[Q 230] Is it permissible to read 8 rakaat taraweeh

Question

In Ramadan taraweeh, is it permissible to read 8 rakaats (is 8 rakaats the minimum)?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

20 Rakat Taraweeh is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Companions (رضی اللہ عنہم), and performing 20 Rakats is Sunnah Muakkadah. Reading 8 Rakats is against the Sunnah, so if someone, without any Shar’i excuse, even once reads less than 20, (for example 8 Rakats), then he has done wrong, and if he makes it a habit to read less than 20 Rakats, then this is impermissible and a sin.

In Durr al-Mukhtar and Radd al-Muhtar it is said:

التراویح سنة مؤکدۃ لمواظبۃ الخلفاء الراشدین للرجال والنساء إجماعاً ووقتہا بعد صلاۃ العشاء إلی الفجر۔

سنة مؤکدۃ، صححہ في الہدایۃ وغیرہا وہو المروي عن أبي حنیفۃ، وفي شرح منیۃ المصلي: وحکی غیر واحد الإجماع علی سنیتها

(Durr al-Mukhtar with Radd al-Muhtar, Vol. 2, p. 493)

Mufti Ahmed Yar Khan Naeemi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ), while giving evidences for 20 Rakat Tarawih, says in Ja’ al-Haqq:

The 20 Rakat Tarawih is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the Companions (رضی اللہ عنہم), and the common Muslims. Reading 8 Rakats is against the Sunnah.

Please see the evidences.

Ibn Abi Shaybah, Tabarani narrated in Kabir, Bayhaqi, Abd ibn Humayd and Imam Baghawi narrated from Sayyidna Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ):

أَنَّ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِي رَمَضَانَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً سِوى الْوِتْرِ

Indeed, the Prophet (صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ وسلم) used to pray 20 Rakats in the month of Ramadan, besides Witr.

Imam Malik narrated from Hazrat Yazid ibn Ruman:

‎كَانَ النَّاسُ يَقُومُونَ فِي زَمَنِ عُمَر الْخَطَّابِ بِثَلثِ وَعِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً

Translation:

In the time of Hazrat Umar (رضی اللہ عنہ), people used to pray 23 Rakats in Ramadan.

Bayhaqi narrated in his Sunan from Hazrat Abu Abd al-Rahman Sulami:

أَنَّ عَلَى ابْن أَبِي طَالِبٍ دَعَا الْقُرْآءَ فِي رَمَضَانَ رَجُلًا يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ خَمْسَ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَكَانَ عَلَى يُؤْتِرُ بِهِمْ.

Translation:

Hazrat Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) called the Quran reciters in Ramadan and then ordered a person to lead the people for 20 Rakats and Hazrat Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) used to lead them in Witr.

(Jā’ al-Haqq, pp. 443-444, Qadri Publishers Lahore)

Answered by: Tabaruk Madani (Askmufti Scholar)

Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated by: Usman Attari

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