Bismihi Ta`ala *We should not decrease Taraweeh rakaats* *First of all know that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam performed Taraweeh during Ramadhaan, but then left it on sunnah Muakadah prescription in fear that it may become wajib and that people will later neglect it.* صحيح البخاري - (7 / 137) حدثنا يحيى بن بكير حدثنا الليث عن عقيل عن ابن شهاب أخبرني عروة أن عائشة رضي الله عنها أخبرته أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خرج ليلة من جوف الليل فصلى في المسجد وصلى رجال بصلاته فأصبح الناس فتحدثوا فاجتمع أكثر منهم فصلى فصلوا معه فأصبح الناس فتحدثوا فكثر أهل المسجد من الليلة الثالثة فخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فصلى فصلوا بصلاته فلما كانت الليلة الرابعة عجز المسجد عن أهله حتى خرج لصلاة الصبح فلما قضى الفجر أقبل على الناس فتشهد ثم قال أما بعد فإنه لم يخف علي مكانكم ولكني خشيت أن تفترض عليكم فتعجزوا عنها فتوفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم والأمر على ذلك *Reported in Bukhari that Rasouloullah SAW came out to pray one night and people started follow him. Then the second night, the crowd grew more and on fourth night, the Masjid was full and that’s when Rasouloullah SAW did not come out* . *After Fajr He explained that he feared that this salaah becomes wajib and then people will be very sinful neglecting it.* *Fuqahas explain that the salaah already reached Sunnah Muakadah prescription. Had Rasouloullah SAW came out on 4th night, then it would have reach woujoub.* *At this point, there is no mention that the salaah where people gathered in the Masjid was tahajud. Because Tahajud is a nafil salaah done daily in the last past of the night. Jaufil Akhir-last part of the night. Not Jauf-during night. As mentioned in the above hadith.* *Now, those sahabahs that participated with Rasouloullah SAW these salaahs, they will definitely have noted the number of rakaats. That is why in Tirmizi, it is mentioned that most ulamas of the first century who were the proxy students of sahabahs agreed that Taraweeh salaah is 20 rakaats.* سنن الترمذي - (3 / 299) وَأَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ عَلَى مَا رُوِيَ عَنْ عُمَرَ وَعَلِيٍّ وَغَيْرِهِمَا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ و قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَهَكَذَا أَدْرَكْتُ بِبَلَدِنَا بِمَكَّةَ يُصَلُّونَ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً *Imaam Tirmizi writes: ‘’Most Ulamas agree to what was reported from Umar ra, Ali ra and other than them also from the lots of sahabahs of Rasouloullah SAW agreed unanimously that taraweeh is 20 rakaats. The same opinion is expressed by Thowry, Ibn Mubarak and Imaam Shafi`ee. Imaam Shafi`ee says I saw the people of Makkah reading 20 rakaats Taraweeh(around year 160 hijri).* *So from the first century until 2021/1442, there was always 20 rakaats in Makkah Mukaramah. And a present great Arab scholar named Atiyah bin Salim assembled the history of taraweeh of all generations in Masjid An Nabawi and he concludes that all time during all generations Masjid An Nabawi was all time prayed 20 rakaats taraweeh.* *So it is a Bid`ah to innovate 10 rakaats taraweeh in harams.* *Sinful to neglect the remaining 10 rakaats rakaats because taraweeh is sunnah muakadah.* *Since this is a sunnah from the times of Khulafas rashid, we should absolutely not deviate from 20 rakaats.* صحيح ابن حبان - (1 / 11) أوصيكم بتقوى الله ، والسمع والطاعة ، وإن عبدا حبشيا مجدعا ، فإنه من يعش منكم فسيرى اختلافا كثيرا ، فعليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين ، فتمسكوا بها ، وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ *Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’Those who would live(after me) will see lots of divergences. So hold onto my sunnah and the sunnah of my rightly guided Khalifs. Hold firmly and stubbornly onto that such that lock your premolar teeth on these sunnahs.’’(Sahih Ibn Hibaan)* *Finally know that if we change the established practice of deen here, then we will be pushed away from Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam by the pond of Kawsar on the day of qiyamah(Sahih Muslim)* أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ: «لَيَرِدَنَّ عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ رِجَالٌ مِمَّنْ صَاحَبَنِي، حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَيْتُهُمْ وَرُفِعُوا إِلَيَّ اخْتُلِجُوا دُونِي، فَلَأَقُولَنَّ: أَيْ رَبِّ، أُصَيْحَابِي أُصَيْحَابِي! فَلَيُقَالَنَّ لِي: إِنَّكَ لَا تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثُوا بَعْدَكَ ». صحيح مسلم - *The authorities responsible for the administration of Haramein should re-establish the 20 rakaats Taraweeh in Harams. BarakAllahou fikoum.* Mufti Mackoojee +23057921333