Proofs of 20 Rakats of Taravih from the Actions & Sayings of Sahaba

Proofs of 20 Rakats of Taravih from the Actions & Sayings of Sahaba

1. Sayyiduna Sa'ib bin Yazid {d. 91 A.H}, who was the governor of Madinah appointed by Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab and was the last Sahabi to have passed away in Madinah says: "We used to return after offering 20 Rakats of Taravih such that the time of 'Fajr' would be near! And during the period of Sayyiduna Umar, we used to offer 23 Rakats of Taravih including 'Witr'." {Musannaf Abdur Razzakh; H# 7733; 4:61}

2. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Yazid bin Ruman Madani that: "People used to offer 23 Rakats during the time of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab.” {Muwatta Imam Malik; Kitab us Salat fi Ramazan; H# 244} The 'Sanad' of this Hadith is 'Sahih'!

3. Sayyiduna Ali bin Abu Talib commanded a person to offer 2o Rakats of Taravih. Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah and Imam Bayhaqi narrated the Hadith which is as follows: "Abul Hasana narrates that Sayyiduna Ali commanded a person to offer 20 Rakats of Taravih with 5 'Tarvihat' ." {Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah; H# 7681; 2:163}

Imam Bayhaqi considered the above mentioned Hadith as 'Zaeef' but it is supported by the following Hadith narrated through another 'Sanad' which is as follows:

4. It is narrated from Abdur Rahman Sulami that Sayyiduna Ali bin Abu Talib called the ‘Qurra’ in the month of Ramazan and ordered a person to lead people for 20 Rakats of Taravih and himself lead the 3 Rakats of ‘Witr’. {Sunan al Kubra Bayhaqi; H# 4620; 3: 188}

This Hadith has been mentioned by Imam Sa'anani in 'Subul Islam' (1:10), Imam Ibn Qudama Hanbali in 'Al Mughni' (1: 456) and Imam Ibn Abdur Birr in 'At Tamhid' (8:115).

5. Sayyiduna Ali bin Abu Talib himself led people in 20 Rakats of Taravih. Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Sulami narrates that: "Sayyiduna Ali used to lead us in Taravih prayer in Ramazan and used to recite 10 Ayats in each Rakat." {Fazail ur Ramazan by Imam Ibn Abi Dunya; 77}

Note: Sayyiduna Ali used to recite 10 Ayats in each Rakat of Taravih thus completing 200 Ayats each day resulting in the completion of the whole Quran in the month of Ramazan. Thus, we come to know that Sayyiduna Ali used to offer 2o Rakats of Taravih just as mentioned in the Hadith by Imam Sa'anani clearly that: "Sayyiduna Ali used to offer and lead 20 Rakats of Taravih." {Subul ul Islam; 2:10}

6. Sayyiduna Yahya bin Saeed reported that: "Sayyiduna Umar commanded a person to lead people in 20 Rakats of Taravih!" {Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah; 2:285}

7. Sayyiduna Abdul Aziz bin Rufa'y al Asdi al Makki reports: "Sayyiduna Ubay bin Ka'ab used to lead people in 20 Rakats of Taravih and 3 Rakats of 'Witr' in Madinah in the month of Ramazan." {Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah; 2:285}

Reconciliation {'Tatbiq'} between the Narrations of Sayyiduna Sa'ib bin Yazid

1. Sayyiduna Sa’ib bin Yazid narrated that: "Sayyiduna Umar Commanded Sayyiduna Ubay bin Ka'ab and Sayyiduna Tamim Dari to lead people in 11 Rakats of Taravih at night and the Imam used to recite 200 Ayats each night due to the intensity of which people used to take support of sticks to stand and the people used to return from Taravih near the time of 'Fajr' prayer!" {Sunan al Kubra; H# 4616; 3:187}

2. Sayyiduna Sa'ib bin Yazid narrated that in the period of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab , the Sahaba and Tabayin used to offer 20 Rakats of Taravih in the month of Ramazan and during the period of Sayyiduna Usman, the Imam used to recite 200 Ayats each night and due to the intensity of Qiyam {standing for Prayer}, people used to take the support of sticks.” {Sunan al Kubra; H# 4617; 3:188}

In the first Hadith, Sayyiduna Sa'ib bin Yazid mentions 11 Rakats of Taravih along with 'Witr' and in the second he mentions 20 Rakats of 'Witr' apart from 3 Rakats of 'Witr'. But, the Hadith of Sayyiduna Yazid bin Ruman which has been mentioned in the previous pages clearly states that during the period of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab , the Sahaba and Tabayin used to offer 20 Rakats of Taravih along with 3 Rakats of 'Witr'. Imam Bayhaqi while trying to reconciliate between the two different Hadiths narrated by Sayyiduna Sa'ib bin Yazid writes: "The Reconciliation {'Tatbiq'} between the narration of Sayyiduna Sa'ib bin Yazid regarding 11 Rakats of Taravih and the narration of 20 Rakats of Taravih by Sayyiduna Yazid bin Ruman can be done in this way that; maybe, the people used to offer 11 Rakats of Taravih, but later on started offering 20 Rakats of Taravih." {Sunan al Kubra; 3:188}

The following Sahaba used to offer 20 Rakats of Taravih as mentioned in the Books of Hadith

1. Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab . 2. Sayyiduna Usman bin Affan . 3. Sayyiduna Ali bin Abu Talib . 4. Sayyiduna Ubay bin Ka'ab . 5. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masud . 6. Sayyiduna Talha bin Ubaydullah . 7. Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib . 8. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas . 9. Sayyiduna Zubayr bin Awwam .10. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubayr and 11. Sayyiduna Muaz bin Jabal . {Ishraq ul Masabih by Imam Subki; 69}

by 

Shaykh al Hadith Mufti Raza al Haq Ashrafi Misbahi

Translated by

Basharath Ali Siddiqui Ashrafi