Irrefutable Evidence for Eight Rak'ahs of Tarawih

Author: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai, Pakistan [May Allah have mercy on him]

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim
Alhamdulillah wahdahu wassalatu wassalamu ala man la nabiya ba'dah, Amma ba'd:

Our great Imam, Muhammad Rasoolullah (peace be upon him), used to pray eleven rak'ahs from after the Isha prayer until the Fajr prayer.

Proof No. 1​

❀ It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to pray eleven rak'ahs between the time he finished the Isha prayer, which people call 'Atamah, until the Fajr prayer. He would say salaam after every two rak'ahs and pray one rak'ah of Witr." etc.
[Sahih Muslim: 1/254, Hadith 736]

Proof No. 2​

❀ Abu Salamah bin Abdur-Rahman asked Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):

How was the night prayer (Tarawih) of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Ramadan? Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied: "Whether in Ramadan or otherwise, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never prayed more than eleven rak'ahs." etc.

[Sahih Bukhari: 1/229, Hadith 2013, Umdat al-Qari: 11/128, Book of Fasting, Book of Tarawih, Chapter on the Virtue of the One Who Prays in Ramadan]

An Objection:​

Does this Hadith pertain to Tahajjud?

Answer: Tahajjud, Tarawih, Qiyam al-Layl, Qiyam Ramadan, and Witr are different names for the same prayer.

Proof ①: It is not proven that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed Tahajjud and Tarawih separately.

Proof ②: The Imams of Hadith have titled the chapters on Qiyam Ramadan and Tarawih with the Hadith of Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). For example:

• Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fasting (Kitab al-Sawm), Book of Tarawih (Kitab Salat al-Tarawih), Chapter on the Virtue of One Who Prays in Ramadan.
• Muwatta Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani: [p. 141], Chapter on Qiyam of Ramadan and its Virtue.

Mawlana Abdul Hayy Lakhnawi wrote in its commentary:Qawluhu, Qiyam Shahr Ramadan wa yusamma TarawihMeaning: Qiyam Ramadan and Tarawih are the same.

• Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi [2/495, 496], Chapter on the Number of Rak'ahs for Qiyam in Ramadan.

Proof ③: No Hadith scholar or jurist from the predecessors has stated that this Hadith is not related to the Tarawih prayer.

Proof ④: This Hadith has been presented by several Imams in opposition to the fabricated and rejected Hadith of twenty rak'ahs, such as:

• Allama Zayla'i al-Hanafi. [Nasb al-Raya: 2/153]
• Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani. [Al-Diraya: 1/203]
• Allama Ibn Humam al-Hanafi. [Fath al-Qadir: 1/467, published by Dar al-Fikr]
• Allama Ayni al-Hanafi. [Umdat al-Qari: 11/128]
• Allama Suyuti. [Al-Hawi lil-Fatawi: 1/348] and others.

Proof ⑤: The questioner only inquired about Qiyam Ramadan, which is known as Tarawih. He did not ask about the Tahajjud prayer. Moreover, Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) elaborated on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) prayer in Ramadan and outside of Ramadan. Therefore, this Hadith explicitly proves the eleven rak'ahs of Tarawih.

[Summarized from the conclusion of Ikhtilaf: p. 64 with slight variation]

Proof ⑥: Some people claim that Tahajjud and Tarawih are two separate prayers. Their principle is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed 23 rak'ahs of Tarawih [3, 20] and the same night 11 rak'ahs of Tahajjud [3, 8] (as they believe is proven from the Hadith of Sahih Bukhari).

Here is the issue: This implies that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed Witr twice in one night, whereas the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are no two Witrs in one night."

[Tirmidhi: 1/107, Hadith 470, Abu Dawud: 1439, Nasa'i: 1678, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1101, Sahih Ibn Hibban: 1671, its chain is authentic]

↰ Imam Tirmidhi commented on this Hadith:This is a Hasan Gharib Hadith.

Note that all the narrators of this Hadith are trustworthy. Since there can be no contradiction in the words and actions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), it is proven that he prayed only one Witr in the night. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is proven to have prayed only eleven rak'ahs [3, 8], not 23 [3, 20]. Hence, differentiating between Tahajjud and Tarawih is invalid.

Proof ⑦: Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri Deobandi admitted that Tahajjud and Tarawih are the same prayer and there is no difference between them. See: [Faiz al-Bari 2/420], [Al-‘Arf al-Shadhi 1/166]. This is a testimony from the opponents' side. No one has responded to this statement of Kashmiri so far.

Proof ⑧: Amir al-Mu'minin Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) also considered Tahajjud and Tarawih to be the same. For details, see: [Faiz al-Bari 2/420].

Proof ⑨: Several scholars have forbidden a person who has prayed Tarawih from performing Tahajjud. [Qiyam al-Layl by Marwazi, cited in Faiz al-Bari: 2/420]

↰ This is clear evidence that these scholars considered Tahajjud and Tarawih to be the same prayer.

Proof ⑩: The narration of Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him): "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led us in Ramadan for eight rak'ahs and Witr." etc., also supports this as discussed further. Therefore, this Hadith certainly pertains to Tarawih.

And those are ten complete proofs.

Proof No. 3​

❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led us in prayer during Ramadan. He prayed eight rak'ahs and Witr." etc.
[Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2/138, Hadith 1070; Sahih Ibn Hibban [Al-Ihsan]: 4/62, 64, Hadith 2401, 2406]

An Objection:​

**In its chain, Muhammad bin Humayd
Proof No. ➌
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led us in prayer during Ramadan. He prayed eight rak'ahs and Witr." etc.
[Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2/138, Hadith 1070; Sahih Ibn Hibban [Al-Ihsan]: 4/62, 64, Hadith 2401, 2406]

An Objection:​

In its chain, Muhammad bin Humayd al-Razi is a liar. [Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl by al-Marwazi, p. 197]
Answer: This Hadith has been narrated from Ya'qub bin Abdullah al-Qummi by several narrators other than Muhammad bin Humayd, such as:

1. Ja'far bin Hamid al-Kufi. [Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi: 5/1889; Al-Mu'jam al-Saghir by al-Tabarani: 1/190]
2. Abu al-Rabi'. [Al-Zahrani / Musnad Abu Ya'la al-Mawsili: 3/336, 337, Hadith 1801; Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith 2401, 2406]
3. Abd al-A'la bin Hammad. [Musnad Abu Ya'la: 3/336, Hadith 1801; Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi: 5/1888]
4. Malik bin Ismail. [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2/138, Hadith 1070]
5. Ubaydullah i.e., Ibn Musa. [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2/138, Hadith 1070]

↰ All these narrators are trustworthy (thiqah) and reliable (saduq), so the objection against Muhammad bin Humayd is incorrect and rejected.

Another Objection:​

In its chain, Ya'qub al-Qummi is weak. Imam al-Daraqutni said he is not strong (layisa bil-qawi).
Answer: Ya'qub al-Qummi is trustworthy; the majority of scholars have declared him reliable (thiqah).

1. Nasa'i said: "There is no harm in him (laysa bihi ba's)."
2. Abu al-Qasim al-Tabarani said: "Trustworthy (thiqah)."
3. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in his book Al-Thiqat (The Trustworthy Ones) and declared his Hadith authentic.
4. Jarir bin Abdul Hamid used to refer to him as the "Believer of the family of Pharaoh."
5. Ibn Mahdi narrated from him. [Tahdhib al-Tahdhib: 11/342, 343] ◈ And Ibn Mahdi only narrated from trustworthy narrators. [Tadrib al-Rawi: 1/317]
6. Hafiz al-Dhahabi said: "Reliable (saduq)." [Al-Kashif: 3/255]
7. Ibn Khuzaymah considered his Hadith as Hasan.
8. Nur al-Din al-Haythami considered his Hadith as Hasan.
9. Imam al-Bukhari narrated from him in his Ta'liq and mentioned him in his Al-Tarikh al-Kabir [8/391, Hadith 3443] without any criticism, thus he is reliable according to him. See: Qawa'id fi Ulum al-Hadith [p. 136, by Zafar Ahmad al-Thanawi]
10. Hafiz Ibn Hajar remained silent on his individual Hadith in Fath al-Bari [3/12, under Hadith 1129], and this silence (according to the Deobandis) is a sign of acceptance of his Hadith. [Qawa'id fi Ulum al-Hadith p. 55]

And those are ten complete proofs.

Another Objection:​

In the chain of this narration, Isa bin Jariyah is weak. He has been criticized by Ibn Ma'in, al-Saji, al-Aqili, Ibn Adi, and Abu Dawud. Some have even labeled him a denier of Hadith (munkar al-Hadith).
Answer: Isa bin Jariyah is considered trustworthy, reliable (saduq), or hasan al-Hadith by the majority of scholars.

1. Abu Zur'ah said: "There is no harm in him (la ba'sa bihi)."
2. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Al-Thiqat.
3. Ibn Khuzaymah considered his Hadith authentic.
4. Al-Haythami declared his Hadith authentic. [Majma' al-Zawa'id: 2/72] ◈ and called him trustworthy. [Majma' al-Zawa'id: 2/185]
5. Al-Busiri declared his Hadith Hasan in Zawa'id Sunan Ibn Majah. [See Hadith 4241]
6. Al-Dhahabi said his isolated Hadith is of moderate chain (isnaduhu wasat).
7. Al-Bukhari mentioned him in Al-Tarikh al-Kabir [6/385] without any criticism.
8. Hafiz Ibn Hajar remained silent on his Hadith in Fath al-Bari. [3/10, under Hadith 1129]
9. Hafiz al-Mundhiri called one of his Hadith good in chain (bi-isnad jayyid). [Al-Targhib wal-Tarhib: 1/507]
10. Abu Hatim al-Razi mentioned him without any criticism. [See Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil: 6/273]

↰ Abu Hatim's silence (according to the Deobandis) indicates the reliability of the narrator. [Qawa'id fi Ulum al-Hadith: p. 247]
Therefore, this chain is Hasan (good).
And those are ten complete proofs.

Proof No. 4​

❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) that:

"I prayed eight rak'ahs and Witr in Ramadan and informed the Prophet (peace be upon him) about it, and he did not say anything (in objection), so it became the approved Sunnah."

[Musnad Abu Ya'la: 3/236, Hadith 1801]

◈ Allama Haythami commented on this Hadith:

"It was narrated by Abu Ya'la and similarly by al-Tabarani in Al-Awsat, and its chain is Hasan."

[Majma' al-Zawa'id: 2/74]

↰ The chain of this Hadith is the same as that of the Hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him). See p. 5. Mawlana Sarfaraz Safdar Deobandi writes: "If Allama Haythami did not have the expertise to discern the authenticity and weakness of Hadiths in his time, then who else did?"

[Ahsan al-Kalam: 1/233; Tawdeeh al-Kalam: 1/279]

Proof No. 5​

❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Amir al-Mu'minin Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he ordered Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b and Sayyiduna Tamim al-Dari (may Allah be pleased with them) to lead the people in eleven rak'ahs (during the nights of Ramadan).

[Muwatta Imam Malik: 1/114, Hadith 249; Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi: 2/496]

This Hadith is present in many books, such as:

1. Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar [1/293, and it is used as evidence].
2. Al-Mukhtarah by Hafiz Diya al-Maqdisi [cited in Kanz al-Ummal: 8/407, Hadith 23465].
3. Ma'rifat al-Sunan wa al-Athar by al-Bayhaqi [2/367, 368, published as 2/305, Hadith 1366 b].
4. Qiyam al-Layl by al-Marwazi [p. 200].
5. Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq [cited in Kanz al-Ummal: Hadith 23465].
6. Mishkat al-Masabih [p. 115, Hadith 1302].
7. Sharh al-Sunnah by al-Baghawi [4/120, under Hadith 990].
8. Al-Muhadhdhab fi Ikhtisar al-Sunan al-Kabir by al-Dhahabi [2/461].
9. Kanz al-Ummal [8/407, Hadith 23465].
10. Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Nasa'i [3/113, Hadith 4687], among others.

The chain of this directive from Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is entirely authentic.

Reason 1:​

All the narrators are exceptionally trustworthy.

Reason 2:​

There is no criticism of any narrator in this chain.

Reason 3:​

A narration with the same chain exists in Sahih Bukhari, in the Book of Hajj. [Hadith 1858]

Reason 4:​

Shah Waliullah al-Dahlawi has stated that according to the Ahl al-Hadith, all the Hadiths in the Muwatta are authentic. [Hujjat Allah al-Balighah: 2/241, Urdu]

Reason 5:​

Imam Tahawi al-Hanafi has used this narration as evidence by saying "this indicates". [Ma'ani al-Athar: 1/193]

Reason 6:​

Diya al-Maqdisi included this narration in his book Al-Mukhtarah, which proves its authenticity. See: [Ikhtisar Ulum al-Hadith, p. 77]

Reason 7:​

Imam al-Tirmidhi said about a similar chain: Hasan Sahih [Hadith 926]

Reason 8:​

None of the early Hadith scholars have declared this narration weak.

Reason 9:​

Allama Baji (may Allah have mercy on him) has accepted this narration. [Muwatta with Sharh al-Zarqani: 1/238, Hadith 249]

Reason 10:​

The famous non-Ahl al-Hadith scholar Muhammad bin Ali al-Nimawi [d. 322 AH] said about this narration:"And its chain is authentic." [Athar al-Sunan, p. 250]

(Therefore, some biased individuals' claim in the fifteenth century that it is inconsistent (mudtarib) is false and baseless.)

Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs​

❀ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:"So whoever among you lives after me will see many differences. You must then follow my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Hold on to it and cling to it stubbornly."

[Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2/96, Hadith 2676]

↰ About this Hadith, Imam al-Tirmidhi said: "This is a Hasan Sahih Hadith."

↰ Note that the Caliphate of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) is proven by an authentic text and is agreed upon by the Muslims.

In another Hadith, it is mentioned that:❀ The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:"Follow the two who come after me: Abu Bakr and Umar."

[Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2/207, Hadith 3662; Ibn Majah: 97]

↰ About this Hadith, Imam al-Tirmidhi said: "This is a Hasan Hadith."

↰ Therefore, it is proven that this directive of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) holds the status of a Marfu' Hadith, and the Marfu' Hadiths support it. There is not a single authentic Marfu' Hadith that contradicts it.

Proof No. 6​

❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna al-Sa'ib bin Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) that:

"We (i.e., the Companions) used to pray eleven rak'ahs during the time of Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)." etc.

[Sunan Sa'id bin Mansur, cited in Al-Hawi lil-Fatawa: 1/349, and Hashiyat Athar al-Sunan, p. 250]

↰ All the narrators of this narration are considered trustworthy (thiqah) and reliable (saduq) according to the majority.

Allama Jalaluddin al-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) [d. 911 AH] wrote about this narration:

"In the Musannaf of Sa'id bin Mansur, this (narration of eleven rak'ahs) is with a chain of utmost authenticity."

[Al-Masabih fi Salat al-Tarawih by al-Suyuti, p. 15; Al-Hawi lil-Fatawa: 1/350]

↰ Therefore, it is proven that the consensus of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) was on eleven rak'ahs for Qiyam Ramadan (Tarawih).

Proof No. 7​

❀ It is mentioned in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah:

"Indeed, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the people behind Ubayy (bin Ka'b) and Tamim (al-Dari) (may Allah be pleased with them), and they led them in eleven rak'ahs."

[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 2/392, Hadith 7670]

↰ The chain of this narration is entirely authentic, and all its narrators are from Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and are unanimously considered trustworthy (thiqah).

Proof No. 8​

❀ Twenty rak'ahs of Tarawih is not definitively proven from the Prophet (peace be upon him).

◈ Anwar Shah Kashmiri Deobandi states:"As for the twenty rak'ahs, it is reported with a weak chain and there is consensus on its weakness."[Al-'Arf al-Shadhi: 1/166]

↰ Therefore, the narration of twenty rak'ahs has been unanimously rejected by the Ummah.

◈ Tahtawi Hanafi and Muhammad Ahsan Nanotvi say:"Because the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not pray twenty rak'ahs but prayed eight."[Hashiyah Tahtawi on Al-Durr al-Mukhtar: 1/295, and the wording is his; Hashiyah Kanz al-Daqaiq: p. 36, Hashiyah: 4]

◈ Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri said:"It is unanimously agreed that the confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu'akkadah) for Tarawih is eight rak'ahs."[Barahin Qati'ah: p. 195]

◈ Abdul Shakoor Lakhnawi said:"Although eight rak'ahs of Tarawih is Sunnah from the Prophet (peace be upon him), there is a weak narration from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) about many rak'ahs..."[Ilm al-Fiqh: p. 198]

↰ These references have been presented as evidence.

Proof No. 9​

❀ Twenty rak'ahs of Tarawih is not definitively proven from Amir al-Mu'minin Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) with a continuous and authentic chain. The narrations of Yahya bin Sa'id al-Ansari and Yazid bin Ruman are disconnected (munqati'). This has also been acknowledged by Hanafi and Taqleedi scholars. The rest of the narrations do not represent the command of the Caliph, nor the practice of the Caliph, nor the practice of the people in the presence of the Caliph. Only a person who is weak and disconnected presents weak and disconnected narrations.

Therefore, the evidence presented does not establish that twenty rak'ahs of Tarawih were practiced or commanded by Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).

Proof No. 10​

❀ Twenty rak'ahs of Tarawih are not definitively proven from any single Companion with a continuous and authentic chain.

وتلك عشرة كاملة

↰ Therefore, it is established that eleven rak'ahs is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and the practice of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

◈ Imam Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi (d. 543 AH) beautifully stated:"The correct number is to pray eleven rak'ahs, which is the prayer and standing of the Prophet (peace be upon him). As for any other number, there is no basis for it."[Aridat al-Ahwazi Sharh al-Tirmidhi: 4/19]

◈ Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said:"The practice that I adhere to for Qiyam Ramadan is what Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the people upon, which is eleven rak'ahs, and it is the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I do not know where these numerous rak'ahs came from."[Kitab al-Tahajjud: p. 176, Hadith 890; another version: p. 287]

Dear readers! The Sunnah of praying eleven rak'ahs (Tarawih) has been established by multiple scholars (including Hanafi scholars), as it is proven from our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him), the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as mentioned above. Therefore, there is no need to provide additional references from scholars. And it is sufficient for those who have understanding.

The Claim of Consensus on Twenty Rak'ahs of Tarawih is False.​

Here are some references, each of which invalidates the claim of consensus on twenty rak'ahs:

Reference 1:​

Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 179 AH) said:"I adhere to the practice of eleven rak'ahs for Qiyam Ramadan (Tarawih), the same number Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the people upon, and it is the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I do not know where people got these numerous rak'ahs from."Ibn Mughith al-Maliki mentioned this. [Kitab al-Tahajjud: p. 76, section: 890; another version: p. 287; compiled by Abdul Haqq al-Ishbili, d. 581 AH]

Note 1: The narration attributed to Ibn al-Qasim from Imam Malik is rejected. See: [Kitab al-Du'afa by Abu Zur'ah al-Razi: p. 534]

Note 2: The mention of Younis bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Mughith al-Maliki’s book "Al-Mutahajjidin" can be found in Siyar A'lam al-Nubala [17/570].

◈ Aini al-Hanafi said:"And it is said that Tarawih is eleven rak'ahs; this was chosen by Imam Malik and Abu Bakr al-Arabi."[Umdat al-Qari: 11/126, Hadith 2010]

Reference 2:​

Twenty rak'ahs of Tarawih are not proven with an authentic chain from Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him). On the contrary, it appears from the Muwatta of Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani that Imam Abu Hanifa was of the opinion of eleven rak'ahs.

Reference 3:​

Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), after preferring twenty rak'ahs of Tarawih, said:"There is no restriction or limit in this matter because it is a voluntary prayer. If they prolong the standing and reduce the number of rak'ahs, it is good and I prefer it more. If they increase the number of bowings and prostrations, it is also good."[Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl by al-Marwazi: p. 202-203]

↰ It is clear that Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) retracted his preference for twenty rak'ahs and favored both eight and twenty rak'ahs, considering eight better. And Allah knows best.

Reference 4:​

Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked by Ishaq bin Mansur about the number of rak'ahs to be prayed in Ramadan. He replied:"It is narrated in different ways, up to forty rak'ahs. It is a voluntary prayer."[Mukhtasar Qiyam al-Layl: p. 202]

◈ The narrator says that "Imam Ahmad did not make any conclusive decision regarding this." (as to how many rak'ahs should be prayed). [Sunan al-Tirmidhi: Hadith 806]

↰ It is evident that none of the four Imams considered twenty rak'ahs of Tarawih to be a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah Mu'akkadah), nor did they restrict it to that number, deeming more or less to be impermissible.

Reference 5:​

Imam al-Qurtubi (d. 656 AH) said:"Then there is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding the preferred number of rak'ahs for Qiyam. According to Malik: the preferred number is thirty-six rak'ahs... And many scholars say it is eleven rak'ahs, based on the previous Hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)."[Al-Mufhim lima Ashkala min Talkhis Kitab Muslim: 2/389-390]

Note: The Hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is found in Al-Mufhim by al-Qurtubi [2/374] with the words "He did not exceed eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan or otherwise." From this statement of Imam al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him), it is evident that the majority of scholars adhered to eleven rak'ahs.

Reference 6:​

Qadi Abu Bakr al-Arabi al-Maliki (d. 543 AH) said:"The correct number is to pray eleven rak'ahs, which is the prayer and standing of the Prophet (peace be upon him). As for any other number, it has no basis in the Sunnah, and there is no limit to it because it is a voluntary prayer."[Aridat al-Ahwazi: 4/19, Hadith 806]

Reference 7:​

Aini al-Hanafi (d. 855 AH) said:"The scholars have differed regarding the preferred number of rak'ahs for Qiyam Ramadan, with many differing opinions... And it is said that Tarawih is eleven rak'ahs."[Umdat al-Qari: 11/126-127]

Reference 8:​

Allama al-Suyuti (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 911 AH) said:"The scholars have differed regarding the number of rak'ahs for Tarawih."[Al-Hawi lil-Fatawa: 1/348]

Reference 9:​

Ibn Humam (d. 861 AH) said:"From all of this, it is concluded that the Sunnah of Qiyam Ramadan (Tarawih) is eleven rak'ahs with Witr in congregation, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed it."[Fath al-Qadir Sharh al-Hidayah: 1/407]

Reference 10:​

Imam al-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:"The scholars have differed regarding the number of rak'ahs for Qiyam Ramadan."[Sunan al-Tirmidhi: Hadith 806]

↰ These references show that the claim by Deobandis and Barelvis that "twenty rak'ahs is the only confirmed Sunnah and that fewer or more are not permissible" is incorrect and invalid. All these references are from before the British colonial period, thus proving that the claim of consensus on twenty rak'ahs is false.