Salam Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Alhamdulillah wa Salatu wa Salam ala Rasulillah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
My dear brothers and sisters, yesterday I received a very concerning email. Someone was accusing all the masajid that pray 20 rak’ahs, 21 rak’ahs with Witr, or 23 rak’ahs of going against the Sunnah. They referenced Shaykh Al-Albani (rahimahullah), claiming that the only Sunnah way to pray Taraweeh in Ramadan is 8 rak’ahs with 3 Witr, as they believe this was the only way the Prophet ﷺ prayed.
First, I would like to advise this brother to read more about the subject before making such claims. The companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to pray more than 8 rak’ahs.
The Practice of Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA)
There is an authentic hadith narrated by Sa‘ib ibn Yazid (RA), in which he said that during the time of Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA), he ordered the people to pray 23 rak’ahs (20 Taraweeh + 3 Witr).
Scholarly Consensus on Taraweeh
Many great scholars from the four major schools of thought have affirmed that praying 20 rak’ahs plus 3 Witr is part of the established Sunnah:
- Imam Abu Hanifa (Hanafi)
- Imam Malik (Maliki)
- Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Hanbali)
They all agreed that the Sunnah allows 20 rak’ahs and 3 Witr, as was practiced by the companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Hadith of Aisha (RA) on the Prophet’s Prayer
When Aisha (RA) was asked how the Prophet ﷺ prayed at night during Ramadan, she said:
“O my son, whether in Ramadan or outside of Ramadan, the Prophet ﷺ never prayed more than 8 rak’ahs (or 11 including Witr). But do not ask how long they were or how beautiful they were.”
This hadith is often quoted by those who claim that praying more than 8 rak’ahs is incorrect. However, they fail to mention that the Prophet’s 8 rak’ahs were extremely long. In just one rak’ah, the Prophet ﷺ would recite Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Aal-e-Imran, and Surah An-Nisa, making his night prayer last several hours.
No Fixed Limit on the Number of Rak’ahs
The Prophet ﷺ also said in a hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari from Ibn Umar (RA):
“The night prayer is prayed in sets of two rak’ahs, two rak’ahs, two rak’ahs…”
This shows that there is no fixed limit on how many rak’ahs a person may pray at night.
Moreover, there are authentic narrations where the Prophet ﷺ prayed more than 8 rak’ahs—in some cases up to 30 rak’ahs.
Conclusion
The most important thing is to follow your local masjid and maintain unity in worship:
- If the masjid prays 8 rak’ahs, pray 8.
- If the masjid prays 20 rak’ahs, pray 20.
- Both practices are correct and part of the Sunnah.
May Allah grant us the correct understanding of the deen and keep our intentions sincere.
Wa Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.