Reference: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 490
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated regarding Qiyām al-Layl that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the prayer for only one night, whereas in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī it is mentioned that he ﷺ prayed for three consecutive nights, and in Sunan Abī Dāwūd it is reported that he ﷺ prayed for only two nights. So which narration of Ḥaḍrat ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) is correct?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
◄ According to Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, the correct view is that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Qiyām in Ramadan for three nights.
◄ The narration regarding Qiyām al-Layl which mentions only one night does not negate the other two nights.
◄ Similarly, the narration in Abū Dāwūd that mentions only two nights does not reject the third night.
◄ It is very possible that the narrators, while reporting, exercised brevity and did not mention the full detail.
The Prophet ﷺ led the Companions in three nights of Qiyām Ramadan (Tarawih), and the difference in narration is due to the shortened reporting style of different narrators, not because of any contradiction.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
❖ Question
Ḥaḍrat ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated regarding Qiyām al-Layl that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the prayer for only one night, whereas in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī it is mentioned that he ﷺ prayed for three consecutive nights, and in Sunan Abī Dāwūd it is reported that he ﷺ prayed for only two nights. So which narration of Ḥaḍrat ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) is correct?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
◄ According to Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, the correct view is that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Qiyām in Ramadan for three nights.
◄ The narration regarding Qiyām al-Layl which mentions only one night does not negate the other two nights.
◄ Similarly, the narration in Abū Dāwūd that mentions only two nights does not reject the third night.
◄ It is very possible that the narrators, while reporting, exercised brevity and did not mention the full detail.
✦ Conclusion
The Prophet ﷺ led the Companions in three nights of Qiyām Ramadan (Tarawih), and the difference in narration is due to the shortened reporting style of different narrators, not because of any contradiction.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
