaat” (i.e 20 Rakat Tarawih) in Ramadan and with 3 (rakah) witr. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 224, Hadith Number 7768]Click here for Scanned Page (123)
حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ ، عَنْ خَلَفٍ ، عَنْ رَبِيعٍ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ خَيْرًا ، عَنْ أَبِي الْبَخْتَرِيِّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُصَلِّي خَمْسَ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ فِي رَمَضَانَ وَيُوتِرُ بِثَلاَثٍ
It is narrated from Hadrat Abi al-Bakhtari (ra) that he used to lead people in “5 Tarvihaat” (i.e 20 Rakat Tarawih) in Ramadan and with 3 (rakah) witr. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 224, Hadith Number 7768]Click here for Scanned Page (123)
Note: The Prayer of Tarawih consists of 4 Tarvihs (resting period after every 4 rakahs) and 5 Tarvihaat which makes it 5*4=20
Proof # 13
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ ، قَالَ أَدْرَكْت النَّاسَ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ ثَلاَثًا وَعِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً بِالْوِتْرِ
Ata Ibn Abi Rubah (RA) said: I have always seen people performing “Twenty Three Rakats” including witr. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 224, Hadith Number 7770] Click here for Scanned Page (124)
Proof # 14
حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ ، عَنْ شُتَيْرِ بْنِ شَكَلٍ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَالْوِتْرَ
It is proved from Shaytar Ibn Shakl that he used to lead “20 rakaat” Tarawih in Ramadan and also in witr. [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 222, Hadith Number 7762] Click here for Scanned Page (125)
Proof # 15
الفضل بن دكين عن سعيد بن عبيد ان علي بن ربيعة كان يصلي بهم في رمضان خمس ترويحات ويوتر ثلاث.
Sa'eed bin Ubaid narrates that Ali bin Rabiyah (RA) used to lead them in 5 Tarwihat (i.e 20 rakat tarawih) and 3 witr..[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 224, Hadith Number 7772] Click here for Scanned Page (126)
الفضل بن دكين عن سعيد بن عبيد ان علي بن ربيعة كان يصلي بهم في رمضان خمس ترويحات ويوتر ثلاث.
Sa'eed bin Ubaid narrates that Ali bin Rabiyah (RA) used to lead them in 5 Tarwihat (i.e 20 rakat tarawih) and 3 witr..[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 005, Page No. 224, Hadith Number 7772] Click here for Scanned Page (126)
Proof # 16
Ibn Quduma (rah) while proving “Ijma” on 20 Rakah Tarawih, writes:
وَالْمُخْتَارُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ ، فِيهَا عِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً . وَبِهَذَا قَالَ الثَّوْرِيُّ ، وَأَبُو حَنِيفَةَ ، وَالشَّافِعِيُّ . وَقَالَ مَالِكٌ : سِتَّةٌ وَثَلَاثُونَ . وَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ الْأَمْرُ الْقَدِيمُ ، وَتَعَلَّقَ بِفِعْلِ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ ، فَإِنَّ صَالِحًا مَوْلَى التَّوْأَمَةِ قَالَ : أَدْرَكْتُ النَّاسَ يَقُومُونَ بِإِحْدَى وَأَرْبَعِينَ رَكْعَةً ، يُوتِرُونَ مِنْهَا بِخَمْسٍ . وَلَنَا ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ ،رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ لَمَّا جَمَعَ النَّاسَ عَلَى أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ ، وَكَانَ يُصَلِّي لَهُمْ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً ، وَقَدْ رَوَى الْحَسَنُ أَنَّ عُمَرَ جَمَعَ النَّاسَ عَلَى أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ ، فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي لَهُمْ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً ، وَلَا يَقْنُتُ بِهِمْ إلَّا فِي النِّصْفِ الثَّانِي فَإِذَا كَانَتْ الْعَشْرُ الْأَوَاخِرُ تَخَلَّفَ أُبَيٌّ ، فَصَلَّى فِي بَيْتِهِ ، فَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ : أَبَقَ أُبَيٌّ رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد ، وَرَوَاهُ السَّائِبُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ ، وَرُوِيَ عَنْهُ مِنْ طُرُقٍ . وَرَوَى مَالِكٌ ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ رُومَانَ ، قَالَ : كَانَ النَّاسُ يَقُومُونَ فِي زَمَنِ عُمَرَ فِي رَمَضَانَ بِثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً . وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ ، أَنَّهُ أَمَرَ رَجُلًا يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً . وَهَذَا كَالْإِجْمَاعِ.
فاما ما رواه صالح ، فان صالحا ضعيف ، ثم لا ندرى من الناس الزين أخبر عنهم ؟ فلعله قد أدرك جماعة من الناس يفعلون زلك ، وليس زلك بحجة ، ثم لو ثبت أن أهل المدينة كلهم فعلوه لكان ما فعله عمر ، وأجمع عليه الصحابة فى عصره ، أولى بالاتباع ، قال بعض أهل العلم : إنما فعل هزا أهل المدينة لانهم أرادوا مساواة أهل مكة ، فان أهل مكة يطوفون سبعا بين كل ترويحتين ، فجعل أهل المدينة مكان كل سبع أربع ركعات ، وما كان عليه أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أولى واحق أن يتبع .
Translation: The established proof in sight of Abi Abullah (i.e. Imam Ahmed) is “20 RAKAHS” and same is the saying of “Thawri, Abu Hanifa and Shafi’I” In sight of Imam Malik it consists of 36 Rakahs and Malik has followed the people of Madina because Salah said that he saw people doing Qiyaam of 41 Rakahs out of which 5 were witr. “OUR PROOF IS THAT UMAR (RA) GATHERED PEOPLE BEHIND IBN KA’B AND MADE HIM LEAD 20 RAKAHS OF TARAWIH. It is also narrated via route of Hassan that Umar (ra) gathered people behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b for 20 nights. and he used to offer Qunnot in the nisf of Ramadan and used to offer tarawih in his home in the last 10 days, this has been narrated by Abu Dawud and Saib bin Yazid. Imam Malik has also narrated from Yazid bin Rumaan that during the tenure of Umar (ra) people used to offer 23 rakahs including witr. (Ibn Qudama continues): It is also narrated from Ali (ra) that he ordered “ONE PERSON TO LEAD OTHERS IN 20 RAKAHS, ****THEREFORE THERE IS IJMA ON 20 RAKAH TARAWIH**** That which saleh has said that (i.e. 41 rakahs) then the answer to this is that“SALEH IS WEAK AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHO HAS GIVEN THE REPORT OF 41 RAKAHS” It might be possible that Saleh saw some people praying 41 rakahs “BUT THIS IS NOT HUJJAT” even if we assume that people of Madina prayed 41 rakahs still the order of Umar (ra) which was followed by all Sahaba during his time is “MORE WORTHY OF FOLLOWING” Some scholars have said that people of Madina prayed 36 rakahs so that they can correspond to the people of Makkah because people of Makkah used to do 7 tawaaf after every 4 rakahs therefore the people of madina in that time started prayed 4 rakaat (i.e. nawafil). Now when we know that Sahaba of Prophet prayed 20 rakahs then “WE SHOULD FOLLOW IT” [Ibn Qudamah al-Mughni Volume 002, Page No. 604] Click here for Scanned Page (127)
Proof # 17
Al-Ghuniya tut Talibeen states: (Tarawih consists) of 20 Rakahs, in every second Rakah one should sit and say the Salaam, thus they become 5 Tarwihaat out of which every 4 are called Tarvih (i.e. 5 times 4 = 20) [Al Ghuniya Tut Talibeen Volume 2, Page No. 25] Click here for Scanned Page(128)
Proof # 18
Imam Bukhari reported in his book al-Kuna:
عن ابي الخصيب قال كان سويد بن غفلة يؤمنا في رمضان عشرين ركعة
Abu al-Khusaib (ra) narrated that Suwaid bin Ghafalah (ra) always led us in offering "twenty raka’at Salat (al-Taraweeh)" in the month of Ramadan. [al-Kuna Volume 002, Hadith Number 234]
The Consensus of all 4 schools
1. Hanafi Madhab
Imam Badr ud din Ayni (rah) said:
رواه البيهقي بإسناد صحيح عن السائب بن يزيد الصحابي قال كانوا يقومون على عهد عمر رضي الله تعالى عنه بعشرين ركعة وعلى عهد عثمان وعلي رضي الله تعالى عنهما مثله وفي المغني عن علي أنه أمر رجلا أن يصلي بهم في رمضان بعشرين ركعة قال وهذا كالإجماع
Translation: Imam Baihaqi (Rahimuhullah) narrated with “SAHIH” isnaad from Saib Ibn Yazid the Sahabi who said: I saw (people) standing for 20 Rakahs in the era of Umar (RA), also in Era of Uthman (RA) and Ali (RA), In Al-Mughni (the leading Hanbli manual of fiqh) It is narrated from Ali (RA) that he ordered one man to lead people in Ramadan for 20 Rakahs, “ON THIS IS TOTAL IJMA (وهذا كالإجماع)” [Umdat ul Qari Volume No.7, Page No. 177]
Imam Ibn Hammam (rah) said: It has been established with genuine proof that Sahaba and Tabiyeen used to pray 20 Rakahs of Tarawih during the era of Umar (ra), this authentic report is narrated from Yazid ibn Ruman that during the time of Umar (ra) they used to pray 20 Rakahs, Imam Nawawi has “AUTHENTED” this report too [Al-Fath al Qadeer, Volume No.1, Page No. 470]
رواه البيهقي بإسناد صحيح عن السائب بن يزيد الصحابي قال كانوا يقومون على عهد عمر رضي الله تعالى عنه بعشرين ركعة وعلى عهد عثمان وعلي رضي الله تعالى عنهما مثله وفي المغني عن علي أنه أمر رجلا أن يصلي بهم في رمضان بعشرين ركعة قال وهذا كالإجماع
Translation: Imam Baihaqi (Rahimuhullah) narrated with “SAHIH” isnaad from Saib Ibn Yazid the Sahabi who said: I saw (people) standing for 20 Rakahs in the era of Umar (RA), also in Era of Uthman (RA) and Ali (RA), In Al-Mughni (the leading Hanbli manual of fiqh) It is narrated from Ali (RA) that he ordered one man to lead people in Ramadan for 20 Rakahs, “ON THIS IS TOTAL IJMA (وهذا كالإجماع)” [Umdat ul Qari Volume No.7, Page No. 177]
Imam Ibn Hammam (rah) said: It has been established with genuine proof that Sahaba and Tabiyeen used to pray 20 Rakahs of Tarawih during the era of Umar (ra), this authentic report is narrated from Yazid ibn Ruman that during the time of Umar (ra) they used to pray 20 Rakahs, Imam Nawawi has “AUTHENTED” this report too [Al-Fath al Qadeer, Volume No.1, Page No. 470]
Allama Mullah Ali Qari (rah) said:
أجمع الصحابة على أن التراويح عشرون ركعة
Translation: There is Consensus/Ijma of Sahaba that Tarawih consists of 20 Rakahs [Mirqaat Sharah al Mishqaat, Volume No.2, Page No. 202, Published by Maktaba al Mishkaat]
أجمع الصحابة على أن التراويح عشرون ركعة
Translation: There is Consensus/Ijma of Sahaba that Tarawih consists of 20 Rakahs [Mirqaat Sharah al Mishqaat, Volume No.2, Page No. 202, Published by Maktaba al Mishkaat]
2. Hanbali Madhab
Imam Ibn Qudama writes:
كان الناس يقومون في زمن عمر في رمضان بثلاث وعشرين ركعة وعن علي, أنه أمر رجلا يصلي بهم في رمضان عشرين ركعة وهذا كالإجماعTranslation: The People stood for 23 Rakahs in Ramadan during the era of Umar (RA) , and It is narrated from Ali (ra) that he made a person to lead 20 Rakahs and on this"CONSENSUS/IJMA" (وهذا كالإجماع) [Ibn Quduma al Hanbli in Al-Mughni, Volume No.1, Page No. 802, Under the chapter of Rakaat in Tarawih]
Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani al-Hanbli (rah) writes:
(Tarawih consists of) 20 Rakahs, in every second Rakah one should sit and say the Salaam, thus they become 5 Tarwihaat out of which every 4 are called Tarvih (i.e. 5 times 4 = 20) [Al Ghuniya Tut Talibeen Volume 2, Page No. 25]
كان الناس يقومون في زمن عمر في رمضان بثلاث وعشرين ركعة وعن علي, أنه أمر رجلا يصلي بهم في رمضان عشرين ركعة وهذا كالإجماعTranslation: The People stood for 23 Rakahs in Ramadan during the era of Umar (RA) , and It is narrated from Ali (ra) that he made a person to lead 20 Rakahs and on this"CONSENSUS/IJMA" (وهذا كالإجماع) [Ibn Quduma al Hanbli in Al-Mughni, Volume No.1, Page No. 802, Under the chapter of Rakaat in Tarawih]
Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani al-Hanbli (rah) writes:
(Tarawih consists of) 20 Rakahs, in every second Rakah one should sit and say the Salaam, thus they become 5 Tarwihaat out of which every 4 are called Tarvih (i.e. 5 times 4 = 20) [Al Ghuniya Tut Talibeen Volume 2, Page No. 25]
3. The Shafi'i Madhab
Imam Tirimdhi (rah) said:
و قال الشافعي وهكذا أدركت ببلدنا بمكة يصلون عشرين ركعة
Translation: Imam ash-Shaf'I (Rahimuhullah) said: I found the people of Makkah praying twenty rak'at."[Sunnan Tirimdhi]
و قال الشافعي وهكذا أدركت ببلدنا بمكة يصلون عشرين ركعة
Translation: Imam ash-Shaf'I (Rahimuhullah) said: I found the people of Makkah praying twenty rak'at."[Sunnan Tirimdhi]
Imam Ghazzali (Rahimuhullah) said:
التراويح وهي عشرون ركعةوكيفيتها مشهورة وهي سنة مؤكدة
Translation: Tarawih consists of “Twenty”Rakahs, Its method is well known and it is Sunnat al Muakdah. (Al-Ghazzali in Ihya Uloom ud din, Volume No.1, Page No. 139)
التراويح وهي عشرون ركعةوكيفيتها مشهورة وهي سنة مؤكدة
Translation: Tarawih consists of “Twenty”Rakahs, Its method is well known and it is Sunnat al Muakdah. (Al-Ghazzali in Ihya Uloom ud din, Volume No.1, Page No. 139)
4. Maliki Madhab
Imam Ibn Rushd al Qurtubi (rah) said: One Qawl of Imam Malik (rah), plus saying of Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Imam Ahmed and Dawud al Dhahiri prove 20 Rakahs of Tarawih , Imam Malik has also narrated from Yazid bin Ruman (ra) that during the Era of Umar (ra) people used to do Qiyaam of 20 Rakahs (Tarawih) [Ibn Rushd in Al-Bidayatul Mujtahid, Volume No. 1, Page No. 152]
The Qawl of 36 Rakahs which some people misuse also proves 20 Rakah Tarawih because Imam Malik used to prescribe people to pray “EXTRA 4 RAKAHS” between every Tarvih (i.e. Resting period after every 4 rakahs), so It is not part of Tarawih, hence there is is absolute Ijma on Tarawih being 20, secondly 36 Rakahs is not proven from any of the Khulafa and above all 2 ahadith from Muwatta Imam Malik prove 20.
The Qawl of 36 Rakahs which some people misuse also proves 20 Rakah Tarawih because Imam Malik used to prescribe people to pray “EXTRA 4 RAKAHS” between every Tarvih (i.e. Resting period after every 4 rakahs), so It is not part of Tarawih, hence there is is absolute Ijma on Tarawih being 20, secondly 36 Rakahs is not proven from any of the Khulafa and above all 2 ahadith from Muwatta Imam Malik prove 20.
Twenty Proofs of Twenty (20) Rakat of Taraweeh
In Urdu and Roman Urdu with Orignal Arabic text
Proof 1
Ummul Momineen Hazrat Ayesah (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala 'Anha) say marwi hay k ek raat RUSUL ALLAH (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) nain masjid main (nafal) namaz parhi to logoun nain bhi AAP (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) k sath namaz parhi. Phir AAP (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) nain Agli raat namaz parhi to aur zyada loog jama ho gaay phir teesri (3rd) ya choothi (4th) raat bhi akathy huay laykin RUSUL ALLAH (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) unki tashreef na na laay. Jab Subah hui to farmaya:
"Main nain Dykha jo tum nain kiya aur mujhy tumhary pas (namaz parhany k liay) aany say sirf is andyshy nain roka k yeh tum par farz kar di jaay gi."
Aur Yeh Ramzan ul Mubarak ka waqiya hy.
Imam Ibn e khuzaimah aur Imam Ibn e Hibban nain in Alfaaz ka izafa kiya:
Aur HUZUR NABI AKRAM (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) unhain Qayam-e-Ramzan (taraweeh) ki raghbat dilaya karty thy laykin hukman nahi farmaty thy. Chunachay (Targheeb k liay) farmaty k jo Shakhs Ramzan-ul-Mubarak main Eman aur Sawab ki niyyat say Qiyam karta hy to us k sabiqah tamam gunah bakhsh diay jaty hain. Phir RUSUL ALLAH (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) k wisaal mubarak tak Qiyam-e-Ramzan ki yehe sorat Barqarar rahi aur yehe sorat Khilafat e Abu Bakr (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) aur Khilafat e Umer (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) k awaael door tak jari rahi yahan tak k Hazrat Umer (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain unhain Hazrat Ubaiy bin Ka'b (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) ki iqtida main jama' kar diya aur wo unhain namaz (taraweeh) parhaya karty thy Lihaza yeh wo Ibtidai zamana hay jab log Namaz taraweeh k liay (Ba-Jama'at) akathy hoty thy."
References
From : Sahi Bukhari
Book : At Tahajjud
Volume : 1
Page : 380
Hadith number : 1077
From : Sahi Bukhari
Book : Salat At Taraweh
Chapter : Fadl Qayam e Ramdan
Volume : 2
Page : 708
Hadith number : 1908
From : Sahi Muslim
Book : Salat Al Musafireen wa qasruha
Chapter : Targheeb Fi Qayam e Ramdan wa huwa taraweeh
Volume : 1
Page : 524
Hadith number : 761
From : Sunan Abi Dawud
Book : As Salah
Chapter : Qayam Shahr Ramdhan
Volume : 2
Page : 49
Hadith number : 1373
From : Sunan Nisai
Book : Qiyam Al Layil wa Tatwwa'un Nahaar
Chapter : Qiyaam Shahr Ramdhan
Volume : 3
Page : 202
Hadith number : 1604
From : Nisai in Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 1
Page : 410
Hadith number : 1297
From : Muwatta Imam Malik
Book : As Salah Fir Ramdhan
Chapter : Targheeb Fis Salah fi ramdhan
Volume : 1
Page : 113
Hadith number : 248
From : Ahmad Bin Hambal
Book : Al Musnad
Volume : 6
Page : 177
Hadith number : 25485
From : Ibn e Hibban
Book : As Saheeh
Volume : 1
Page : 353
Hadith number : 141
From : Ibn e Khuzymah
Book : As Saheeh
Volume : 3
Page : 338
Hadith number : 2207
From : 'Abdur Razzaq
Book : Al Musannaf
Volume : 3
Page : 43
Hadith number : 4723
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
page : 492
Hadith number : 4377
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan As Sughra
Volume : 1
Page : 480
Hadith number : 486
From : Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
Book : Takhees Al Habeer
Volume : 2
page : 21
**************************************************************************
Proof 2
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab R.A k door main loog (witar mila kar) 23 raka'at parhty thy."
Is Hadith ko Imam Malik aur Imam Bayhaqi nain rawayat kiya hy.
حضرت مالک نے داود بن حصین سے روایت کیا، انہوں نے حضرت اعرج کو فرماتے ہوئے سنا کہ میں نے لوگوں کو اس حال میں پایا کہ وہ رمضان میں کافروں پر لعنت کیا کرتے تھے انہوں نے فرمایا (نمازِ تراویح میں) قاری سورہ بقرہ کو آٹھ رکعتوں میں پڑھتا اور جب باقی بارہ رکعتیں پڑھی جاتیں تو لوگ دیکھتے کہ امام انہیں ہلکی (مختصر) کر دیتا۔‘‘
’’حضرت شاہ ولی اللہ دہلوی نے (اس حدیث کی شرح میں) بیان کیا کہ بیس رکعت تراویح اور تین وتر شوافع اور احناف کا مذہب ہے۔ اسی طرح محلّی نے امام بیہقی سے بیان کیا۔‘‘
Hazrat Malik nain Dawud Bin Husyn say rawayat kiya, Unhoun nain Hazrat A'raj ko farmaty huay suna k
"Main nain logoun ko is hal main paya k wo ramzan main kaafiron par lanat kiya karty thy,
Unhoun nain famraya (Namaz e Taraweeh main) Qari sorat Al Baqarah ko aath (8) rakaton main parhta aur jab baqi bara (12) reh rakatain parhi jatin to wo log dykhty k Imam unhoun halki (Mukhtasir) kar dyta."
Proof 1
Part 1/3
Sahi Bukhari
اُمّ المؤمنین حضرت عائشہ رضی اﷲ عنہا سے مروی ہے کہ ایک رات رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم نے مسجد میں (نفل) نماز پڑھی تو لوگوں نے بھی آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم کے ساتھ نماز پڑھی. پھر آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم نے اگلی رات نماز پڑھی تو اور زیادہ لوگ جمع ہوگئے پھر تیسری یا چوتھی رات بھی اکٹھے ہوئے لیکن رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم ان کی طرف تشریف نہ لائے۔ جب صبح ہوئی تو فرمایا: میں نے دیکھا جو تم نے کیا اور مجھے تمہارے پاس (نماز پڑھانے کے لئے) آنے سے صرف اس اندیشہ نے روکا کہ یہ تم پر فرض کر دی جائے گی۔ اور یہ رمضان المبارک کا واقعہ ہے۔
"Main nain Dykha jo tum nain kiya aur mujhy tumhary pas (namaz parhany k liay) aany say sirf is andyshy nain roka k yeh tum par farz kar di jaay gi."
Aur Yeh Ramzan ul Mubarak ka waqiya hy.
Part 2/3
Sahi Ibn e Hibban
امام ابن خزیمہ اور امام ابن حبان نے ان الفاظ کا اضافہ کیا: اور حضور نبی اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم انہیں قیام رمضان (تراویح) کی رغبت دلایا کرتے تھے لیکن حکماً نہیں فرماتے تھے چنانچہ (ترغیب کے لئے) فرماتے کہ جو شخص رمضان المبارک میں ایمان اور ثواب کی نیت کے ساتھ قیام کرتا ہے تو اس کے سابقہ تمام گناہ بخش دیئے جاتے ہیں۔ پھر حضور نبی اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم کے وصال مبارک تک قیام رمضان کی یہی صورت برقرار رہی اور یہی صورت خلافت ابوبکر رضی اللہ عنہ اور خلافت عمر رضی اللہ عنہ کے اوائل دور تک جاری رہی یہاں تک کہ حضرت عمر رضی اللہ عنہ نے انہیں حضرت ابی بن کعب رضی اللہ عنہ کی اقتداء میں جمع کر دیا اور وہ انہیں نماز (تراویح) پڑھایا کرتے تھے لہٰذا یہ وہ ابتدائی زمانہ ہے جب لوگ نماز تراویح کے لئے (باجماعت) اکٹھے ہوتے تھے
Imam Ibn e khuzaimah aur Imam Ibn e Hibban nain in Alfaaz ka izafa kiya:
Aur HUZUR NABI AKRAM (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) unhain Qayam-e-Ramzan (taraweeh) ki raghbat dilaya karty thy laykin hukman nahi farmaty thy. Chunachay (Targheeb k liay) farmaty k jo Shakhs Ramzan-ul-Mubarak main Eman aur Sawab ki niyyat say Qiyam karta hy to us k sabiqah tamam gunah bakhsh diay jaty hain. Phir RUSUL ALLAH (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) k wisaal mubarak tak Qiyam-e-Ramzan ki yehe sorat Barqarar rahi aur yehe sorat Khilafat e Abu Bakr (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) aur Khilafat e Umer (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) k awaael door tak jari rahi yahan tak k Hazrat Umer (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain unhain Hazrat Ubaiy bin Ka'b (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) ki iqtida main jama' kar diya aur wo unhain namaz (taraweeh) parhaya karty thy Lihaza yeh wo Ibtidai zamana hay jab log Namaz taraweeh k liay (Ba-Jama'at) akathy hoty thy."
Part 3/3
Talkheer Al habeer of Imam Ibn e hajr 'Asqalani
اور امام عسقلانی نے ’’التلخیص‘‘ میں بیان کیا ہے کہ حضور نبی اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم نے لوگوں کو دو راتیں 20 رکعت نماز تراویح پڑھائی جب تیسری رات لوگ پھر جمع ہوگئے تو آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم ان کی طرف (حجرہ مبارک سے باہر) تشریف نہیں لائے۔ پھر صبح آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم نے فرمایا: مجھے اندیشہ ہوا کہ (نماز تراویح) تم پر فرض کر دی جائے گی لیکن تم اس کی طاقت نہ رکھوگے
Aur Imam 'Asqalani nain Talkhees Al Habeer main bayan kiya hay k
HUZUR AKRAM (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) nain logoun ko doo (2) raatain bees (20) rakat namaz taraweeh parhai, Jab teesri (3rd) raat loog phir jama ho gaay to AAP (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) unki taraf (Hujra mubarak say bahir) tashreef nahi laay. Phir Subah AAP (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) nain farmaya:
"Mujhy Andysha hua k (Namaz e Taraweeh) tum par farz kar di jaay gi laykin tum is ki taqat na rakho gy."
References
From : Sahi Bukhari
Book : At Tahajjud
Volume : 1
Page : 380
Hadith number : 1077
From : Sahi Bukhari
Book : Salat At Taraweh
Chapter : Fadl Qayam e Ramdan
Volume : 2
Page : 708
Hadith number : 1908
From : Sahi Muslim
Book : Salat Al Musafireen wa qasruha
Chapter : Targheeb Fi Qayam e Ramdan wa huwa taraweeh
Volume : 1
Page : 524
Hadith number : 761
From : Sunan Abi Dawud
Book : As Salah
Chapter : Qayam Shahr Ramdhan
Volume : 2
Page : 49
Hadith number : 1373
From : Sunan Nisai
Book : Qiyam Al Layil wa Tatwwa'un Nahaar
Chapter : Qiyaam Shahr Ramdhan
Volume : 3
Page : 202
Hadith number : 1604
From : Nisai in Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 1
Page : 410
Hadith number : 1297
From : Muwatta Imam Malik
Book : As Salah Fir Ramdhan
Chapter : Targheeb Fis Salah fi ramdhan
Volume : 1
Page : 113
Hadith number : 248
From : Ahmad Bin Hambal
Book : Al Musnad
Volume : 6
Page : 177
Hadith number : 25485
From : Ibn e Hibban
Book : As Saheeh
Volume : 1
Page : 353
Hadith number : 141
From : Ibn e Khuzymah
Book : As Saheeh
Volume : 3
Page : 338
Hadith number : 2207
From : 'Abdur Razzaq
Book : Al Musannaf
Volume : 3
Page : 43
Hadith number : 4723
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
page : 492
Hadith number : 4377
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan As Sughra
Volume : 1
Page : 480
Hadith number : 486
From : Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
Book : Takhees Al Habeer
Volume : 2
page : 21
**************************************************************************
Proof 2
Muwatta Imam Malik
حضرت یزید بن رومان نے بیان کیا کہ حضرت عمر بن خطاب رضی اللہ عنہ کے دور میں لوگ (بشمول وتر) 23 رکعت پڑھتے تھے۔
Hazrat Yazid Bin Rumaan bayan karty hain k
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab R.A k door main loog (witar mila kar) 23 raka'at parhty thy."
Is Hadith ko Imam Malik aur Imam Bayhaqi nain rawayat kiya hy.
References:
From : Muwatta Imam Malik
Book : As Salah Fi Ramdan
Chapter : Targheeb fis Salah fir Ramdhan
Volume : 1
Page : 115
Hadith number : 252
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4394
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Shu'ab Al Eman
Volume : 3
Page : 177
Hadith number : 3270
**********************************************************
Proof 3
Muwatta Imam Malik
حضرت مالک نے داود بن حصین سے روایت کیا، انہوں نے حضرت اعرج کو فرماتے ہوئے سنا کہ میں نے لوگوں کو اس حال میں پایا کہ وہ رمضان میں کافروں پر لعنت کیا کرتے تھے انہوں نے فرمایا (نمازِ تراویح میں) قاری سورہ بقرہ کو آٹھ رکعتوں میں پڑھتا اور جب باقی بارہ رکعتیں پڑھی جاتیں تو لوگ دیکھتے کہ امام انہیں ہلکی (مختصر) کر دیتا۔‘‘
’’حضرت شاہ ولی اللہ دہلوی نے (اس حدیث کی شرح میں) بیان کیا کہ بیس رکعت تراویح اور تین وتر شوافع اور احناف کا مذہب ہے۔ اسی طرح محلّی نے امام بیہقی سے بیان کیا۔‘‘
Hazrat Malik nain Dawud Bin Husyn say rawayat kiya, Unhoun nain Hazrat A'raj ko farmaty huay suna k
Unhoun nain famraya (Namaz e Taraweeh main) Qari sorat Al Baqarah ko aath (8) rakaton main parhta aur jab baqi bara (12) reh rakatain parhi jatin to wo log dykhty k Imam unhoun halki (Mukhtasir) kar dyta."
Shah Wali-ALLAH Muhaddith dehlavi nain (is hadith ki sharah main) bayan kiya hy k 20 rakatain taraweeh aur 3 witar shawafi' (Imam Shafi') aur Ahnaaf (Imam Abu Haneefah) ka mazhab hay.
Is Hadith ko Imam Malik, Imam Bayhaqi aur Imam Faryabi nain rawayat kiya hy.
Is Hadith ko Imam Malik, Imam Bayhaqi aur Imam Faryabi nain rawayat kiya hy.
Imam Faryabi nain farmaya: Is ki Sanad Qawi hay.
References
From : Muatta Imam Malik
Book : As Salah Fi Ramdan
Chapter : Targheeb fis Salah fir Ramdhan
Volume : 1
Page : 115
Hadith number : 253
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 497
Hadith number : 4401
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Shu'b Al Eman
Volume : 3
Page : 177
Hadith number : 3271
From : Faryabi
Book : Kitab As Siyam
Volume : 1
Page : 133
Hadith number : 181
From : Ibn e Abdul Barr
Book : Tamheed
Volume : 17
Page : 405
From : Zahabi
Book : Sayyir Al A'lam An Nubala
Volume : 5
Page : 70
From : Jalal ud Din suyuti
Book : Tanweer Al Hawalik Sharah Muwatta Imam Malik
Volume : 1
Page : 105
From : Shah Wali-ALLAH muhaddith dehlavi
Book : Al Musawa min Ahadith al Muwatta
Volume : 1
Page : 175
***************************************************************
Proof 4
Imam Abu 'Isa Tirmidhi nain apni sunan main farmaya:
"Aksar Ahl-e-Ilm ka mazhab bees (20) raka'at taraweeh hay jo k Hazrat Ali aur Hazrat Umer (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala 'Anhuma) aur HUZUR AKRAM (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) k deegar Ashaab say marwi hay.
Aur yehe (Kabaar Tabi'en) Sufyan thawri, Abdullah Bin Mubarak aur Imam Shafi' ka qool hay.
Aur Imam Shafi' nain farmaya: main nain apny shayhar Mecca main (Ahl e Ilm ko) 20 Raka'at taraweeh parhty paya.
Reference
From : jami' Tirmidhi
Book : As Saum
Chapter : Qayam Sahr Ramadhan
Volume : 3
Page : 169
Hadith number : 806
******************************************************
Proof 5
Hazrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala 'Anhu) say marwi hay, farmaya k
"HUZUR AKRAM (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) Ramzan ul Mubarak main main witar k ilawa bees (20) raka'at taraweh parhaty thy."
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7692
From : Ma'jam Al Ausath Imam Tabrani
Volume : 1
Page : 243
Hadith number : 798
From : Ma'jam Al Ausath Imam tabrani
Volume : 5
Page : 324
Hadith number : 5440
From : Ma'jam Al Kabeer Imam Tabrani
Volume : 11
Page : 393
Hadith number : 12102
From : Bayhaqi in Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4391
*********************************************************
Proof 6
Hazrat Saib Bin Yazeed (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) nain bayan kiya k
"Hum Hazrat Umer (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k zamany main fajr k qareeb taraweeh say farigh hoty thy aur hum (witar mila kar) taees (23) rakat parhty thy."
Reference
From : Abdur Razzaq
Book : Musannaf
Chapter : Qayam ur Ramadhan
Volume : 4
Page: 261-262
Hadith number : 7733
*************************************************************************
Proof 7
Hazrat Saeb Bin Yazeed say marwi hay unhoun nain bayan kiya k
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k 'Ehad (door e Khilafat) main Sahaba Ikram (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) maah-e-Ramzan main bees (20) rakat taraweeh parhty thy aur un main soo (100) ayaat wali soortain parhty thy aur Hazrat Uthman (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k 'Ehad (Door e Khilafat) main shiddat e Qayam ki waja say wo apni laathiyun say tayk lagaty thy."
Is Hadith ko Imam Bayhaqi, Imam Faryabi aur Ibn e ja'd nain rawayat nain kiya. Aur Imam Faryabi nain farmaya k is hadith k Rijaal thiqah hain.
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4393
From : Ibn e Hasan Faryabi
Book : Kitab As Siym
Volume : 1
Page : 131
Hadith number : 176
From : Ibn e Ja'd
Book : Al Musnad
Volume : 1
Page : 413
Hadith number : 2825
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Thfat ul Ahwazi
Volume : 3
Page : 447
*****************************************************************
Proof 8
Abu khaseeb nain bayan kiya k
"Hamain Suwaid bin Ghaflah maah-e-ramzan main namaz e taraweeh paanch (5) tarweehon (bees rakaton) main parhaty thy."
Note : 4 rakat taraweeh mukammal honay par 1 tarweeh mukammal hoti hy.
Is Hadith ko Imam bayhaqi nain rawyat kiya hy aur iski Sanad Hassan hay. Aur Imam bukhari nain isy Al Kuna main rawayat main kiya hy.
References
From : Bayhqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 446
hadith number : 4395
From : Bukhari
Book : Al Kuna
Volume : 1
Page : 28
Hadith number : 234
*******************************************************************
Proof 9
Hazrat Shutayr bin Shakal say rawayat hay aur wo Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k Ashaab main say thy k
"Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) ramzan main bees (20) rakat taraweeh aur teen (3) witar parhaty thy."
Reference
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4395
***********************************************************************
Proof 10
Hazrat Abu Abdur Rahman As Sulami say marwi hay k
"Hazrat Ali(Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu)nain ramzan ul Mubarak main qaariyun ko bulaya aur un main say ek shakhs ko bees (20) rakat taraweeh parhaany ka hukam diya aur khud Hazrat Ali(Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu)nain unhain witar parhaay."
Yeh Hadith Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) say deegar Asnad say bhi marwi hay.
References
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4396
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfat ul Ahwazi Sharah Jami' Tirmidhi
Volume : 3
Page : 444
**********************************************************************
Proof 11
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Hazrat Abu Al Hasana bayan karty hain k
"Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain ek shakhs ko ramzan main paanch (5) tarweehon main bees (20) rakat parhaany ka hukam diya."
Is Hadith ko Imam Ibn e Abi Shaibah aur Imam Bayhaqi nain rawayat kiya hay. Aur yeh Alfaaz Imam Bayhaqi k hain.
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 5
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7763
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
VOlume : 2
Page : 497
Hadith number : 4397
From : Ibn e Abul Barr
Book : At Tamheed
Volume : 8
Page : 115
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfatul Ahwazi Sharah Jami' Tirmidhi
Volume : 3
Page : 445
From : Ibn e Qudamah
Book : Al Mughana
Volume : 1
Page : 456
**********************************************************************
Proof 12
Imam Yahya bin Sa'id bayan karty hain k
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain ek shakhs ko hukam diya k wo inhain (muslmanon ko) bees (20) rakat taraweeh parhaay."
Note : Is hadith ki sanad Mursalan Qawi hay
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 5
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7682
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfaztul Ahwazi
Volume : 3
Page : 445
**************************************************************
Proof 13
Hazrat Nafi' Bin 'Umar nain bayan kiya k
"Ibn e Abi Mulaykah hamain Ramzan-ul-Mubarak main bees (20) rakat taraweeh parhaya karty thy."
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 5
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7683
********************************************************************
Proof 14
Hazrat Abdul Azeez bin Rafi' nain bayan kiya k
"Hazrat Abi bin Ka'b (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala 'Anhu) madeenah munawwarah main logoun ko Ramzan-ul-Mubarak main bees (20) rakat taraweeh aur teen (3) rakat witar parhaty thy."
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7684
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfat Ul Ahwazi
Volume : 3
Page : 445
************************************************************
Proof 15
Hazrat Haris say marwi hay k wo logon ko Ramzan ul Mubarak ki raaton main (Namaz e Taraweeh) main bees (20) rakatain aur teen (3) witar parhaya karty thy aur Ruku' say pehly dua-e-Qunut parhty thy.
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7685
*******************************************************************
Proof 16
Hazrat Abi Al Bukhtariyy say rawayat hay k wo Ramzan-Ul-Mubarak main paanch (5) tarweehon (yani bees (20) rakatain) aur teen (3) witar parha karty thy.
Note : Is Hadith ki Sanad Sahi hy.
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7686
*****************************************************************
Proof 17
حضرت عطاء فرماتے ہیں کہ میں نے لوگوں کو دیکھا کہ وہ بشمول وتر 23 رکعت تراویح پڑھتے تھے۔
Hazrat 'Ata farmaty hain k
"Main nain logoun ko dykha k wo witar mila kar taes (23) rakat taraweeh parhty hain."
Note : Is ki Sanad Hasan hay.
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7688
***********************************************************************
Proof 18
Hazrat Sa'id bin 'Ubaid say marwi hay k
"Hazrat 'Ali Bin Rab'iah unhain Ramzan-Ul-Mubarak main paanch tarweeh (Yani Bees rakat) namaz Taraweeh aur teen (3) witar parhaty thy."
Note : Is ki Sanad Sahi hy
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7690
***********************************************************************
Proof 19
Hazrat Hasan (Basri) (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) say marwi hay k
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain logoun ko Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka'b (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) ki Iqtida main Qayam-e-Ramzan k liay akatha kiya to wo unhain bees (20) rakat parhaty thy."
References
From : Imam Zahabi
Book : Sayyir Al A'laam An Nubala
Volume : 1
Page : 400
From : Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
Book : Talkhees Al Habeer
Volume : 2
Page : 21
Hadith number : 540
From : Ibn e Qudamah
Book : Al Mughna
Volume : 1
Page : 456
From : Imam Jalal ud Din Suyuti
Book : Tanweer Al Hawalik
Volume : 1
Page : 104
From : Ibn e Taymiyyah
Book : Majmu' Al Fatawa
Volume : 2
Page : 401
*************************************************************
Proof 20
Hazrat Za'farani Imam Shafi' say rawayat karty hain k Ap nain farmaya:
"Main nain logoun ko madinah munawwara main untaalees (39) aur Makka Mukarramah main taes (23) rakat (bees taraweeh aur teen witar) parhty dykha."
Reference
From : Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
Book : Fathul Bari
Volume : 4
Page : 253
From : Shaukani
Book : Nayl Al Atwar
Volume : 3
Page : 64
*******************************************************************
Proof 4
Jami' Tirmidhi
امام ابو عیسیٰ ترمذی رضی اللہ عنہ نے اپنی سنن میں فرمایا: اکثر اہل علم کا مذہب بیس رکعت تراویح ہے جو کہ حضرت علی حضرت عمر رضی اﷲ عنہما اور حضور نبی اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم کے دیگر اصحاب سے مروی ہے اور یہی (کبار تابعین) سفیان ثوری، عبداللہ بن مبارک اور امام شافعی رحمہ اﷲ علیہم کا قول ہے اور امام شافعی نے فرمایا: میں نے اپنے شہر مکہ میں (اہل علم کو) بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھتے پایا۔
"Aksar Ahl-e-Ilm ka mazhab bees (20) raka'at taraweeh hay jo k Hazrat Ali aur Hazrat Umer (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala 'Anhuma) aur HUZUR AKRAM (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) k deegar Ashaab say marwi hay.
Aur yehe (Kabaar Tabi'en) Sufyan thawri, Abdullah Bin Mubarak aur Imam Shafi' ka qool hay.
Aur Imam Shafi' nain farmaya: main nain apny shayhar Mecca main (Ahl e Ilm ko) 20 Raka'at taraweeh parhty paya.
Reference
From : jami' Tirmidhi
Book : As Saum
Chapter : Qayam Sahr Ramadhan
Volume : 3
Page : 169
Hadith number : 806
******************************************************
Proof 5
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Ma'jam Al Kabeer
حضرت ابن عباس رضي اﷲ عنہما سے مروی ہے فرمایا کہ حضور نبی اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم رمضان المبارک میں وتر کے علاوہ بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھا کرتے تھے۔
Hazrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala 'Anhu) say marwi hay, farmaya k
"HUZUR AKRAM (SALLALAHU A'LAIHAY WA ALIHE WASALLAM) Ramzan ul Mubarak main main witar k ilawa bees (20) raka'at taraweh parhaty thy."
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7692
From : Ma'jam Al Ausath Imam Tabrani
Volume : 1
Page : 243
Hadith number : 798
From : Ma'jam Al Ausath Imam tabrani
Volume : 5
Page : 324
Hadith number : 5440
From : Ma'jam Al Kabeer Imam Tabrani
Volume : 11
Page : 393
Hadith number : 12102
From : Bayhaqi in Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4391
*********************************************************
Proof 6
Musannaf Abdur Razzaq
حضرت سائب بن یزید نے بیان کیا کہ ہم حضرت عمر رضی اللہ عنہ کے زمانہ میں فجر کے قریب تراویح سے فارغ ہوتے تھے اور ہم (بشمول وتر) تئیس رکعات پڑھتے تھے
Hazrat Saib Bin Yazeed (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) nain bayan kiya k
"Hum Hazrat Umer (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k zamany main fajr k qareeb taraweeh say farigh hoty thy aur hum (witar mila kar) taees (23) rakat parhty thy."
Reference
From : Abdur Razzaq
Book : Musannaf
Chapter : Qayam ur Ramadhan
Volume : 4
Page: 261-262
Hadith number : 7733
*************************************************************************
Proof 7
Sunan Al Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi
حضرت سائب بن یزید سے مروی ہے انہوں نے بیان کیا کہ حضرت عمر بن خطاب رضی اللہ عنہ کے عہد میں صحابہ کرام رضوان اللہ اجمعین ماہ رمضان میں بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھتے تھے اور ان میں سو آیات والی سورتیں پڑھتے تھے اور حضرت عثمان رضی اللہ عنہ کے عہد میں شدت قیام کی وجہ سے وہ اپنی لاٹھیوں سے ٹیک لگاتے تھے۔
Hazrat Saeb Bin Yazeed say marwi hay unhoun nain bayan kiya k
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k 'Ehad (door e Khilafat) main Sahaba Ikram (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) maah-e-Ramzan main bees (20) rakat taraweeh parhty thy aur un main soo (100) ayaat wali soortain parhty thy aur Hazrat Uthman (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k 'Ehad (Door e Khilafat) main shiddat e Qayam ki waja say wo apni laathiyun say tayk lagaty thy."
Is Hadith ko Imam Bayhaqi, Imam Faryabi aur Ibn e ja'd nain rawayat nain kiya. Aur Imam Faryabi nain farmaya k is hadith k Rijaal thiqah hain.
References
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4393
From : Ibn e Hasan Faryabi
Book : Kitab As Siym
Volume : 1
Page : 131
Hadith number : 176
From : Ibn e Ja'd
Book : Al Musnad
Volume : 1
Page : 413
Hadith number : 2825
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Thfat ul Ahwazi
Volume : 3
Page : 447
*****************************************************************
Proof 8
Sunan Al Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi
ابو خصیب نے بیان کیا کہ ہمیں حضرت سوید بن غفلہ ماہ رمضان میں نماز تراویح پانچ ترویحوں (بیس رکعت میں) پڑھاتے تھے۔
"Hamain Suwaid bin Ghaflah maah-e-ramzan main namaz e taraweeh paanch (5) tarweehon (bees rakaton) main parhaty thy."
Note : 4 rakat taraweeh mukammal honay par 1 tarweeh mukammal hoti hy.
Is Hadith ko Imam bayhaqi nain rawyat kiya hy aur iski Sanad Hassan hay. Aur Imam bukhari nain isy Al Kuna main rawayat main kiya hy.
References
From : Bayhqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 446
hadith number : 4395
From : Bukhari
Book : Al Kuna
Volume : 1
Page : 28
Hadith number : 234
*******************************************************************
Proof 9
Sunan Al Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi
حضرت شُتیر بن شکل سے روایت ہے اور وہ حضرت علی رضی اللہ عنہ کے اصحاب میں سے تھے کہ حضرت علی رضی اللہ عنہ رمضان میں بیس رکعت تراویح اور تین وتر پڑھاتے تھے۔
Hazrat Shutayr bin Shakal say rawayat hay aur wo Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) k Ashaab main say thy k
"Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu) ramzan main bees (20) rakat taraweeh aur teen (3) witar parhaty thy."
Reference
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4395
***********************************************************************
Proof 10
Sunan Al Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi
حضرت ابو عبدالرحمن سلمی سے مروی ہے کہ حضرت علی رضی اللہ عنہ نے رمضان المبارک میں قاریوں کو بلایا اور ان میں سے ایک شخص کو بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھانے کا حکم دیا اور خود حضرت علی رضی اللہ عنہ انہیں وتر پڑھاتے تھے۔
یہ حدیث حضرت علی رضی اللہ عنہ سے دیگر سند سے بھی مروی ہے
"Hazrat Ali(Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu)nain ramzan ul Mubarak main qaariyun ko bulaya aur un main say ek shakhs ko bees (20) rakat taraweeh parhaany ka hukam diya aur khud Hazrat Ali(Radi ALLAH T'ala Anhu)nain unhain witar parhaay."
Yeh Hadith Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) say deegar Asnad say bhi marwi hay.
References
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
Volume : 2
Page : 496
Hadith number : 4396
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfat ul Ahwazi Sharah Jami' Tirmidhi
Volume : 3
Page : 444
**********************************************************************
Proof 11
Sunan Al Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi
حضرت ابو الحسناء بیان کرتے ہیں کہ حضرت علی رضی اللہ عنہ نے ایک شخص کو رمضان میں پانچ ترویحوں میں بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھانے کا حکم دیا۔
"Hazrat Ali (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain ek shakhs ko ramzan main paanch (5) tarweehon main bees (20) rakat parhaany ka hukam diya."
Is Hadith ko Imam Ibn e Abi Shaibah aur Imam Bayhaqi nain rawayat kiya hay. Aur yeh Alfaaz Imam Bayhaqi k hain.
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 5
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7763
From : Bayhaqi
Book : Sunan Al Kubra
VOlume : 2
Page : 497
Hadith number : 4397
From : Ibn e Abul Barr
Book : At Tamheed
Volume : 8
Page : 115
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfatul Ahwazi Sharah Jami' Tirmidhi
Volume : 3
Page : 445
From : Ibn e Qudamah
Book : Al Mughana
Volume : 1
Page : 456
**********************************************************************
Proof 12
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
حضرت یحییٰ بن سعید بیان کرتے ہیں کہ حضرت عمر بن خطاب رضی اللہ عنہ نے ایک شخص کو حکم دیا کہ وہ انہیں (مسلمانوں کو) بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھائے۔
Imam Yahya bin Sa'id bayan karty hain k
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain ek shakhs ko hukam diya k wo inhain (muslmanon ko) bees (20) rakat taraweeh parhaay."
Note : Is hadith ki sanad Mursalan Qawi hay
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 5
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7682
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfaztul Ahwazi
Volume : 3
Page : 445
**************************************************************
Proof 13
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
حضرت نافع بن عمر نے بیان کیا کہ ابن ابی ملیکہ ہمیں رمضان المبارک میں بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھایا کرتے تھے۔
Hazrat Nafi' Bin 'Umar nain bayan kiya k
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 5
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7683
********************************************************************
Proof 14
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
حضرت عبدالعزیز بن رفیع نے بیان کیا کہ حضرت ابی بن کعب رضی اللہ عنہ مدینہ منورہ میں لوگوں کو رمضان المبارک میں بیس رکعت تراویح اور تین رکعت وتر پڑھاتے تھے۔
Hazrat Abdul Azeez bin Rafi' nain bayan kiya k
"Hazrat Abi bin Ka'b (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala 'Anhu) madeenah munawwarah main logoun ko Ramzan-ul-Mubarak main bees (20) rakat taraweeh aur teen (3) rakat witar parhaty thy."
References
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7684
From : MubarakFuri
Book : Tuhfat Ul Ahwazi
Volume : 3
Page : 445
************************************************************
Proof 15
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
حضرت حارث سے مروی ہے کہ وہ لوگوں کو رمضان المبارک کی راتوں میں (نماز تراویح) میں بیس رکعتیں اور تین وتر پڑھایا کرتے تھے اور رکوع سے پہلے دعا قنوت پڑھتے تھے۔
Hazrat Haris say marwi hay k wo logon ko Ramzan ul Mubarak ki raaton main (Namaz e Taraweeh) main bees (20) rakatain aur teen (3) witar parhaya karty thy aur Ruku' say pehly dua-e-Qunut parhty thy.
Reference
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7685
*******************************************************************
Proof 16
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
حضرت ابوالبختری سے روایت ہے کہ وہ رمضان المبارک میں پانچ ترویح (یعنی بیس رکعتیں) اور تین وتر پڑھا کرتے تھے۔
Hazrat Abi Al Bukhtariyy say rawayat hay k wo Ramzan-Ul-Mubarak main paanch (5) tarweehon (yani bees (20) rakatain) aur teen (3) witar parha karty thy.
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7686
*****************************************************************
Proof 17
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
حضرت عطاء فرماتے ہیں کہ میں نے لوگوں کو دیکھا کہ وہ بشمول وتر 23 رکعت تراویح پڑھتے تھے۔
Hazrat 'Ata farmaty hain k
"Main nain logoun ko dykha k wo witar mila kar taes (23) rakat taraweeh parhty hain."
Note : Is ki Sanad Hasan hay.
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7688
***********************************************************************
Proof 18
Musannaf Ibn e Abi Shaibah
حضرت سعید بن عبید سے مروی ہے کہ حضرت علی بن ربیعہ انہیں رمضان المبارک میں پانچ ترویح (یعنی بیس رکعت) نماز تراویح اور تین وتر پڑھاتے تھے۔
Hazrat Sa'id bin 'Ubaid say marwi hay k
"Hazrat 'Ali Bin Rab'iah unhain Ramzan-Ul-Mubarak main paanch tarweeh (Yani Bees rakat) namaz Taraweeh aur teen (3) witar parhaty thy."
Note : Is ki Sanad Sahi hy
Reference
From : Ibn e Abi Shaibah
Book : Al Musannaf
Chapter : Ramzan main (taraweh main) kitni rakatain jaen
Volume : 2
Page : 163
Hadith number : 7690
***********************************************************************
Proof 19
Sayyir Al A'lam An Nubala of Imam Zahabi
Talkhees Al Kabeer of Imam Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
حضرت حسن (بصری) رضی اللہ عنہ سے مروی ہے کہ حضرت عمر بن خطاب رضی اللہ عنہ نے لوگوں کو حضرت ابی ابن بن کعب رضی اللہ عنہ کی اقتداء میں قیام رمضان کے لئے اکٹھا کیا تو وہ انہیں بیس رکعت تراویح پڑھاتے تھے۔
Hazrat Hasan (Basri) (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) say marwi hay k
"Hazrat Umer Bin Khattab (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) nain logoun ko Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka'b (Radi ALLAH Ta'ala Anhu) ki Iqtida main Qayam-e-Ramzan k liay akatha kiya to wo unhain bees (20) rakat parhaty thy."
References
From : Imam Zahabi
Book : Sayyir Al A'laam An Nubala
Volume : 1
Page : 400
From : Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
Book : Talkhees Al Habeer
Volume : 2
Page : 21
Hadith number : 540
From : Ibn e Qudamah
Book : Al Mughna
Volume : 1
Page : 456
From : Imam Jalal ud Din Suyuti
Book : Tanweer Al Hawalik
Volume : 1
Page : 104
From : Ibn e Taymiyyah
Book : Majmu' Al Fatawa
Volume : 2
Page : 401
*************************************************************
Proof 20
Fathul Bari Imam Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
حضرت زعفرانی امام شافعی رضی اللہ عنہ سے روایت کرتے ہیں کہ آپ نے فرمایا: میں نے لوگوں کو مدینہ منورہ میں انتالیس (39) اور مکہ مکرمہ میں تئیس (23) رکعت (بیس تراویح اور تین وتر) پڑھتے دیکھا۔
Hazrat Za'farani Imam Shafi' say rawayat karty hain k Ap nain farmaya:
"Main nain logoun ko madinah munawwara main untaalees (39) aur Makka Mukarramah main taes (23) rakat (bees taraweeh aur teen witar) parhty dykha."
Reference
From : Ibn e Hajr 'Asqalani
Book : Fathul Bari
Volume : 4
Page : 253
From : Shaukani
Book : Nayl Al Atwar
Volume : 3
Page : 64
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Talib e Dua
Wajahat Hussain Al-Hanafi
Al-Albani Unveiled
TARAWEEH PRAYER
8 OR 20 rakats?
by Ahmed ibn Muhammad
In a handout by al-Albani's followers in England, by the title "Some common questions answered" (dated October 1990), there appeared the following question and answer (No. 22):(a) Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) never prayed more than 8 rak'aats in taraweeh, so how come nobody disapproves of 20? (b) Is it true that Umar (Allah be pleased with him) introduced it? (a) As regards the taraweeh prayer - people agree that the Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and the best way is 11 rak'aats. As regards any addition - then this is DISAPPROVED of and DECLARED AS A BID'AH (A bad innovation) by Shaykh al-Albani and by a few earlier scholars - that being reported from Imam Malik, Ibn ul-Arabee and as-San'aanee (see Salat-ut-taraweeh of Shaykh al-Albani). (b) It is not true that Umar (Allah be pleased with him) either prayed or ordered 20 rak'aats. Rather he ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'b to lead the people with 11 rak'aats (al-Muwatta1/137, with a Sahih Isnad). First, it should be said that the hadith reported from Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) about 11 rakats is not at all to do with taraweeh, according to the majority of scholars, but in fact concerns the number of rakats of TAHAJJUD prayer! The hadith in question is as follows:- Narrated Abu Salama ibn Abdur Rahman that he asked Aisha (Allah be pleased with her), "How was the prayer of Allah's Apostle (Peace be upon him) in Ramadan?" She replied, "He did not pray more than eleven raka'at in Ramadan or in any other month. He used to pray four raka'at - let alone their beauty and length - and then he would pray four - let alone their beauty and length - and then he would pray three rak'aat (witr)." She added, "I asked, 'O Allah's Apostle! Do you sleep before praying the witr?' He replied, 'O Aisha, My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.'" (Bukhari, 3/230, English edn)According to the author of "Fatawa Rahimiyyah", Mufti Abdur Rahim Lajpuri (vol. 1, pg. 275); in his defence of 20 rakats of taraweeh: "The commentator of al-Sahih al-Bukhari and the erudite traditionist, Shaykh Shamsud-Din al-Kermani (d. 786 AH; Rahimahullah) said: 'In the hadith (above), the tahajjud prayer is meant. Abu Salama's question and Hadrat Aisha's answer concerned the tahajjud.' He adds further: 'If the tahajjud prayer is not meant, then this tradition will be at variance with the tradition that states that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) led twenty rakats each for two nights, and in the case of such clash the tradition of twenty rakats which is affirmative (muthbit) shall have precedence because according to the principles of hadith, the affirmative takes precedence over the negative (naaf)" (vide: Al-Kawakib ud-Durari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 9, pg 155-156). I say, does this not mean that people who perform 8 rakats of taraweeh, should pray 20 rakats instead? Since according to the principles of hadith (as affirmed by al-Albani), "The affirmative takes precedence over the negative in certain cases." A great fact that should also be noted by the reader is that the Imam's of hadith have placed the hadith from Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) under the section of tahajjud prayers, which indicates their belief that the hadith applies to tahajjud only. The Imam al-Muhaddithin al-Bukhari (Rahimahullah) has placed the hadith from Aisha under at least two sections of his Sahih, first under the section of '21: The tahajjud Prayer at Night' (see Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 2, chapter 15, no. 248, English ed'n) and then under the section of '32: The Book of taraweeh Prayers' (seeSahih al-Bukhari, 3/230, pg. 128 English ed'n). This means that Imam Bukhari believed that the prayer mentioned by Aisha was that of tahajjud only, and since the tahajjud prayer is performed also in Ramadan, then Imam Bukhari also quoted the same hadith under 'The book of taraweeh prayers', but Allah knows best. Imam Muslim (Rahimahullah) has also placed the hadith from Aisha under the tahajjud prayer section (see Sahih Muslim 1/1607, pg. 356, English ed'n). Also Imam Malik (Rahimahullah) has placed Aisha's hadith under the Book of tahajjud (see Al-Muwatta, Book 7, section 7.2, no. 9, pg. 5, English ed'n). The Imam Abu Dawood (Rahimahullah) has also placed the same hadith under the chapter 'On the number of rakats of the prayer at night (tahajjud)' (see Abu Dawood 1/1336, pg. 351, English version). Even Imam's Tirmidhi and Nisai (Allah's mercy be upon them) placed Aisha's hadith under the tahajjud section (see Tirmidhi, vol. 1, pg. 58 and Nisai, vol. 1, pg. 154). Even one of the most prominent Imams of the 'Salafiyya', Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya placed the aforementioned hadith in the section oftahajjud prayers in his book Zaad al Ma'ad (vol. 1, pg. 86)! Mufti Abdur Rahim said about Aisha's hadith: "And if this tradition may have been quoted in some book under the devotions of Ramadan along with the taraweeh. Like the taraweeh, the tahajjud, too, is a prayer of Ramadan, and because of this affinity, it can be mentioned along with the taraweeh (as Imam Bukhari did). Hence, supposing it may have been mentioned in some book, it cannot be made thereby a categorical argument. 'When uncertainty creeps in, the argument is falsified.' Moreover, Hafiz al-hadith Imam Qurtubi's (d. 671/1273; Rahimahullah) statement regarding this hadith (of Aisha) should not be overlooked that, 'many a man of knowledge considers the aforesaid hadith mudtarib (i.e. confounded).'" (vide: Imam Ayni in his Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 2, pg. 187). In short, the aforesaid report is in no way a proof for eight rakats of taraweeh. In contradistinction to this, as regards the twenty rakats the Companions Consensus (Ijma-as-Sahaba) has taken place over the approval of Ibn Abbas' hadith (about 20 rakats being performed by the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him) and practically the majority of Ulama have accepted it." (Fatawa Rahimmiyah, vol. 1, pg 276-277). Although Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) had said: "He did not pray more than 11 Raka'at," we also have reports from her that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) also prayed more than 11 Raka'ats! The proof for this was given by her in another narration involving Abu Salama ibn Abdal Rahman (Rahimahullah). Abu Salama asked Aisha about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), she said, "He observed 13 Raka'ahs (in the night prayer). He observed 8 raka'ahs and would then observe (three rakats of) witr and then observe two raka'ahs sitting (nafl prayer), and when he wanted to bow he stood up and then bowed down, and then he observed two raka'ahs in between the Adhan and Iqama of the dawn prayer (i.e. fajr)." (See Sahih Muslim 1/1603, pg. 357 and also al-Albani's Sifah Salah an-Nabee, appendix 7, pg. 110). So does this not mean that the 'Salafiyya' should perform 13 Raka'ats of taraweeh in Ramadan? Now, the statement 'the best way is 11 rak'aats' is only the opinion of a small group of the ulama, in fact there are more than 50 opinions to say that the best way is 20 rakats according to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) practise! What is more interesting to note is that the four great Mujtahids, Abu Hanifah, Malik, Shafi'i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Allah's mercy be upon them) are in agreement that the taraweeh consists of twenty rakats. The statement that Imam Malik approved of eight rakats needs to be proved, most likely this ascription was made to him because he quoted the hadith which is used to prove eight rakats of taraweeh in his al-Muwatta (see Muwatta, 6.2, no. 4, pg. 48) by a small group of scholars. Although Imam Malik (Rahimahullah) quoted this hadith in his book, it has no bearing on what his actual opinion and practise was, on the contrary Imam Malik believes in thirty-sixrakats of taraweeh (i.e. 20 rakats and 16 rakats of extra nafl prayers, see later for the official verdict of the Maliki Madhhab)! Also the hadith which seems to prove 11 rakats of taraweeh(including three rakats of witr) in Imam Malik's Muwatta has been explained away by many other convincing arguments. Recently I came across a booklet by the title, "Is taraweeh 20 rakats?" (Published by Madrasah Arabia Islamia, Azaadville, South Africa, author unknown). In this booklet the hadith quoted from the Muwatta of Imam Malik (Rahimahullah), about 11 rakats of taraweeh (including three witr) was quite eloquently analysed. The actual hadith in question was related by Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi, who related from his teacher Imam Malik, who related from Muhammad ibn Yusuf, who said that as-Saaib ibn Yazid said, "Umar ibn Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Tamim ad-Dari (Allah be pleased with them) to watch the night in prayer with the people for eleven rakats. The reciter of the Qur'an would recite the Mi'in (a group of medium sized surah's) until we would be leaning on our staffs from having stood so long in prayer. And we would not leave until the approach of dawn." (see above reference in al-Muwatta). It was stated in the aforementioned booklet (chapter 7, pg. 20), after quoting the above narration, "If we analyse the chain (Isnad) of this hadith, we notice that Muhammad ibn Yusuf narrates from Saaib ibn Yazid. Muhammad (ibn Yusuf) has 5 students and the narration of each student differs from the next (i.e. the text of the hadith is different from each student). The five students are: (1) Imam MalikTheir narrations are as follows : (1) Imam Malik says that Umar ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Tamim Dari to perform 11 rakats. (What practise occurred thereafter is not mentioned, nor is Ramadan mentioned). (2) Yahya ibn Qattan says that Umar made the people gather with Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Tamim Dari and both of them began performing 11 rakats. (Hadrat Umar's command is not mentioned, nor is any mention of Ramadaan made). (3) Abdul Aziz (ibn Muhammad) says that we used to perform 11 rakats in the era of Umar. (Neither is the command mentioned, nor is Ubayy ibn Ka'b or Ramadan mentioned). (4) Ibn Ishaq says that we used to perform 13 rakats in Ramadaan during the era of Umar. (Neither is the command of Umar mentioned. Instead of 11 rakats, 13 are mentioned). (5) Abdur Razzaq says that Umar gave the command of 21 rakats. (In this narration 21 rakats are mentioned instead of 11). Besides the narration of Imam Malik (Rahimahullah), 11 rakats can not be established from the other narrations. Due to this difference, the narrator Ibn Ishaq gave preference to 13 while Ibn Abdal Barr al-Maliki preferred 21 (from the narration of Abdur Razzaq). Therefore this narration is Mudtarib (A hadith that is transmitted in different manners, so that the contents of each transmission differ, and it is not possible to give preference to any particular transmission) with regards to the number (of rakats) and hence unacceptable. The above was an analysis of Muhammad ibn Yusuf's narration via Saaib ibn Yazid. Now let us examine the narration of Yazid ibn Khaseefah via Saaib (ibn Yazid), which is mentioned in theSunan al- Kubra of al-Bayhaqi (vol. 2, pg. 496): Abu Zi'b narrates from Yazid ibn Khaseefah, who reports from Saaib ibn Yazid that the people used to perform 20 rakats in the month of Ramadan during the era of Umar. Imam Nawawi, Iraqi and Suyuti (all three were great scholars of hadith) amongst others have accepted the authenticity of this hadith (see Tuhfatul Akhyaar, pg. 192 and Irshaadus Saari, pg. 74, (by Imam al-Qastallani]). Muhammad ibn Jafar (another narrator in the chain) has quoted the statement from Yazid (ibn Khaseefah) as Abu Zi'b (had). This narration is mentioned in Marifatus Sunan of al-Bayhaqi. Allamah Subki and Mullah Ali al-Qari have stated in Sharh Minhaj and Sharh Muwatta respectively that the chain of narrators of this hadith are correct. (Tuhfatul Ahwazee, vol.2, pg 75). From the above narration we can clearly see that both the students of Yazid (ibn Khaseefah), unanimously narrate the fact that during Umar's (Allah be pleased with him) era 20 rakats was the standard practise. On the contrary, the 5 students of Muhammad ibn Yusuf quote Saaib (ibn Yazid) differently. In such a situation the correct approach would be to rely on the narration of Yazid ibn Khaseefah. However the Ahl al-hadith (another name for the "Salafiyya") have unjustly discarded this narration and adopted the doubtful one of Muhammad ibn Yusuf, which has differing versions. This goes against the principles of hadith." Here ends the quote . Another hadith that is used by the protagonists of eight rakats of taraweeh has been related by Jabir ibn Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him): "The Prophet (Peace be upon him) led the people in prayer during Ramadan with 8 rakats and the witr. We gathered in the Mosque the following night hoping that he would come again. We remained waiting till the next morning (until he came out). The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, 'I feared that the witr may become incumbent on you.'" (related by Ibn Nasr al-Marwazi in Qiyamul-Layl, pg. 90, al-Tabarani and Ibn Hibban - see below for the actual hadith) The above hadith has been analysed by Shaykh Abdur Rahim in his "Fatawa" (vol. 1, pg. 278-9) with the conclusion that the hadith is daeef. The shaykh said: "The strange thing about this hadith is that its chain of authorities (Isnad) is not trustworthy. Please examine the statements of the Imams of this science concerning the narrators of this chain. In this chain one narrator is Ibn Hameed Razi, about whom the opinions of the great and august critics of hadith are as under: (1) 'He is weak.' - Hafiz al-Dhahabi (see his Mizanul I'tidal, vol.3, pp. 49-50)Now, about the second narrator, Ya'qub ibn Abdullah Ash'ari al-Qummi:- (1) 'He is not strong.' - Daraqutni (see Mizanul I'tidal, vol. 3, pg. 324).About the third narrator, Isa ibn Jariyah:- (1) 'He has had disowned (munkar) hadiths.' - Ibn Ma'eenHafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (Rahimahullah) has reported a similar narration to the above hadith in his Bulugh al-Maram min Adillat al-Ahkam (no. 396, pg. 159), on the authority of Hafiz Ibn Hibban (Rahimahullah): "Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (Allah be pleaed with him): Allah's Apostle (Peace be upon him) prayed during the night in Ramadan; the people waited for him on the next day, but he did not come out; and he said, 'I feared that the witr might be enjoined on you.'" Note the above narration does not even state how many rakats were performed by the Prophet (Peace be upon him)!! The above two hadiths can not be used as justifiable proof in favour of 8 rakats of taraweeh on their own. Al-Imam Malik (Rahimahullah) has in fact quoted a hadith which proves the performance of 20 rakats of taraweeh in Ramadan; and that is as follows:- Yahya related to me from Malik that Yazid ibn Ruman said,"The people used to watch the night in prayer during Ramadan for 23 rakats (i.e 20 rakats of taraweeh, followed by 3 rakats of witr) in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab." (vide: al-Muwatta, 6.2, No. 5, pg. 48, English ed'n) Although the above hadith is Munqati (a link is missing in the chain) and has thus been declared to be Daeef by some scholars (including al-Albani), it never the less has been used as proof. Besides, the hadith has been given a full Isnad (chain) by either Imam Ibn Abdal Barr al-Maliki (d. 463/1071; Rahimahullah) or Shaykh Muhammad Habibullah ibn Mayabi ash-Shanqiti (Rahimahullah), in their thorough research to complete all the chains of transmission (Isnad) which have an incomplete chain; as found in the Muwatta of Imam Malik! In fact the latest edition of the English version of al-Muwatta (translated by A. A. at-Tarjumana and Yaqub Johnson) says (pg. xxxiv): "Ibn Hajar (al-Asqalani) said, 'The book of Malik is sound by all the criteria that are demanded as proofs in the mursal, munqati (two types of hadith which have a missing link) and other types of transmission.' Then as-Suyuti followed what Ibn Hajar said here; and said, 'The mursal hadith in it are a proof with him (i.e. ash-Shafi'i) as well because the mursal is a proof with us when it is properly supported. Every mursal in the Muwattahas one or more supports as will be made clear in this commentary (i.e. Suyuti's commentary on al-Muwatta called Tanwir al-Hawalik). It is absolutely correct to say that the Muwatta is sound without exception.' Ibn Abdal-Barr collected together all the mursal, munqati and mu'addil hadiths in the Muwatta and said that the total number of hadiths in the Muwatta which do not have an Isnad are sixty one. He stated that he found the isnads of all of them in other sources with the exception of four hadiths. The erudite scholar of hadith, Shaykh Muhammad Habibullah ibn Mayabi ash-Shanqiti says in Ida'a al-Halik that he had found witnesses for these four hadith and he then mentioned these witnesses. He said, 'Some of the people of knowledge made these Isnads complete.' He mentioned from Ibn Abdal-Barr that there was no munkar (rejected) hadith in the Muwatta, nor anything fundamentally refuted." In the light of what the erudite scholars of hadith have said above, we may emphatically state that the apparently 'munqati' hadith from Yazid ibn Ruman has a complete Isnad; hence it may be used as a proof, since Imam Ibn Abdal-Barr has said that there is, "No munkar hadith in the Muwatta nor anything fundamentally rejected." Hence, many scholars of hadith and Fiqh have used the above hadith as a proof in favour of 20 rakats of taraweeh. The quote from "Some common questions answered," also claimed that, "Rather he (Umar) ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'b to lead the people with 11 rakats." I say, this is half of the truth, since it is clearly stated in al-Muwatta :"Umar ibn Khattab ordered Ubayy ibn Ka'b AND Tamim ad-Dari ....(see Muwatta, 6.2, no. 4, pg. 48)!! Al-Albani has said that if anyone performs more than 11 rakats of taraweeh, then he or she is basically committing a Bid'ah (a very bad innovation)! We seek refuge in Allah from such a disgusting statement! Since this tantamountally means that the foremost Imams of the saved sect (al-Firqat an-Najiyyah) of Ahl-al-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah have been committing a gross innovation (Allah forbid). Al-Albani seems to be implying that the venerable Companions (may Allah be pleased with them and increase their rank), the four great Mujtahid Imams (Allah's mercy be upon them), as well as the foremost scholars of hadith and Fiqh of the last 1400 years have 'innovated' the practise of 20 rakats of taraweeh, if considered in the light of penetrative elaboration, implicitly and covertly! What alternative conclusion can one derive, if the "Albani Madhhab" says, "As regards any addition (to 11 rakats) - then this is disapproved of and declared as a bid'ah by 'Shaykh' al-Albani?" I ask you, are the so called "Salafiyya" in the true path of the original and true Salaf-as-Salihin (the pious predecessors of the first three generations of Islam), when they have declared the practise of 20 rakats to be a bid'ah, even though the Salaf have been reported to have practised 20 rakats? The actual hadith which states that the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) performed 20 rakats of taraweeh has been reported by Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him). He said, "Verily, the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) in the month of Ramadan, used to perform 20 rakats and the witr prayer (afterwards) without congregation." (Reported in al-Sunan al-Bayhaqi, vol.2, pg. 496, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Kabiri of Imam al-Tabarani, Ibn Aadi in his Musnad, and by Imam Baghawi in his Majmua-as-Sahabah ) Although some scholars have declared this hadith to be Daeef on its own, it does not mean that it should be whole heartedly rejected; since Daeef does not mean Maudu (fabricated). Please refer to the next section on Daeef hadiths, and when they are acceptable to scholars for further elaboration. The hadith related from Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) is supported by many other narrations coming from great Companions like Uthman, Ali, Ibn Masood...(Allah be pleased with them all), as well as their successors (Tabi'in). Besides, some of the scholars of hadith have even declared some weak Ahadith to be Sahih, if it has a firm basis. It was stated in the book "Criticism of hadith among Muslims with reference to Sunan Ibn Maja," (pg. 131, by one of the leading "Salafi" Shaykhs in Britain, Suhaib Hasan): "Shafi'i also recognises a weak hadith as authentic (sahih) if it is found to be accepted by the whole Ummah (see al-Sakhawi: Fath al-Mugith). But he does not accept Malik's view of restricting the practise to the people of Madinah. According to the later scholars of the Hanafi school like Ibn al-Humam, a hadith will be declared Sahih, if it is supported by the practise of the Ummah (see Abdal Rashid Nu'mani: Ma tamusu ilaihe al-Haja, pg. 18). Among traditionalists, Tirmidhi often remarks, after quoting a less authentic hadith: 'It is being practised by the people of learning (Ahl al-Ilm).' Suyuti deduces: 'It indicates that the hadith is supported by the sayings of the people of learning. More than one scholar has said that a hadith is declared Sahih if supported by the sayings of the people of learning, even if it lacks a proper Isnad (see Suyuti: al-Ta'aqubat, folio 20)." As stated above, the great research scholar (Muhaqqiq) Hafiz Kamal ibn al-Humam (d. 861/1457; Rahimahullah) had actually said: "One of the factors from which the authenticity of a hadith is known is that the learned (Ulama) may conform to it, which is a proof of its being sound (vide: Fath al-Qadir, vol. 3, pg. 349). There are many quotes from scholars which prove a near universal juridical acceptance of 20 rakats of taraweeh, but I content myself by quoting a select few from some of the foremost scholars of the Ahl-as-Sunnah, as well as the Imam of the "Salafiyya" (when it suits their whims and desires), Ahmad ibn Taymiyya. 1) Hafiz Taqi-ad-Din Ahmad Ibn Taymiyya al-Hanbali (d. 728/1328) He has said in his Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya (vol.1, pg. 191): "It has been proven without doubt that Ubayy ibn Ka'b (Allah be pleased with him) used to lead the Companions, during Ramadan, for 20 rakats and 3 rakats of witr. Hence it is the principle (maslak) of most of the Ulama that this is the Sunnah, because Ubayy ibn Ka'b led 20 rakats of prayer in the presence of the Muhajirin (the emigrants) and the Ansars (the helpers) and not a single Companion repudiated it!"2) Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852/1449; R.A.) The Hafiz of hadith, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani has reproduced from Imam Rafi'i (Allah's mercy be on him): "For two nights the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) led twenty rakats of prayer each night; on the third night the people gathered but the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not come out. Then the next morning, he told the people, 'It so occurred to me that it would be made obligatory for you, and you would not be able to discharge this obligation.'"After reproducing this tradition, Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: "All the traditionalists (Muhaddithin) are unanimous about the soundness of this report." (see Talkhis al-habir fi takhrij ahadith al-Rafi'i al-Kabir, vol. 1, pg. 119, by Hafiz ibn Hajar).3) Imam al-Azam Abu Hanifah (d. 150 AH; Rahimahullah) It was stated in Fayd ul-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari (by Shaykh Anwar Shah Kashmiri): "Imam Abu Yusuf (Rahimahullah) asked Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahimahullah), 'Did Hadrat Umar (Allah be pleased with him) have any compact from the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) for 20 rakats of taraweeh?' The Imam replied, 'Hadrat Umar was not one to invent on his own; certainly he had some proof with him for this!'" (also found in Maraqi ul-Falah, pg. 81, by Imam al-Shurunbulali and Bahr ur Ra'iq, vol.2, pg. 66, by Imam ibn Nujaim al-Misri).4) Imam al-Tirmidhi (d. 279/892; Rahimahullah) Imam Tirmidhi said: "Umar, Ali as well as other Companions (Allah be pleased with them all) and Sufyan al-Thauri, Ibn al-Mubarak and Imam al-Shafi'i (Allah's mercy be upon them), all believed in 20 rakats of taraweeh, and Imam Shafi'i has stated that he had seen the people of Makkah saying 20 rakats (see Sunan al-Tirmidhi, vol.1, pg. 99).5) Imam Malik ibn Anas (d. 179 AH; Rahimahullah) It was written in the most authentic book on Maliki Fiqh, al-Mudawwanah (vol.1, pg. 193-94), by Qadi Sahnoon (Rahimahullah): "Ibn al-Qasim said, 'The rakats (of taraweeh) with witr are 39.' Imam Malik said, 'This is what the people have agreed upon from amongst the predecessors, and the people have not stopped doing it.'" (For an explanation of why it was 36 rakats see the quote below from Allamah Anwar Shah Kashmiri).6) Hafiz Ibn Humam (d. 861/1457; Rahimahullah) Allamah Ibn Humam asserts that it has been established from genuine authority that the Companions and their Successors (tabi'in) used to say twenty rakats of taraweeh during the auspicious time of Umar (Allah be pleased with him); this authority of Yazid ibn Ruman has been reported from Sa'ib ibn Yazid that, 'during Umar's auspicious time we used to say twenty rakats.' The genuineness of this authority has been verified by Imam Nawawi in the synopsis (see Fath al-Qadir, vol.1, pg. 407 and Nasb-ur-Rayah, vol.1, pg. 294, by Hafiz al-Zaylai). Hafiz Ibn Humam also said in Fath al-Qadir (vol.1, pg. 470): "At last unanimity was formed on 20 rakats of prayer and this alone is in succession." This last statement has also been said in similar words by Ibn Taymiyya in his Minhaj us-Sunnah (vol.2, pg. 224).7) Imam Ata ibn Abi Rabah (Rahimahullah) The august successor (Tabi'in) and Mufti of Makkah in his time said: "I have seen the Companions, and other people in Makkah saying 23 rakats, including the witr."This report is Hasan (good). (see Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, pg. 406, Fath al-Bari, vol.4, pg. 219, of Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Qiyam ul-Layl, pg. 91, by Imam Ibn Nasr al-Marwazi). 8) Imam Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi (d. 620/1223; R.A) The Imam of the Hanbali's in his time, Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi, said in his book al-Mughni (vol.1, pg 803): "There has been the Companion's consensus (Ijma-as-Sahaba) on 20 rakats of taraweeh."9) Allamah Anwar Shah Kashmiri (d. 1352 AH; Rahimahullah) It was stated in his published lecture, Tirmidhi al-ma'ruf ba-Arfa'sh-Shazzi (vol.1 pg. 329) : "Not even one of the the four Imams believes in less than 20 rakats of taraweeh; the practise and belief of the majority of the Companions was also this. Imam Malik (Allah's mercy be upon him) believes in more than 20 rakats; he is positive that they are 36. According to Imam Malik's practise only 20 rakats of taraweeh will be said in congregation, but the general practise and method of the citizens of Madinah was that during the brief rest interval (after every 4 rakats), when the Imam sat down after 4 rakats, they used to perform 4 more rakats. The men who said the taraweeh in the sacred mosque at Makkah, used to circumambulate (Tawaf) the Ka'ba during this brief recess. The people of Madinah, naturally, could not circumambulate the Ka'ba and hence, instead, they used to perform 16 rakats more (in total) during these brief recesses."10) Imam al-Ayni (d. 855/1451; Rahimahullah) Allamah Ayni wrote in his Sharh al-Bukhari: "The number of rakats in the taraweeh is twenty. Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmed (Allah's mercy be upon them) assert the same thing. Their proof is the report which Bayhaqi has, with genuine authority, narrated from Sa'ib ibn Yazid. The great Companions, including Umar, Uthman and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), as also the revered Successors (Tabi'in), used to perform twenty rakats."Then he said: "The most excellent and the most advisable course to conform to is that of the Holy Prophet's and his (Peace and blessings be upon him) Companions (practise)." (Umdat ul-Qari Sharh-al-Bukhari, vol. 7, pg. 178).So please ask yourselves: "Who are the 'Salafiyya'; are they the people who conform to the way of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him), his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), and their successors (this includes the four Mujtahid Imams, Allah's mercy be upon them) consensus on 20 rakats, or is it the likes of al-Albani and his followers?" May Allah guide them. Many of us who are practising Muslims or otherwise, are familiar with the epithet 'Wahhabi'. The founder of this sect was Muhammad ibn Abdal Wahhab (d. 1206 AH), from Najd. He is also known as Shaykh an-Najdi by his opponents and his followers have been labelled as either 'Najdi's' or 'Wahhabi's' by the Ahl al-Sunnah. He claimed to be a Hanbali in Fiqh. It is well known that he fully digested the `aqida and ideas of Ibn Taymiyya. The scholars of his time warned the Muslims to be on their guard from accepting his 'reformatory' ideas; and this work is still existent among the scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah even today. The neo- 'Salafi's' of today respect Ibn Abdal Wahhab quite highly by bestowing upon him such great titles like 'Shaykh al-Islam'. I do not want to say much about his movement and activities, but a few quotes from three well known scholars should suffice for now. (1) The foremost Hanafi scholar of his time, Imam Muhammad Amin ibn Abidin (d. 1252/1836 Rahimahullah) said in his celebrated work Hashiyya radd al-Mukhtar (vol. 3, pg. 309): "In our time Ibn Abdal Wahhab (Najdi) appeared, and attacked the two noble sanctuaries (Makkah and Madinah). He claimed to be a Hanbali, but his thinking was such that only he alone was a Muslim, and everyone else was a polytheist! Under this guise, he said that killing the Ahl as-Sunnah was permissible, until Allah destroyed them (Wahhabi's) in the year 1233 AH by way of the Muslim army." (2) Shaykh Zayni Dahlan (Rahimahullah) said in his book Futuhat al-Islamiyya (vol. 2, pg. 268): "The sign of the Khawarij (the first deviant sect that appeared in the time of the Companions) concerning the shaving of the head, was not found in the Khawarij of the past, but only in the Najdi's of our time!" (3) Shaykh al-Islam Hussain Ahmad al-Madani (Rahimahullah) said in his book ash-Shihab as-saqib (pg. 42): "Ibn Abdal Wahhab arose in the beginning of the thirteenth Islamic century in the Najd. His thinking was false, and his beliefs were corruptional; on these grounds he opened the way for killing the Ahl as-Sunnah." (4) A more contemporary view on the Wahhabite sect has been expressed by Abdal-Hakim Murad in the journal Islamica (pg. 9): "Ibn Abdal Wahhab, however, went far beyond this (i.e; of Ibn Taymiyya). Raised in the wastelands of Najd in Central Arabia, he had little access to mainstream Muslim scholarship (I say: This may be disputed by his supporters). In fact, when hisda'wah appeared and became notorious, the scholars and muftis of the day applied to it the famous hadith of Najd: Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) reported the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as saying: "Oh God, bless us in our Syria; O God, bless us in our Yemen." Those present said: "And in our Najd, O Messenger of God!" But he said, "O God, bless us in our Syria; O God, bless us in our Yemen." Those present said, "And in our Najd, O Messenger of God!" Ibn Umar said that he thought that he said on the third occasion: "Earthquakes and dissensions (fitnah) are there, and there shall arise the horn of the devil." (Sahih al-Bukhari). And it is significant that almost uniquely among the lands of Islam, Najd has never produced scholars of any repute. The Najd-based da'wah of the Wahhabi's, however, began to be heard more loudly following the explosion of Saudi oil wealth. Many, even most, Islamic publishing houses in Cairo and Beirut are now subsidised by Wahhabi organisations, which prevent them from publishing traditional works on Sufism, and remove passages in other works considered unnacceptable to Wahhabist doctrine. The neo-Kharijite nature of Wahhabism makes it intolerant of all other forms of Islamic expression. However, because it has no coherent fiqh of its own - it rejects the orthodox madhhabs - and has only the most basic and primitively anthropomorphic 'aqidah, it has a fluid, amoebalike tendency to produce divisions and subdivisions among those who profess it. No longer are the Islamic groups essentially united by a consistent madhhab and the Ash'ari 'aqidah (see later). Instead, they are all trying to derive the Shari'ah and the 'aqidah from the Qur'an and the Sunnah by themselves. The result is the appalling state of division and conflict which disfigures the modern salafi condition." Another person who is a reference for today's neo-"Salafi's", is Muhammad ibn Ali al-Shawkani (d. 1250/1834). He was a leading scholar of the Zaydi (Shi'ah) sect found mainly in the Yemen. He claimed to have departed from his old Shi'ite ways and joined the Ahl al-Sunnah. He was attacked by the scholars of his day for saying Taqleed was completely haram, as well as other important issues. Some scholars had accused him of still holding on to his deviant Zaydiyyah-Mu'tazilite (rationalistic thinking that was propounded by one of the first deviant sects of Islam) thinking, while pretending to be within the fold of orthodox Sunni Islam; but Allah knows best! It is a well known fact that he denied the consensus of the Companions (Ijma as-Sahaba), as well as rejecting the validity of the Fatwa of a Companion! One may refer to Anwar Ahmad Qadri's book Islamic Jurisprudence in the Modern World (pg. 142) for a lengthier discussion. Many scholars have noticed the extreme tendencies within the "Salafiyya" sect around the world, for its lack of respect for the scholars of the four Madhhabs, its `aqida and some untenable juristic positions it has produced over a short period of Islam's history. The scholars have not been afraid of declaring the neo- "Salafi's" to be neo-Kharijites in their behaviour and attitude to other Muslims. Note, the scholars are not saying that the neo-"Salafi's" are Kharijites, but rather they seem to have certain traits which were only found amongst the Kharijites of the past. One of the most striking things I have noticed amongst these 'neo-Kharijites', is their direction of Qur'anic verses that were revealed specifically for the unbelievers, as referring to the believers who do not seem to have their way of thinking! This was a well known practise of the Kharijites of old; as we shall see below. A well known scholar of the "Salafiyya", Dr. Yusuf al-Qardawi (who has himself been attacked by other members of the "Salafiyya", especially for holding some untenable positions in his book al-Halal wal Haram fil Islam) said in his book Islamic awakening between Rejection and Extremism (pg. 41-3): "Imam al-Shatibi (Rahimahullah) wrote (in his book al-I'tisam, 2. 182-4): 'Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) was right. When a person knows the reason behind a certain verse or surah, he knows how to interpret it and what its objectives are. However, ignorance of that leads people to misinterpret it and to have different opinions, without an insight and knowledge which could lead them to the truth, and prevent them from indulging ignorantly in such matters with no support or evidence from al-Shari'ah, and therefore go astray and lead people astray. This can be demonstrated by what is reported by Ibn Wahab from Bakir who asked Nafi': What does Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) think of al-Haruriyyah (i.e; al-Khawarij who were also called al-Haruriyyah after the place - Harawra - where they gathered and were found by Ali ibn Abu Talib and the Companions of the Prophet [may Allah be pleased with them all] who supported him)? Nafi' answered: He thinks they are the most evil of people. They applied the verses which pertain to the kuffaron the believers.' (NB- Imam al-Bukhari has recorded Ibn Umar as saying in his Sahih [vol.9, pg.50; English edn]: These people (the Khawarij and heretics ) took some verses that had been revealed concerning the disbelievers and interpreted them as describing the believers ).Al-Qardawi also said (pg. 42): One of the causes of such shallowness is that extremists never listen to people who hold different views (and I can personally testify to that), never accept any dialogue with them or imagine that their own views could be tested in the light of others, and may thereby be either accepted or rejected. Most of them have not been taught by reliable Muslim ulama who are specialised in the field. Rather, they have received semi-knowledge directly from books and newspapers without any opportunity for revision or discussion which could test the learner's understanding and analyze the depth of his knowledge. They simply read, 'understand', then deduce what they wish. However, their reading, understanding, and deduction may well be wrong or deficient. There might be someone somewhere who opposes their opinions on stronger and more valid bases, but they are not aware of that because nobody has drawn their attention to such a possibility. These devout young people have ignored the facts that if they want to study al Shari'ah, they must seek the help of reliable Muslim scholars. They cannot venture into this extensive and entangled discipline without the guidance of reliable Muslim scholars who can interpret and explain obscurities, define terms, and point out the relationships between the parts and the whole and also equate similarities. Those who venture into it alone will meet with the same catastrophic results which could certainly befall the unskilled swimmer who ventures into dangerous waters. Proper knowledge of al-Shari'ah cannot be perfected without practice and close contact with the experts, especially in those areas where opinions diverge, evidences seem to contradict each other, and certain matters seem to be under suspicion. This is why our venerable 'ulama' have warned us not to seek to study and understand al Qur'an al Karim through a person who has only memorized it without any knowledge of its contents, nor to seek knowledge through a person who has acquired his own "knowledge" from reading newspapers and journals only, without being properly instructed by reputable and qualified scholars."
This topic began with a brief discussion on Taqleed and I would like to finish with the following two questions for you to ponder over. (A) Would it not be classified as being Taqleed if one were to accept the classifications of Hadiths, exegesis of the Qur'an etc; by a renowned Islamic scholar, if one was not to go back to the original sources which are used to authenticate the Hadith and so on? (For example, if a scholar claimed that a Hadith found in the Sunan of Imam Abu Dawood was Sahih and you accepted it as being Sahih - since you trust him, then are you not practising Taqleed; if you, yourself do not go back to the original sources used to classify the Hadith in question, since sometimes a Hadith classified to be Sahih by one scholar can be classified as being Da'eef by another!). (B) Is it not true that those who are calling for the abandonment of Taqleed, are calling for the Taqleed of their own books and speeches; hence creating their own little 'Madhhabs'?
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