Since the time of the Sahaba, till the present day, the tarawih prayer in Ramadan has been performed as twenty units. This is the case even now in the holy sanctuaries of Makkah and Medina. We know for sure that the majority of the Sahaba and the Followers (tabi’een) would perform twenty units, and this as we will see, is one of the strongest proofs of the tarawih being twenty units, since it is inconceivable that the Sahaba could collectively abandon the Sunnah in such a way.
Many of the people of knowledge took it upon themselves to refute the claims that the Sunnah of tarawih is eight units and that twenty is a baseless innovation. One of the works in this field is this text below which is a translation of the chapter on tarawih from the book Al-Salatu fil-Islam by the late Syrian scholar, Sheikh Abdullah Sirajuddin al-Husayni (may Allah have mercy on him).
In it, the Sheikh mentions the one proof for eight units and then mentions twenty-one proofs for twenty units.
All footnotes are by the translator.
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The Tarawih prayer and the number of its units – by Sheikh Abdullah Sirajuddin al-Husayni
The scholars differed regarding the number of units for the tarawih prayer.
Imam al-Tirmidhi said in his Sunan “The people of knowledge differed regarding the night prayer in Ramadan i.e. the tarawih prayer. Some of them opined that forty-one units should be performed including the witr. This is the saying of the people of Medina and this is to be practiced, according to them, in Medina.
Tirmidhi (also) said “The majority of the people of knowledge took the position that the tarawih prayer is twenty units as narrated from Umar, Ali and other Sahaba of the Prophet ﷺ. This was the position of (Sufyan) al-Thawri, (Abdullah) ibn al-Mubarak and Imam al-Shafi’i.
Imam al-Shafi’i said “This is what I found in our city of Makkah; they prayed twenty units.”
Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal said “What has been narrated regarding this matter – the number of units in the tarawih prayer – are various positions, meaning there are differing narrations regarding the number of units.” – He (Imam Ahmed) did not settle on a specific number.
Imam Ishaq said “Rather, we choose forty-one units based upon what was narrated from Ubay ibn Ka’b.” (Sunan Tirmidhi)
Some of the scholars amongst the Muhaditheen and others considered that the number of units of the tarawih prayer was eight. They relied upon a narration in Sahih Bukhari and others as evidence.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked “How was the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Ramadan?” She said “He would not increase, in Ramadan or other than it, to more than eleven units. He would pray four units, and do not ask about their beauty and length! Then he prayed another four units and do not ask about their beauty or length! Then he prayed three units (i.e., the witr). So I said ‘O Messenger of Allah. You sleep before you pray the witr? He said ‘O Aisha. Indeed, my eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.’ (1)
The Proof of those who say the Tarawih prayer is twenty units:
Indeed, the proofs of the majority of the scholars and Imams of the Hanafis, Shafi’is, Malikis and Hanbalis that the tarawih prayer is twenty units are numerous. We shall mention a summary of them:
- Imam al-Bayhaqi narrates in Marifa al-Sunan wa l-athar that al-Sa’ib bin Yazeed said “We used to stand in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) for twenty units and the witr.”
Imam al-Nawawi said in al-Khulasa: It’s chain of transmission (isnad) is sound (saheeh) as transmitted by (Mulla Ali) al-Qari in al-Mirqat and Ibn al-Humaam in Fath al-Qadeer.
- Imam Malik narrates in al-Muwatta from Yazeed ibn Ruwman that he said “The people used to stand in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) in Ramadan for twenty-three units (including witr). It’s chain of transmission is strong (qawiy) as noted in Badh al-Majhud.
- Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates from Yahya ibn Sa’eed that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered a man to lead them in prayer for twenty units. It’s chain of transmission is strong.
- Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates in his Musanaf that Abd al-Aziz ibn Rafiy said: Ubay ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) used to lead the people in twenty units of prayer during Ramadan in Medina and then pray three units of witr. It’s chain of transmission is strong.
- Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates that Ata said: I found the people praying twenty-three units including the witr. It’s chain of transmission is good (hasan).
- Al-Bayhaqi narrates that Abu al-Khaseeb said: Suwayd ibn Ghaflah used to lead us in prayer during Ramadan with five breaks (tarwiyhaat)(2)with twenty units. It’s chain of transmission is good.
- Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates that Nafi said: Ibn Abi Mulaykah used to lead us in prayer in the month of Ramadan for twenty units. Its chain of transmission is sound.
- Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates from Sa’d bin Ubayd that Ali ibn Rabi’ah used to lead them in prayer in Ramadan for five tarwiyhaat – meaning twenty units – and would perform the witr as three units. It’s chain of transmission is sound as noted in Badh al-Majhud Sharh Sunan Abi Dawud.
- Muhammad bin Nasr narrates in the chapter titled the number of units in which the Imam leads the people in Ramadan, that Zayd ibn Wahb said “Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) used to lead us in prayer during Ramadan. By the time he left it was night time.”
Al-A’mash said: Ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray twenty units and three units as witr.
- Muhammad bin Nasr also narrates in the aforementioned chapter from Abdullah ibn Qays that Shatir, who was one of the known companions of Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him), used to lead them in prayer during Ramadan for twenty units and three units of witr.
All of these ahadith and narrations, whilst combining and strengthening one another, establish a sound proof and clear evidence that the tarawih prayer is twenty units.
This is evident from a number of perspectives:
- These narrations together prove that there is a basis (asl) for performing twenty units in the actions of the majority of the Sahaba and Tabi’een(3) who were previously mentioned. It also proves that considering the tarawih prayer to be twenty units is not a weak opinion (qawlan da’eefan). Rather, the majority of the Sahaba and Tabi’een were upon this as proven through the previously cited reports.
- These Imams from the Sahaba and Tabi’een who were previously mentioned, were certainly not innovators, rather, they were followers of the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. So it is impossible, religiously and legally (deenan wa shar’an), that they would perform twenty units of prayer during Ramadan, lead the people in prayer, and the majority of the people would follow them and pray behind them; it is impossible for that to be from their own selves without them having an established proof from the Prophet ﷺ for the tarawih being twenty units.
- Do you think that Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ibn Masud, Ubay ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with them all) and those after them from amongst the Tabi’een who have been mentioned would forgo acting upon a Hadith which indicates that the tarawih prayer is eight units? And that they would perform twenty units without any established evidence from the Prophet? Never! Far be it from them to do such a thing! Rather, they certainly had from the Sunna of the Prophet ﷺ that which established this number of twenty, even if it has not been transmitted to us with a fully connected sound chain.
- What we have mentioned is further supported by what is narrated by Imam al-Tabarani, Ibn Abi Shayba and al-Bayhaqi from the Hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), which states that the Prophet ﷺ used to perform twenty units in Ramadan other than the witr. It’s chain of transmission is weak however the aforementioned reports support it and raise it (the narration).
- Our Master Umar’s adherence to the Sunnah and opposition to innovations is well known and famous. It is soundly reported about him that when he kissed the black stone (al-hajar al-aswad) he said, “I know you cannot cause harm or give benefit. By Allah, if I had not seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ kissing you, I would not kiss you!”
So if twenty units of tarawih was not something he had established from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he would not have preceded with it nor encourage people upon it.
- The silence of the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) and their affirmation of Umar encouraging the people to perform twenty units of tarawih is a proof of this being established from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Especially Sayidah Siddiqah the daughter of Sayiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her). Indeed her silence and absence of objection, is evidence of agreement with the action of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), since if the action of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was not in conformity with the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, then Siddiqah certainly would have objected to it. Indeed Umar was not a tyrant whom people feared to oppose or criticise as is supported by his stance relating to the woman (in the following narration):
Hafiz Abu Ya’la narrates with his chain of transmission, that Masruq said: Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) climbed the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and then said “O People! What is this excess in your dowries to women? With the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Sahaba the dowry was four-hundred dirhams and what is less than that. If increasing upon that amount was considered piety in the sight of Allah or generosity then you would not have preceded them in doing it! So I must not know of a man who exceeds in giving a woman more than four-hundred dirhams.” Then he descended from the pulpit.
A woman from Quraish objected to him and said: “O leader of the believers. Are you prohibiting the people from increasing the dowry of a women more than four-hundred dirhams?”
He said “Yes.” So she said “Have you not heard what Allah sent down in the Quran?”.
He said “And what is that?”.
She said “Have you not heard Allah saying: “…even if you have given her a great amount of gold, then do not take any of it back.” (Surah an-Nisa: 20)
So Umar said “O Allah, forgiveness! Everyone is more intelligent than you O Umar!”
According to another narration Umar said “The women was right and the man was wrong.” Then he returned to the pulpit and said “O people. I used to prohibit you from increasing the dowry of women more than four-hundred dirhams. However (now I say), whoever wants to give from his wealth whatever he wishes can do so.” The chain of transmission is good and strong.
- Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered the people to perform tarawih as twenty units. This is something in which there is no scope for opinion or ijtihad(4). It is therefore inevitable that he had a proof which traces back to the Prophetﷺ .
This is just as has been mentioned in al-ikhtiyar from Abu Yusuf who said “I asked Abu Hanifa about the tarawih prayer and Umar’s actions in relation to it.”
He (Abu Hanifa) said “The tarawih is an emphasised Sunnah (Sunnah Muakadah) and Umar did not fabricate something about it from himself, nor did he innovate anything in it and nor did he order others regarding it except that he had a basis for it and a covenant from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
- When we perform the tarawih prayer as twenty units, we do not contradict the action of the Prophet ﷺ and his Sunnah. Rather, we establish the act according to his Sunnah and implement it in the way that the Sahaba understood the Sunnah of tarawih to be. Indeed Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ibn Masud and Ubay ibn Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with them) prayed it as twenty units and in doing so they were adhering to his ﷺ Sunnah as established according to them. So we also pray similarly and thereby act upon the Sunnah; in accordance with what was established by those Sahaba i.e. twenty units.
- When we perform the tarawih prayer as twenty units, we are establishing the act according to the Sunnah of tarawih in a way which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us when he said “Follow two people after me; Abu Bakr and Umar.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi)
There is also his ﷺ saying “Indeed some of you who live will soon see much disagreement. I therefore order you to adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs(5). Cling to it with your teeth! And be wary of newly invented matter for indeed every innovation is misguidance.”
From this we know that Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) were not innovators! Rather, they were Imams who followed. And when we perform tarawih as twenty units, we are in line with following the established truth from him ﷺ in the way which was understood and established by Umar (may Allah be pleased with him); and adopted by the people.
Imam Tirmidhi narrated (and authenticated the narration) that (Abdullah) ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said “Indeed Allah has placed the truth upon the tongue of Umar and in his heart.”
And Ibn Umar said “There was never a situation that afflicted the people, they spoke about it and Umar would also speak about it, except that verses of the Quran would be revealed regarding it in confirmation of what Umar said.”
It is therefore said to the one who rejects twenty units and believes that the truth is contrary to what Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered: Twenty units is correct just as Umar ordered and just as the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) confirmed. This is because Allah Most High placed the truth on his tongue and heart as testified by the Prophet ﷺ.
- All of this is not contradicted by what is narrated in al-Muwatta(6), that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) would order that the tarawih including the witr to be performed as eleven units. The interpretation for this is that Umar only commanded this initially, as established by the Hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) which was previously mentioned. Then after that he ordered people to pray the tarawih in twenty units, as when he and others had established via strengthened evidence that the Prophet ﷺ would perform twenty units, he ordered people to do that.
- What further proves this, is that Imam Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who narrated the report which mentions eight units as well as the report mentioning twenty units, did not adopt the narration of eight units but rather adopted the narrations of twenty units, as mentioned in Mukhtasar Khalil. He said “Then it was made thirty-six units.” The commentator (of Mukhtasar Khalil) said “And it (thirty-six units) is the preferred opinion of Malik in al-Mudawanah where he says “This is what the people have continued acting upon (i.e. in al-Medina al-Munawarah).”(7)
Finally we say, indeed the previously mentioned Sahaba and Tabi’een (may Allah be pleased with them) all established the practise of twenty units as did the Four Imams(8) and those who follow them. All of these were reliable, God-fearing, pious, followers (of the Sunnah) who were not innovators. Considering them to be ignorant, criticising them or calling them unreliable in transmission, is tantamount to criticism of the core of the sharia and its rulings! This is because they are the conveyors of the sharia and the people of its chains of transmission.
[1] The Sheikh here mentions the main narration which is used by those who insist on performing eight units. However, the scholars have clarified that the eleven units (eight plus three witr) mentioned by Sayidah Aisha in this Hadith are referring to the tahajjud (night prayer) of the Prophet ﷺ hence why she said ‘in Ramadan or other than it’. Another possible interpretation is that eleven units were performed initially but then the ruling changed to twenty. Also, as we will soon see, Sayidah Aisha never objected to Sayiduna Umar and the rest of the Sahaba performing twenty units, showing that she agreed with their actions.
[2] The short breaks for rest we take after every four units are called tarwiyhaat.
[3] The Tabi’een (followers) were those Muslims who met the Sahaba (Companions).
[4] Ijtihad is when a qualified scholar strives to derive a legal ruling from the Quran and Sunnah on a matter.
[5] The Rightly Guided Caliphs are Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.
[6] A book of Hadith compiled by Imam Malik bin Anas
[7] At the time of Imam Malik in the city of Medina they would add an extra sixteen units to the twenty. The reason they did this was because in Makkah after every four units they would perform tawaf around the Ka’bah. Since they could not do this in Medina, they would pray an extra four units individually between each four with the congregation.
[8] I.e. Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam al-Shafi’i and Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal
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