Imām Mālik’s Statement in Favor of 11 Rak‘āt Tarāwīḥ – A Research-Based Review
Taken from: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah, Vol. 1 – Uṣūl, Takhrīj, and Ḥadīth Analysis, p. 669
❖ The Question
Ḥabīb al-Raḥmān A‘ẓamī in his book Raka‘āt al-Tarāwīḥ claims:
“After exhausting every attempt, nothing can be said except that Imām Mālik (رحمه الله) had a statement regarding eleven rak‘āt. But if one were to demand a reliable sanad (chain) proving this attribution to him, which of his students narrated it, and in which authoritative book it is found — one would end up seeing stars in the daytime!”
(Raka‘āt al-Tarāwīḥ, p. 76)
A question was asked whether this challenge is valid.
❖ The Answer
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. To proceed:
There are authentic references which establish that Imām Mālik (رحمه الله) did indeed hold the view of 11 rak‘āt Tarāwīḥ.
Evidence of Imām Mālik’s Statement on 11 Rak‘āt
Ḥāfiẓ Abū Muḥammad ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq ibn ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Ishbīlī (d. 581H) writes in his book al-Tahajjud:
"عن مالك أنه قال : الذي جمع عليه الناس عمر بن الخطاب أحب إلي ، وهو إحدى عشرة ركعة ، وهي صلاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، قيل له : إحدى عشرة ركعة بالوتر ؟ قال : نعم وثلاث عشرة قريب ، قال : ولا أدري من أين أحدث هذا الركوع الكثير ؟"
(Kitāb al-Tahajjud, Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, p. 176, no. 890; another edition: Dār al-Wafā’, p. 287)
Translation:
“It is reported from Mālik that he said: What ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb gathered the people upon is more beloved to me — and it is eleven rak‘āt, and it is the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He was asked: Eleven rak‘āt including witr? He replied: Yes. Thirteen is also close. Then he said: I do not know from where this large number of rukū‘ (rak‘āt) has been innovated.”
This clearly proves Imām Mālik preferred 11 rak‘āt in accordance with the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ.
Scholarly Validation of the Narrator
Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī (رحمه الله) about Ḥāfiẓ ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Ishbīlī:
"الإمام الحافظ البارع المجود العلامة"
(Siyar A‘lām al-Nubalā’, vol. 21, p. 198)
Also:
“He was a jurist, a ḥadīth master, well-versed in ‘ilal (hidden defects), and an expert in rijāl.”
(Siyar, vol. 21, p. 199)
This establishes his credibility and scholarly authority.
Other Mālikī Support
- Imām Abū al-Walīd Yūnus ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Qurṭubī al-Mālikī (d. 429H): Described by al-Dhahabī as:
“The imām, jurist, ḥadīth scholar, chief judge of al-Andalus, one of the great figures.”
(Siyar A‘lām al-Nubalā’, vol. 17, p. 569; al-Dībāj al-Mudhahhab fī Ma‘rifat A‘lam al-Madhhab, vol. 2, pp. 374, 376)
- Shahb ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz (Mālikī scholar): Graded by Ibn Ḥajar as:
"ثقة فقيه" – trustworthy jurist.
(Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb, no. 533)
- Ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥakam al-Mālikī was preferred over Ibn al-Qāsim in some ijtihād-based matters (Siyar, vol. 9, p. 501).
❖ Conclusion
◈ Imām Mālik’s opinion in favor of 11 rak‘āt Tarāwīḥ is authentically transmitted.
◈ The narration comes through a reliable source: Ḥāfiẓ ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Ishbīlī, a trustworthy imām of ḥadīth.
◈ Several Mālikī authorities corroborated this view.
Thus, Ḥabīb al-Raḥmān A‘ẓamī’s challenge that there is “no reliable sanad” for this attribution is invalid. In fact, credible evidence proves otherwise.
ھذا ما عندي، واللہ أعلم بالصواب
