Taraweeh Rakats -
The holy month of Ramadan is a time of intense spiritual devotion for Muslims worldwide. Central to this nightly worship is the special prayer known as Taraweeh, performed only during this blessed month. Yet, beneath the serene atmosphere of mosques filled with voices reciting the Quran lies a long-standing and often passionately debated question: How many rakats (units of prayer) constitute the authentic Taraweeh? Is it 8, 11, or 20? This essay explores the historical origins, the key scriptural evidences, the reasoning behind the dominant positions, and the underlying principle that has allowed for this diversity within the unity of Islamic practice.
In conclusion, the question of Taraweeh rakats is not a simple matter of right versus wrong. It is a profound illustration of how Islamic jurisprudence gracefully accommodates legitimate differences of interpretation. The 8-rakat position holds fast to the explicit personal practice of the Prophet. The 20-rakat position holds fast to the unified, consensus-based practice of the early Muslim community, established for public benefit. For the average believer, the correct path is not to engage in divisive polemics, but to follow the established practice of their local mosque or scholarly tradition with sincerity. What matters most, as the Prophet’s own hesitation to make Qiyam al-Layl obligatory shows, is that Taraweeh remains a gift—a flexible, voluntary, and deeply rewarding act of worship that brings Muslims together under the shared goal of devotion, whether they rise and bow eight times or twenty. The night is long, the mercy of Allah is vast, and the best prayer is one offered with a present heart—regardless of the count. taraweeh rakats
However, the narrative of Taraweeh did not conclude with the Prophet’s lifetime. The pivotal moment occurred during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). Seeing people praying in scattered, small groups, Umar perceived a need for communal unity. He gathered the believers behind a single imam, Ubayy ibn Ka’b, to perform the prayer in congregation. It is recorded that under Umar’s directive, they prayed . This action is described by early historians and scholars as a “beautiful innovation” (bid'ah hasanah) in the technical, linguistic sense—meaning a practice not established as a congregational sunnah by the Prophet, but one that serves a higher maslahah (public interest) without contradicting any core principle. The great hadith scholar Imam al-Bayhaqi and others have noted that the companions during Umar’s time did not object to this number, implying a consensus (ijma') of the Sahaba on the permissibility of 20 rakats. The holy month of Ramadan is a time
