Ruling on Praying More than Eleven Rakʿahs in Tarawīḥ during Ramadan
Taken from: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 227
Question
Some of our Ahl al-Ḥadīth brothers, in the odd nights of Ramadan, perform more than eleven rakʿahs of Qiyām (Tarawīḥ), such as twenty rakʿahs or a little more or less. Is this practice correct when only eleven rakʿahs are proven from the Ahadith?
✔ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, wa-ṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
Whether in Ramadan or outside Ramadan, it is permissible in Qiyām al-Layl (Tahajjud or Tarawīḥ) to lengthen the recitation, so that more Qur’an can be recited.
However, the number of rakʿahs should not be increased beyond what has been proven from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
That is, Qiyām al-Layl should not exceed eleven rakʿahs, since this is what is authentically established from the Sunnah.
Important Points
❀ In Ramadan and outside Ramadan, long recitation in Qiyām al-Layl is allowed.
❀ The number of rakʿahs must not exceed what is proven from the Sunnah.
❀ The correct way is to restrict to eleven rakʿahs, as practiced by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
