20 Rakaat Taraweeh

Taraweeh is 20 Raka’at – Opinion of Hanafi scholars

First proof

Hadhrat Imam Sarkhsi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes in Mabsut:

فَإِنَّهَا عِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً سِوَى الْوِتْرِ عِنْدِنَا-

 

Translation: In our opinion, Taraweeh is of 20 Raka’at without Witr.

(Mabsut, Sarkhisi, Kitab Us Salaat, Al Faslil Awwali Fi ‘Adadi Raka’at)

Second proof

Imam Kasani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:

وَأَمَّا قَدْرُهَا فَعِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً فِي عَشْرِ تَسْلِيمَاتٍ ، فِي خَمْسِ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ كُلُّ تَسْلِيمَتَيْنِ تَرْوِيحَةٌ وَهَذَا قَوْلُ عَامَّةِ الْعُلَمَاءِ . 

Translation: Taraweeh is 20 Raka’at, offered with 10 salaams and 5 breaks.  After every 2 salaams, a break is to be taken.  This is the ruling of the majority.

(Bada‘i Us Sana‘i, Vol 1, Pg No: 644)

 

Third proof

Imam Abdullah bin Ahmed Nasafi (May Allah shower His mercy on him), the author of Tafseer Midraak writes:

وسن في رمضان عشرون ركعة-

Translation: In the month of Ramadhan, 20 Raka’at of Taraweeh is Sunnah.

(Kanz Ud Daqaaiq, Kitab Us Salaat, Pg No: 34)

 

Fourth proof

Imam Zaila‘i Hanafi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:

( قَوْلُهُ وَهِيَ عِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً ) أَيْ عِنْدَنَا وَبِهِ قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَأَحْمَدُ وَنَقَلَهُ الْقَاضِي عِيَاضٌ عَنْ جُمْهُورِ الْعُلَمَاءِ .

Translation: In our opinion, Taraweeh is of 20 Raka’at and Imam Shafa’ee and Imam Ahmed bin Hambal have also said this.  Allama Qazi Ayaz (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has narrated the same on the authority of the majority of the scholars.

(Tabyeen Ul Haqaiq, Kitab Us Salaat, Bab Witr wan Nawafil)

 

Fifth proof 

Allama Ibn Nujaim Misri (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes in Bahr Ur Raaiq:

 

وَقَوْلُهُ عِشْرُونَ رَكْعَةً بَيَانٌ لِكَمِّيَّتِهَا وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الْجُمْهُورِ لِمَا فِي الْمُوَطَّإِ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ رُومَانَ قَالَ كَانَ النَّاسُ يَقُومُونَ فِي زَمَنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ بِثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَعَلَيْهِ عَمِلَ النَّاسُ شَرْقًا وَغَرْبًا -

Translation: The majority of the Fuqaha say that Taraweeh is of 20 Raka’at, as the Hadith of Hadhrat Yazid bin Ruman (May Allah be well pleased with him) is present in Mawatta Al Malik that in the era of Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) people used to offer 23 Raka’at (20 Raka’at Taraweeh and 3 Raka’at of Witr)

The Muslims of the east and west have been doing the same.

(Al Bahr Ur Raiq, Vol 2, Pg No: 117)

 

It is given in Fatawa A’alamgiri:

وَهِيَ خَمْسُ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ كُلُّ تَرْوِيحَةٍ أَرْبَعُ رَكَعَاتٍ بِتَسْلِيمَتَيْنِ .

كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِيَّةِ وَلَوْ زَادَ عَلَى خَمْسِ تَرْوِيحَاتٍ بِالْجَمَاعَةِ يُكْرَهُ عِنْدَنَا .

هَكَذَا فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ .

 

Translation: Taraweeh is offered with 5 breaks.  Each break is of 4 Raka’at, which is offered with 2 salaams.  If it is offered with more than 5 breaks, it is Makruh (Undesirable) in our opinion.

(Fatawa A‘alamgiri, Kitab Us Salaat, Pg No: 115)

 

Seventh proof

Allama Abdur Rahman Muhammad, popularly known as Shaykh Zada Hanafi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:

(عشرون ركعة) سوي الوتر -

Translation: Apart from Witr, Taraweeh is of 20 Raka’at.  (Majma ‘Ul ANhur, Kitab Us Salaat, Fasl Fit Taraweeh)

Clarification by Hadhrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddis Dehlvi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) 

Hadhrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes about Taraweeh in his monumental work Hujjatullahil Baligha:

وعدده عشرون ركعة- 

Translation: Taraweeh is of 20 Raka’at.

(Hujjatullahil Baligha, Vol 2, Pg No: 18)

(Zujajatul Masabeeh, Haashiya, Vol 1, Pg No: 366)

 

Ninth proof 

‘Allama Haskafi (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written in Durre Mukhtar, Vol 1, Pg No: 521:

(وهي عشرون ركعة) (بعشر تسليمات)

 

Tenth proof

Clarification by Allama Ibn e Abidin Shaami 

Allama Ibn Abidin Shaami Hanafi Naqshbandi writes:

وَلَا يَخْفَى أَنَّ الرَّوَاتِبَ وَإِنْ كَمُلَتْ أَيْضًا إلَّا أَنَّ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ لِمَزِيدِ كَمَالِهِ زِيدَ فِيهِ هَذَا الْمُكَمِّلُ فَتَكْمُلُ .