Rakats !full! — Taraweeh

To understand the debate, one must first revisit the practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Authentic narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim confirm that the Prophet led his companions in night prayers (Qiyam al-Layl) during Ramadan for three nights, deliberately not continuing on the fourth night for fear that these prayers might become obligatory upon his community. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), when asked about the Prophet’s night prayer, famously replied, “He would pray eleven rakats” (Sahih al-Bukhari). This narration is the cornerstone for those who advocate for 8 or 11 rakats (8 Taraweeh + 3 Witr). For this group, the Prophet’s personal, consistent practice represents the sunnah in its purest, most unadulterated form, and they argue that adding more rakats constitutes an unwarranted innovation (bid'ah).

The word "Taraweeh" is derived from the Arabic word which linguistically means "to rest" or "to relax". This name reflects the tradition of taking short breaks between every four units of prayer to rest and reflect. The History and Origin of Taraweeh taraweeh rakats

Today, the number of rakats varies based on local tradition and mosque management: How to Pray Taraweeh? | Islamic Relief Canada To understand the debate, one must first revisit

💡 Don’t let the numbers stop you from praying. Whether you pray 8, 20, or start with just 2—what matters most is the quality of your prayer and standing before Allah. This narration is the cornerstone for those who

: During the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) , the practice of praying in congregation was formalized. Historical records and major schools of thought (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali) note that under his direction, the congregation performed 20 rakats . This was done to allow for shorter standing times per rakat while maintaining a high total of worship. Modern Practices and Variations

: Authentic narrations from Aisha (RA) indicate that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) did not exceed 11 rakats (8 for Taraweeh and 3 for Witr) in Ramadan or any other month. He initially led the congregation for a few nights but eventually prayed at home to prevent the prayer from becoming an obligatory burden on the community.

🔹 Many mosques pray 20 rakats . This was introduced by the Caliph Umar (RA) to standardize the prayer for the congregation. This is also acceptable and a great act of worship.