Taraweeh 8 raka'ats or 20 raka'ats?

Taraweeh

Taraweeh During The Era of Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and the Sahabah (R.A.):

Ibn Abbass (R.A.) states that during the month of Ramadhaan, Nabi (s.a.w.) performed twenty rakaats (Taraweeh) and thereafter performed the witr salaat.
-Baihaqi and Musannaf Ibn Abie Shaiba.

Ubay bin Ka’ab (R.A.) led the Taraweeh prayers and offered 20 rakaats and three rakaats waajib salaat.

Umar (R.A.) commanded the Imaam to perform twenty rakaats Taraweeh salaat for the congregation.

Rasulullah did in fact perform the Taraweeh salaah in Jama’ah, but only curtailed this practice due to the fear that it might be made compulsory (fardh) on the Ummah and this would put them into difficulty. In the era of Umar (R.A.) this fear remained no more, therefore following the original practice of Rasulullah (sa.w.), Umar (R.A.) re-introduced Taraweeh salaah in Jama’ah behind one Imaam. Hence this act of Hazrath Umar (R.A.) is based on the Sunnah of Rasulullah (s.a.w.).

Hazrat Umar (R.A.) during his Caliphate had directed that Taraweeh salaat be performed collectively in the Masjid, lest the practice gradually dissipates from the Ummah. He did not introduce the number of rakaats on his own accord. To believe that the twenty rakaats is an innovation of Umar (R.A.) IS TO UNDERMINE THE INTEGRITY OF Umar (R.A.) and all the Sahabah who were present at that time!

Views of The Scholars:

Imaan Qurtubie (R.A.) states: “ Twenty rakaats Taraweeh and three rakaats witr is the most authentic narration.”

Imaam Nawawie (R.A.) states: “Taraweeh is a unanimously accepted Sunnah of the Muslims. It is twenty rakaats”.


Tahajjud not Taraweeh

The proponents of eight rakaats Taraweeh quote the following Hadeeth of Ayesha (r.a.) as stated in Bukhari Shareef.

Ayesha (r.a.) was asked about the salaat of Nabi (s.a.w.). She replied by saying that Nabi (s.a.w.) did not exceed eleven rakaats in Ramadhaan nor in any other month…".

This hadeeth apparently indicates that Nabi (s.a.w.) performed eight rakaats Taraweeh and three rakaats Witr. However the words ‘nor in any other month’ clearly indicates that this was with reference to Tahajjud salaat and not Taraweeh salaat. The fact that Imaam Bukhari (r.a..) himself has not mentioned this hadeeth under the caption of Taraweeh salaat is clear proof that the salaat in question refers to Witr and not Taraweeh salaat.