20 Rakaat Taraweeh: Its Daleel Analysis (Part 1)

In this series of posts i will try to give as much Daleel as possible that Taraweeh is 20 Rakaats and people who say that its either 8 or 11 do not have valid Daleel.

I will also try to highlight different analytical aspects of the Hadiths, practices of the Ummah for the last 1400 years, the saying and verdicts of the Salaf and answers to some of the arguments which are put forward by the other side.

So in this post you will see the Daleel and that Taraweeh and Tahajjud are two seperate prayers.

The hadith on 20 Rakaat narrated by Abu Usman Al Basri(R) has been attested by Imam Bayhaqi(R) at another place.

Reference: Mu’arif As Sunan

Imam Bayhaqi(R) considers Abu Usman Al Basri(R) Siqah (Trustworthy) and thats is why he has approved and attested this hadith as Sahih.

Reference: Mu’arif As-Sunan Wal Aasaar Book 3, Page 15

Hadith 1 – SANAD: Ali ibnul Ja’ad »»► Ibne Abi Zi’b »»► Yazeed ibne Khusayfah (rahmatullahi alaihim) »»► Saaib ibn Yazeed (Razi Allahu Ta’la Anhu)

Yazeed Bin Khusayfah(R) second student Muhammad Bin Jafar(R) has also copied this hadith of 20 rakaat in Muarif As-Sunan Wal Aasar Lil Bayhaqi 4/42

Hadith 2 – SANAD: Abu Tahir Al-Faqeeh »»► Abu Usman Al-Basri »»► Abu Ahmed Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab »»► Khalid bin Makhlad »»► Muhammad bin Ja’far »»► Yazeed bin Khusayfah (rahmatullahi alaihim) »»► Sa’ib bin Yazeed (raziallahu ta’la anhu)

Again it comes from the student of Yazeed Bin Khusayfah(R), Muhammad Bin Jafar(R)

Hadith 3 – SANAD: Abdur Razzaq »»► Al-Aslami »»► Al-Haris bin Abdur Rahman bin Abi Zubaab (rahmatullahi alaihim) »»► Saa’ib bin Yazeed (raziallahu ta’la anhu)

In this hadith Al Haris Bin Abdur Rahman(R) has done Mutabi’at from Saib Bin Yazeed who was the student of Yazeed bin Khusayfah(R)

Hadith 4 – SANAD: Humayd bin Abdur Rahman »»► Hasan »»► Abdul Azeez bin Rufay (rahmatullahi alaihim)

Hadith 5

Hadith 6 – SANAD: Imam Abu Dawud »»► Shujaa’ Bin Makhlad »»► Hushaim »»► Younus Bin Ubaid »»► Imam Hasan Al-Basri (rahmatullahi alaihim)

From: Sunan Abi Dawood Ba-Hawala Siyar Aa’laam An-Nubala Book 1, Page 400, 401

Hadith 7 – Sheikh Albani(R) copies it and accepts it.

Hadith 8 – From Abu Usman(R) who has been attested by Imaam Bayhaqi(R)

Hadith 9 – From Abu Tahir Al Faqeeh and Abu Usman Al Basri (R). The hadith is accepted and attested by Ziya Al Maqdasi(R), and Abdul Malik Dahish and they both say that these two narrators are SIQAH (Trustworthy)

Hadith 1 – SANAD: Yusuf »»► Abi Yusuf »»► Abu Haneefah »»► Hammad »»► Ibraheem Naqa’i (rahmatullahi alaihim)

Reference: Kitabul Aasaar Li Abi Yusuf (rah.) Page 41

Imam Shafi (R) says 

“I have seen people of my city Makkah practising 20 Rakaat Taraweeh”

[JAAME’ TIRMIZI Volume 2 Page 159, Hadees no 806]

Scan attached from his book >>> Al Hadyun Nabawis Saheeh Fii Salatit Taraweeh 52,53

Be Aware That The Prayer Of Taraweeh Is Sunnah According To Scholarly Consensus, Which Is Twenty Rak’ahs.[AL AZKAAR, SAFHA 242]

Imam Bukhari reported in his book al-Kuna:

عن ابي الخصيب قال كان سويد بن غفلۃ يؤمنا في رمضان عشرين ركعۃ
( الکنی، از امام بخاری، حدیث 234)

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]

From his famous book Mirqaat Sharah Mishkaat, Book 3 – Page 346

From his book Jaame’ Tirmizi

Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalaani Rh. says :

The prayer (salaah) which is prayed in Ramadan with Jamaat (congregation) is called Taraweeh (Fathul Baari : 178/4)

Tahajjud is the prayer (Salaah) which is prayed after some sleep in the night. (Sharah Zaad ul Mustaqni Lil Shanqeeti : Volume  53: Page 8)

1. Evidence of Tahajjud is very clearly mentioned in Quran (Surah Bani Israel – Verse 79) where as Taraweeh is clearly visible through Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)

2. Tahajjud started in Makkah where as Taraweeh started in Madinah.

3. In the beginning Tahajjud was Fard (Compulsory) but later on it was not as mentioned by Ibn Hishaam (Rahimahullah) in Abu Dawud: Volume 1, on Page 189 but Taraweeh is Sunnah.

4. Tahajjud was Fard (compulsory) on Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) as mentioned in Zurqaani Sharah Muwatta Imam Malik Rahimahullah, Volume 1 on Page 311. Where as Taraweeh was not fard (compulsory) on Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)

5. Tahajjud is Sunnat e Ghair Mouakidah and Taraweeh is Sunnat e Mouakidah.

6. In Taraweeh Jamaat is Sunnat e Mouakidah Kifaaya where as Tahajjud does not have any such condition with it.

The above are some of the most visible differences between both.

Explanation of the below scanned hadith in English.

Hadhrat Anas (Rdh) says: Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) (one night) in Ramadan was leading the Taraweeh Salaah, I came and stood behind you, another companion (Rdh) came and he also stood behind him until a Jamaat was formed. When Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) noticed that we all are standing behind him, Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) shortened the prayer and finished it and went inside his hujra (home) and completed the prayer (Tahajjud) inside which he did not pray with us.(Saheeh Muslim : Jild 1 : 352 )

Now this is very clear from the above that the prayer which Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) prayed with the Companions (Rdh) was Taraweeh and the one he prayed seperately was Tahajjud because Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) always prayed Tahajjud in his Hujra (home / room)

Hadhrat Ayesha (Rdh) says: Prophet Muhmmad (S.A.W) used to pray the night prayers in his Hujre (Room / home). (Bukhari : Volume 1 : Page 101)

The words of Hadhrat Anas (Rdh) “went inside his hujra (home) and completed the prayer (Tahajjud) inside which he did not pray with us.” gives evidence that the prayer which Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) prayed with the Companions (Rdh) was actually Taraweeh and the one he (S.A.W) prayed separately was Tahajjud.

So Umar Rdh seeing the Jamaat of Taraweeh told the people: The prayer for which you sleep (meaning Tahajjud) is Afzal (better) than the one for which you are doing Qayyam (meaning Taraweeh) (Bukhari : Volume 1 : Page 299)

The above is daleel and evidence which shows that Hadhrat Umar (Rdh) also differentiated between Tahajjud and Taraweeh Salaah and is encouraging people for tahajjud Salaah after Taraweeh. 

Explanation / Translation of the below scanned in English

Hadhrat Talq Bin Ali (Rdh) son Hadhrat Qais Bin Talq shares a incident about his father:

Hadhrat Qais bin Talq says: (My father) Hadhrat Talq (Rdh) bin Ali came to visit us one day during Ramadan and stayed with us till evening and had iftaar. After that he leaded us in Taraweeh and Witr prayers and then went to his Masjid and leaded the Tahajjud prayers for his companions till only Witr were left. Then he asked one of his companions to lead the prayers and said: You can lead the prayers for them because I heard Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) saying – it is not correct to pray Witr twice in the same night. (Sunan E Abi Dawud : Volume 1 Page 310, Nasai : Volume 1 : Page 119 )

The above clearly shows that Hadhrat Talq (Rdh) prayed Tahajjud after Taraweeh.

Imam Abu Yusuf (Rh) says: Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah every day and every night use to finish Quran but during Ramadan and Eid, he use to finish Quran 62 times. (meaning that he use to finish once during everyday of Ramadan, during taraweeh in the month of Ramadan, once on the day of Eid.) 

References: (Al Khairaat Ul Hisaan : Page 85 ) (Uqdul Jumaan : Page 313 )
( Manaaqib Maufiq : Volume 1 : Page 235 ) ( Manaaqib Kurdi : Volume 1 : Page 241,244) ( Akhbaar Abi Hanifa Wa Ashaabi : Page 41) (Manaaqib Maufiq Ba-Riwaayat E Imam Yahiya Bin Maeen : Page 230)

Likewise a similar narration also comes from Ali Bin Sadaayi (Rh) ( Manaaqib Maufiq : Volume 1 : Page 232)

Another similar narration comes from Shadaad Muhaddis (Rh) who quotes from Abu Jafar (Rh) and Imam Zufar (Rh) says: Abu Jafar said the truth. ( Manaaqib Maufiq : Volume 1 : Page 243 ) (Manaaqib Kurdi : Volume 1 : Page 245)

The explanation is also given by Imam Ibn Himaam (Rh) that Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah use to finish Quran 61 times during Ramadan. One during the day, one during the night and one in the taraweeh. (Fathul Qadeer : Volume 1 : Page : 409)

This shows us that Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah use to finish Quran apart from Taraweeh during Ramadan and he use to finish Quran once during normal days. (Dafyaat : Volume 5 : Page 413 ) (Uqdul Jumaan : 221) (Maufiq : Page: 207 )

And this is very clearly mentioned in the history that Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah use to pray 1000 rakaats in the night. So if he used to pray and finish Quran so much during the normal days, obviously he use to recite and finish it in Tahajjud during Ramadan to complete one whole Quran. 

Hadhrat Wirqaah Rahimahullah says that Hadhrat Saeed Bin Jubair Rahimahullah use to lead the prayers in Ramadan and in the last 10 days he use to do 7 Tarweeha (meaning 20 rakaat Taraweeh, 4 Fard and 4 rakaat tahajjud) (Qiyaal ul Lail Lil Maroozi : 158)

The great Scholar and Researcher of the Maliki school Allama Muhammed Bin Abdri Rahimahullah writes that Imam E Daarul Hijraah Imam Malik Rahimahullah, Imam Abu Muhammed Rahimahullah and Sheikh Abul Hasan Ziyaat Rahimahullah use to pray Tahajjud salaah after Taraweeh. (Al Mudkhal Laa Ibnul Haaj : Volume 2 : Page 299)

When it used to be the first night of the Ramadan, the friends of Imam Bukhari Rahimahullah use to gather and he used to lead the Taraweeh Salaah and he used to recite 20 Ayaats (verses) in each rakaat. In the same manner they use to finish the Quran than at the time of Sehar offer Tahajjud in which from half till Saalis Quran was recited and every third night finish it at Sehar time.  (Hadi Us Saari Muqaddama Fath Ul Baari : Page 666)

From his famous book Al Muqnii Page 34

Another Daleel that Taraweeh and Tahajjud are Seperate prayers

The Chapter of taraweeh and tahajjud are separate by all the following famous Scholars of hadith. This shows that they are both separate prayers.

Imam Bukhari Rh. in his Saheeh Bukhari
Imam Muslim Rh. in his book Saheeh Muslim
Imam Tirimizi Rh. in his book Sunan
Imam Abu Dawud Rh. in his book Sunan
Imam Ibn Majah Rh. in his book Sunan
Imam Nasail Rh. in his book Sunan
Imam Malik Rh. in his book Muwatta
Imam Muhammed Rh. in his book Muwatta
Imam Abdur Razzak Rh. in his book Musannif
Imam Abi Shaiba Rh. in his book Musannif
Imam Behaiqi Rh. in his book Musannif
Imam Dariqutni Rh. in his book Sunan
Imam Baghwi Rh. in his book Maseebih
Imam Khateeb tabreezi Rh. in his book Mishkaat
Imam e Azam Abu Hanifa Rh. in his book Kitaab ul Asaar
Imam Khuwaarizami Rh. in his book Musnad e Imam E Azam Rh.
Imam Ibn Maroozi Rh. in his book Qiyaal ul Lail
Imam Ibn Taimiya Rh. in his book Musqiul Akhbaar
Imam Ibn Hajar Asqalaani Rh. in his book Buloogh ul Mehraam
Imam Ibn Hibban in his book Saheeh Ibn Hibban 

TO BE CONTINUED >>> PART 2 Coming Soon Insha Allah