Sunday, August 15, 2010

How many rakaat should be in terawih?

"This is an erroneous claim. This is what has been stated in the Hanafi books of fiqh (jurisprudence), for we do not find any book that can be authentically ascribed to Abu Hanifah (d.150H) rahimahullah. Rather, what is apparent from looking into al-Muwatta of Imam Muhammad (one of the main students of Abu Hanifah) is that Abu Hanifah's mazhab (school of thought) was to pray eleven rak'ahs.

Imam Muhammad includes a chapter in al-Muwatta (p.110), stating: "Chapter: Establishing the Night Prayer in the month of Ramadhan, and the virtues contained in it." Under this chapter he relates four al hadith. The first, third and fourth narrations do not make mention of any specified number of rak'ahs for the tarawih prayer, rather they just mention the excellence of establishing Prayer in congregation and the excellence of the night prayer in Ramadhan. 

However, in the second narration eleven rak'ahs is mentioned. Then Imam Muhammad said (p.111): "And we take all of this."... Thus, he has shown that his mazhab is eleven rak'ahs(8+3), and this can only be the mazhab of Imam Abu Hanifah - rahmatullah 'alayhi - as well.

Ash-Shafi'i (d.204H) - rahimahullah - said: "There is no limit to its maximum, since it is an optional prayer. Thus, if the standing is lengthened, whilst the number of prostrations is shortened (i.e. the number of rak'ahs is fewer), then that is good and that is what is most beloved to me. However, if the number of prostrations and bowings are increased (i.e. the number of rak'ahs are increased), then this is also good."7 So it is affirmed that Imam ash-Shafi'i - rahimahullah - does not advocate restricting the number of rak'ahs to twenty. Rather, he gives preference for there to be fewer rak'ahs and an increase in the length of standing.

perihatin 

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