Evidence for 20 rakahs of Taraweeh from authentic ahadithIn the following synopsis we will provide the most authentic evidence to support the claims of the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafii, Hanbali schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and most importantly that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and in the unanimous view and practice of the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them all) therakahs oftaraweehare twenty.The narrations that will be presented have the stamp of authentication by at least ten distinguished scholars. Al-Imam al-Hafiz Jamaluddin al-Zaylai[2]has recorded in his bookNasb ur-Rayah[3]that:Al-Bayhaqi has related inal-Marifa[4](via the following chain of transmission):Abu Tahir al-Faqih -> Abu Uthman al-Basri-> Abu Ahmad Muhammad ibn Abdal Wahhab -> Khalid ibn Mukhallad -> Muhammad ibn Jafar -> Yazid ibn Khaseefah -> Saeeb ibn Yazid,who said:In the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu) the people used to observe 20rakahs and thewitr.Al-Nawawi said inal-Khulasa:Its Isnad is Sahih.Hafiz al-Zaylai has also mentioned after reporting the authenticity of this Hadith, that Imam al-Bayhaqi has also reported another version of the above narration through a different channel of transmission, in hisSunan al-Kubra. The narration referred to has been mentioned in the footnotes by the council of Islamic scholars (Majlis al-Ulama) who editedNasb ur-Rayah[5], in the following words:(Bayhaqi) has related inal-Sunan[6](via the followingisnad):Abu Abdullah al-Hussain ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hussain finjuwayh al-Dinawari - Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Sunni - Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul Aziz al-Baghawi - Ali ibn al-Jad - Ibn Abi Dhib -Yazid ibn Khaseefah - Saeeb ibn Yazid,who said:In the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab, radiallahu anhu, they would perform 20 rakats in the month of Ramadan. He said (also): And they would recite the Miin[7], and they would lean on their sticks in the time of Uthman ibn Affan, radiallahu anhu, from the discomfort of standing.All the men in the (above)isnadare trustworthy, as mentioned by the Indian research scholar, Shaykh al-Nimawi[8], inAthar al-Sunan[9].The evidence which proves that Umar (radiallahu anhu) ordered the practise of 20rakahs has been recorded by Shaykh Ali al-Muttaqi al-Hindi[10]in the largest collection of Hadith available today:Kanz al-Ummal fi Sunan al-aqwal wal Afal[11], as follows from Ubayy ibn Kab (radiallahu anhu):Umar (radiallahu anhu) ordered him (Ubayy) to lead the people in prayer at night in Ramadan, because the people fastduring the day and can not recite (the Quran) well, therefore it is better that you should recite (the Quran) during the night. I (Ubayy) asked: O commander of the believers, this thing was not done before. He said: I know, but it is a good practise, and so (Ubayy) led (the Companions) for 20rakahs.There are many other narrations which prove the case for twentyrakahs, but some of these narrations are less authentic than others, nevertheless they are weighty enough to back each other up and raise the level of authentication to at least Hasan (good); as Shaykh Nimawi andothers have verified.For the readers benefit one may refer to the following books of Hadith for at least 25 further proofs:*.Muwatta Imam Malikfrom Yazid ibn Ruman[12]*.Sunan al-Kubraof Imam al-Bayhaqi[13]from: Ibn Abbas, Yazid ibn Ruman (same as Imam Maliks narration), Suwayd ibn Ghaflah, Ali ibn Abi Talib etc. Also refer toMarifatus Sunanof al-Bayhaqi.*.Musannafof Imam Abdur Razzaq[14]from: Saeeb ibn Yazid and al-Hasan.*.Musannafof Imam Ibn Abi Shaibah[15]from some 13 differentisnads.*.Qiyam ul-lail[16]of Imam Muhammad ibnNasr al-Marwazi from: Saeeb ibn Yazid, Yazid ibn Ruman, Ibn Masud, Amash al-Kufi, Ibn Sirin, Malik, al-Shafii and others.A selection of the scholars of Hadith who authenticated and used al-Bayhaqis narrations as a proof for 20 rakahs of Taraweeh*.Imam Yahya al-Nawawi (d. 676 AH)He has authenticated the narration recorded and mentioned above from al-BayhaqisMarifatus-Sunan, in his bookal-Khulasa- this was mentioned by Hafiz al-Zaylai inNasb ur-Rayah(see above). Besides this narration, he has also recorded the alternative narration recorded by Imam al-Bayhaqi in hisSunan al-Kubra.He has declared this variant narration to be a decisive argument and proof for the Shafii Madhhab, as well as saying: Its Isnad is Sahih, in his voluminous work:al-Majmu Sharh al-Muhadhhab[17].*.Imam Jamaluddin Yusuf al-Zaylai (d. 762 AH)We have mentioned above that Hafiz al-Zaylai in his analysis of the narrationsfound in the Hanafi fiqh book:al-Hidaya, has recalled the narration from al-BayhaqisMarifatus-Sunan, and quoted Imam al-Nawawi as his authority to declare this narration to be Sahih.*.Imam Badruddin al-Ayni (d. 855 AH)He said in his famous commentary to Sahih al-Bukhari:Umdat ul-Qari[18]:The argument of our companions (the Hanafi scholars) as well as the Shafiis and Hanbalis is what al-Bayhaqi has related with an authentic chain of transmission (Sahih Isnad)...*.Imam Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 AH)He has noted inSharhul-Nuqayah[19]:Imam al-Bayhaqi has reported on genuine authority (Sahih) the performing of 20rakahs of Taraweeh during the periods of Umar, Uthman and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), and hence there has been consensus on it.*.Imam Kamaluddin ibn al-Humam (d. 861 AH)Imam Ibn al-Humam asserts that it has been established from genuine authority (sahih) that the Companions and their Successors used to say 20rakahs of Taraweeh during the auspicious time of Umar (radiallahu anhu); this authority of Yazid ibn Ruman (as in Imam Maliks narration) has been reported from Saeeb ibn Yazid that,During Umars auspicioustime we used to say 20rakahs. The genuineness of this authority has been verified by Imam Nawawi in the synopsis[20].*.Imam Taqi al-Din as-Subki (d. 756 AH)*.Zayn al-Din al-Iraqi (d. 806 AH)and*.Jalaluddin as-Suyuti (d. 911 AH)According to Imam Abdal Hayy Lucknawi[21]in his workTuhfatul Akhyar[22], Imam Nawawi, Iraqi and Suyuti[23]have all considered Bayhaqis narration as reported in hisSunan al-Kubrato be Sahih.Shaykh Habibur Rahman al-Azami has also affirmed that Nawawi, Iraqi and Suyuti have declared Imam al-Bayhaqis narration to be Sahih. He has also reported that Imam al-Subki[24]and Mullah Ali al-Qari have both declared the alternative narration recorded by Bayhaqiin hisMarifatus Sunanto be Sahih[25].*.Imam Muhammad Shauq Nimawi (d. 1322 AH)We have mentioned previously that Shaykh Nimawi has declared Imam al-Bayhaqis narration to be Sahih inAthar al-Sunan[26].*.Imam Ibrahim al-Halabi (d. 956 AH)He has noted inal-Kabiri[27]:The argument of the majority of people is the report which Imam al-Bayhaqi has reported with sound authority (Sahih), that during Umar as well as Uthman and Alis (may Allah be pleased with them), 20rakahs was performed.Other contemporaryOther prominent scholars who have used Imam al-Bayhaqis narrations, besides other proofs include: Shaykh Habibur Rahman al-Azami (see above), Shaykh Ismail Ansari (see later), Shaykh al-Muqri inTahqeeq al-Taraweeh, Shaykh Zafar Ahmad Uthmani in his monumentalIla as-Sunan[28], Shaykh Abdur Rahim Lajpuri inFatawa al-Rahimiyya[29], Shaykh Ahmad Khan inJaal Haqq[30], Shaykh Taqi al-Uthmani inDars-e-Tirmidhi[31]and many others.A writer once claimed that Imam al-Bukhari held the view that therakahs ofTaraweeh were eight, excluding thewitr. What is surprising to note is that despite his bold ascription of this view to Imam al-Bukhari, he did not furnish one shed of proof or reference to the works of Imam al-Bukhari to verify his claim.On the contrary, the commentators of Sahih al-Bukhari, like Hafiz Ibn Hajar and Hafiz al-Ayni have not ascribed any view for 8rakahs to Imam al-Bukhari to our knowledge. What is unsurprising to note isthat the two aforementioned scholars of Hadith have mentioned the proofs in favour of 20rakahs. One may raise the catechism - if Imam al-Bukhari had held the view ascribed to him, would there be no doubt that his great student, Imam Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi[32], would not have failed to mention this?For
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 23:30:29 +0000
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