الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على رسوله الأمين، أما بعد :
No matter how much effort is made to attain nearness to Allah, it is never enough because the main purpose of the life of the believers is that Allah, the Lord of Glory, becomes pleased with them in this universe and that they become successful in the Hereafter.
In this regard, an excellent means is the night prayer (Qiyam al-Layl), about which the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
عليكم بقيام الليل فإنه دأب الصالحين قبلكم وقربة إلى الله عز وجل ومكفرة للسيئات ومنهاة عن الإثم
Hold firmly to the night prayer because it was the practice of the righteous and pious people before you. It is a means of drawing near to Allah, an expiation for sins, and protection from sins.
Also, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
وأفضل الصلاة بعد الفريضة صلاة الليل
After the obligatory prayers, the most virtuous prayer is the night prayer.
This prayer, when performed in the month of Ramadan, is called Qiyam Ramadan and by common people, it is known as Taraweeh, etc. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
Whoever stands (in prayer) during Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins are forgiven.
What is the number of Rak’ahs of such a highly virtuous prayer?
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
ما كان يزيد فى رمضان ولا فى غيره على إحدى عشرة ركعة
Whether it was Ramadan or not, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not pray more than eleven rak’ahs.
From the testimony of Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), it is understood that:
➊ Tahajjud, Qiyam al-Layl, Qiyam Ramadan, and Taraweeh are different names for the same prayer.
➋ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed eleven rak’ahs at night, whether it was Ramadan or not.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him):
صلى بنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى رمضان ثمان ركعات والوتر
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught us to pray eight rak’ahs and Witr in Ramadan.
This number of rak’ahs is also established from the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
Amir al-Mu’minin Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered Ubayy bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) and Tamim al-Dari (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in eleven rak’ahs during Qiyam Ramadan.
In fact, even the followers of Taqlid, including non-Ahl al-Hadith, have acknowledged this reality that the Sunnah is eleven rak’ahs. For example:
Mulla Ali Qari Hanafi said:
فتحصل من هذا كله أن قيام رمضان سنة إحدى عشرة بالوتر فى جماعة فعله عليه الصلوة والسلام
The overall conclusion is that Qiyam Ramadan, i.e., Taraweeh, is eleven rak’ahs including Witr, performed in congregation as Sunnah; this is the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri Deobandi writes:
And it is unanimously agreed that the Sunnah Mu’akkadah (emphasized Sunnah) of Taraweeh is eight rak’ahs.
When it is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and even from the senior non-Ahl al-Hadith scholars that Taraweeh is 8 + 3 = 11 rak’ahs, then what meaning does قيل و قال have?
Such people should keep in mind the command of Allah Almighty:
فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Those who oppose the command of the Messenger should fear that they may be afflicted by some calamity or suffer a painful punishment.
The present book has previously been published under the title “A Research Study on the Number of Rak’ahs of Qiyam Ramadan,” which is a collection of several articles. The original book is “Nur al-Masabih fi Mas’alah al-Taraweeh,” but answers written at different times to objections and doubts raised by various people have also been included and published in it.
Writing Style
The esteemed Sheikh Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote a thought-provoking preface at the beginning of the book in which he highlighted the falsehoods, fallacies, contradictions, betrayals, ignorance, and the tricks of the followers of blind imitation found in the books written on this subject. He made it clear how these people are engaged in deceiving and misleading the simple-minded public.
After the preface, the book “Noor al-Masabih fi Mas’alah al-Taraweeh” begins, in which the respected teacher, through well-reasoned scholarly and research-based discussion, proved that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to pray eleven rak’ahs of Taraweeh (8 + 3 = 11).
Some people had published an advertisement titled “The Sunnah Taraweeh are Twenty,” which was thoroughly dismantled by scholarly and research-based scrutiny due to its weak and baseless arguments.
A person named Masood Ahmad Khan Deobandi wrote a book titled “Zia al-Masabih fi Mas’alah al-Taraweeh,” attempting to turn black into white and white into black. The respected teacher took up his pen only to reveal the truth to the people. This is also the reason why Muhammad Shoaib Qureshi wrote a response—to correct these misunderstandings and to provide scholarly benefit to all.
At the end, two comprehensive discussions—the complete response to the “Chapters of Taraweeh” of Hadith and Ahl al-Hadith, and the addition of eight rak’ahs of Taraweeh and the additions by non-Ahl al-Hadith scholars—have further enhanced the usefulness and comprehensiveness of this book. It should be noted that repetition has been deliberately omitted under the benefits section of the mentioned book. Also, this book is now being republished with both external and internal excellence.
Note: For a detailed study regarding Taraweeh, i.e., the night prayers of Ramadan, refer to the great work of Maulana Nazir Ahmad Rahmani Azmi, may Allah have mercy on him, titled “Anwar al-Masabih bi Jawab Rak’aat al-Taraweeh,” as this book contains many scholarly and research benefits.
Finally, I pray to Allah to accept all the scholarly and religious efforts of our respected teacher Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai, may Allah have mercy on him, and to make this labor and endeavor a means of salvation. آمين
Introduction to the Book
The entire literature of the imitators regarding the emphasized Sunnah of congregational twenty rak’ahs of Qiyam Ramadan, i.e., Taraweeh, consists of the following categories:
◈ Falsehoods:
For example, Muhammad Hussain Naelevi Mamati Deobandi writes on page 135 of his book “Fathur Rahman fi Qiyam Ramadan”:
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to pray twenty rak’ahs in sets of four rak’ahs.
Almost the same statement is found in Masood Ahmad Khan Kamilpuri Deobandi’s “Zia-ul-Masabih” (page: 58) and Khair Muhammad Jalandhari Deobandi’s “Proof of Twenty Taraweeh” (page: 5), etc.
However, there is no such narration in the Hadith collections about Qiyam Ramadan that the Prophet ﷺ prayed four rak’ahs with one salam. The narration of Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها in Sahih Bukhari is:
كان يصلي أربعا
That is, he used to lead four rak’ahs, and the explanation of this is confirmed from Umm al-Mu’minin in Sahih Muslim as:
يسلم بين كل ركعتين
The Prophet ﷺ used to give salam after every two rak’ahs.
◈ Contradictions:
A disconnected narration in Muwatta Imam Malik in which the number twenty is mentioned has been strongly supported by many followers of taqlid by quoting Shah Waliullah Dehlawi’s statement that according to the muhaddithin, all narrations of Muwatta Imam Malik are authentic. See “Hujjatullah al-Baligha,” Habib ur Rahman Azmi Deobandi’s book “Raka’at Taraweeh pp. 63, 64,” Khair Muhammad Jalandhari’s “Bees Raka’at pp. 35, 36,” Mr. Noor Ahmad Chishti’s “Saif Aktafi p. 104,” Ruh al-Amin (Isha’ati) “Qiyam Ramadan pp. 12, 143,” etc.
On the other hand, an uninterrupted narration of Muwatta Imam Malik with unanimously trustworthy narrators (in which the number eleven is mentioned) has been dismissed by some by creating a self-made confusion and calling it weak and unreliable to escape from it.
For example, see Khair Muhammad’s “Main Raka’at Ka Saboot” (pp. 24 to 26), Azam Garhi’s “Raka’at Taraweeh pp. 7, 8 and pp. 37 to 40,” etc.
Abul Qasim Rafiq Dalawari Sahib writes in “At-Tawdih ‘an Raka’at at-Taraweeh” (p. 167):
“And on the vast earth, only Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) is the personality who first mentioned eight raka’at Taraweeh in the world.”
It is asked: Is the personality of the Imam of Dar al-Hijrah an ordinary personality?
Dalawari Sahib further writes:
“Similarly, we are certain that the narration of eleven in Muwatta Imam Malik is absolutely authentic in its chains, but unfortunately, our Ahl al-Hadith brothers misunderstood Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) and thought twenty as eleven.” (p. 170)
Whereas the accusation of misunderstanding is absolutely rejected; Shauq Naimwi Hanafi has also strongly denied this accusation. See “Ta’liq Aathar as-Sunan p. 250” and Maulana Al-Muhaqqiq Al-Faqih Nazir Ahmad Rahmani’s “Anwar Masabeeh Bijawab Raka’at Taraweeh p. 236,” etc.
Many taqlid-following authors have argued from Abu Shaibah Ibrahim bin Uthman’s narration of twenty raka’at and the non-congregational fabricated narration. See “Fath ur-Rahman p. 55,” “Saif Ashkafi p. 7.” In fact, the debater of Hayati Deobandis, Master Amin Okaraavi “Abu Muawiyah Safdar” Sahib wrote this fabricated narration on the cover of his booklet “Tahqiq Mas’alah Taraweeh” and on page 9 called it “authentic.” إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
Whereas even the followers of taqlid have admitted that this fabricated narration is (at least) weak. See “At-Tawdih ‘an Raka’at at-Taraweeh p. 79,” Ruh al-Amin’s booklet “Qiyam Ramadan p. 29,” the advertisement of Hadro’s Deobandis, etc. Some of them have even claimed this.
The conclusion is that no specific limit or determination regarding Taraweeh from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is absolutely established.
See Qiyam Ramadan p. 10, also see Khair Muhammad Sahib’s “Bees Taraweeh Ka Saboot” p. 9, Habib ur Rahman Azmi Garhi’s “Raka’at Taraweeh p. 16.”
◈ Betrayals :.
For example, Ruh al-Amin Deobandi has quoted a narration from Imam Tirmidhi’s Jami’ in “Qiyam Ramadan page: 18” and titled it “Consensus of the Ummah on twenty rak’ahs of Taraweeh,” but he omitted the statement of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, which completely destroys this consensus.
Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
روي فى هذا ألوان، لم يقض فيه شيء
Various narrations have been reported in this, and he did not make any decision regarding it.
That is, Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, says that there are different types of narrations in this chapter, and he did not decide which of these narrations is reliable and trustworthy. Anyway, Muhammad Deobandi himself has inserted fabricated brackets in the translation of this phrase, causing a distortion of meaning.
◈ Tricks :.
It is regrettable that some people have tried to support and defend Abu Shaibah Ibrahim bin Uthman, a discredited and accused liar narrator. For example, see Khair Muhammad’s “Proof of Twenty Taraweeh, page 40,” Nilwi’s “Fathur Rahman, page 57,” Noor Ahmad Chishti’s “Saifus Sahafi, pages 85, 88, 89,” Dilawari’s “At-Tawdhih, page 142,” Azam Garhi’s “Rak’aat Taraweeh, pages 56, 57.”
Whereas Zaili Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, has narrated in Nasbur Rayah (Vol. 2, p. 153) from “Al-Fuqaha” Abu al-Fath Salim bin Ayyub al-Razi, may Allah have mercy on him, that there is consensus on Abu Shaibah being weak. For the severe criticisms of Abu Shaibah by the Muhaddithin, see “Mizan al-I’tidal” and “Tahdhib al-Tahdhib” (1/125, translation: 257), among others.
◈ Tahajjud and Taraweeh :.
Some followers of Taqlid have tried to differentiate between Tahajjud and Taraweeh and have declared the lack of difference as the doctrine of (only and only) the “non-followers of Taqlid,” whereas Anwar Shah Kashmiri, may Allah have mercy on him, was also a proponent and announcer of the lack of difference.
◈ Claim of Ijma (Consensus) :.
Some have claimed consensus on the Sunnah status of congregational prayer consisting of only twenty rak’ahs, whereas their own books mention significant disagreements. See Dalawari’s “At-Tawdhih, page: 146” and Al-Ayni Al-Hanafi’s “Umdat al-Qari: 127,126/1,” etc.
◈ Ignorances:.
Some people have committed multiple ignorances, for example, some have mistaken Ishaq bin Rahwayah for Ishaq bin Yasar, and some have mistaken Nafi’ bin Umar for Nafi’ Mawla Ibn Umar. See “At-Tawdhih, pages: 174, 150.”
◈ Fallacies:.
Many followers of blind imitation have tried to deceive naive Muslims by starting irrelevant discussions from the main topic, for example:
In one chain of narration of the tradition mentioning eight rak’ahs, there is Muhammad bin Humaid Al-Razi, on whom Khair Muhammad Jalandhari in “Proof of Twenty Rak’ahs Taraweeh, p. 21” and Muhammad Hussain Naevi in “Fathur Rahman, pages 115, 120” have severely criticized, so that people may think that this tradition depends solely on Muhammad bin Humaid. However, this tradition has also been narrated by other trustworthy narrators besides him, so blaming Muhammad bin Humaid for this tradition is pure fallacy.
◈ Discrepancy between claim and evidence :.
The imitators claim that only twenty rak’ahs of Taraweeh are an emphasized Sunnah. To support this claim, they have presented numerous disconnected and weak narrations (which are not clear in their claim), along with several reports from the Tabi‘in in which it is mentioned that such and such Tabi‘i used to pray twenty rak’ahs, or that such and such Tabi‘i saw people praying twenty rak’ahs. See Khair Muhammad Sahib’s book “Proof of Twenty Rak’ahs of Taraweeh,” Habib-ur-Rahman Sahib’s “Rak’ahs of Taraweeh,” etc.
However, these reports have no connection to the claim. A Tabi‘i praying twenty or twenty-one rak’ahs is not evidence that this number is the emphasized Sunnah. The claim of the imitators can only be considered valid if they prove explicitly in these reports from the Tabi‘in that they prayed these rak’ahs considering them the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ or the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
◈ Vulgar and street language:
For example, Mr. Noor Ahmad Chishti writes in his book “Saif al-Hanafi” about Maulana Muhammad Rafiq al-Salafi: An ignorant Salafi (p. 72). Muhammad Amin Okaraavi Sahib (!) writes: “The chameleon-like changing colors of the non-followers” (Research on the Issue of Taraweeh, page: 29). The author of these words, in his various articles compiled in this book, has proven with utmost justice and impartiality, based on the principles of the hadith scholars and considering the Book, Sunnah, and consensus, that during Ramadan and outside Ramadan, throughout the twelve months of the year, it is Sunnah to perform eleven rak’ahs of Qiyam after the Isha prayer until the Fajr adhan. Occasionally, two rak’ahs after Witr are exempt from this general rule. According to our research, in the state of presence, these two rak’ahs are a special practice of Sayyiduna Imam Azam Muhammad Rasulullah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. However, if someone considers them general and follows them, he is a rewarded Mujtahid. والله اعلم
