Q&A: Twenty Rakaats Taraaweeh Salaat

Q.  I forwarded the Jamiat’s newsletter regarding 20 rakaats of Taraaweeh to a friend of mine. He replied with an article below. Can you be kind enough to explain this Hadith from Bukhari Sharief?

“How does one reconcile with the Hadith from the Mother of believers, Aisha (RA) as mentioned in Sahih Bukhari which was certainly compiled well before 1390 AH.

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 230 :

Narrated by Abu Salama bin ‘Abdur Rahman

That he asked ‘Aisha “How was the prayer of Allah’s Apostle in Ramadan?” She replied, “He did not pray more than eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in any other month. He used to pray four Rakat … let alone their beauty and length… and then he would pray four… let alone their beauty and length… and then he would pray three Rakat (Witr).” She added, “I asked, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Do you sleep before praying the Witr?’ He replied, ‘O ‘Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.”

(End of the atrocity of the Salafi copy)

A. It is evident that various accounts of the number of Rakaats of Taraaweeh of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) are reported. Then the Sahaabah enacted Ijmaa’ over twenty Rakaats. This Ijmaa’ is indicative of the reports of less than twenty Rakaats being abrogated. The Ijmaa’ of the Sahaabah on twenty Rakaats of Taraaweeh is the final say in the matter just as their Ijmaa’ in numerous Masaail where reports differ about the practice or saying of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is the final word. Not even the ‘Mother of the Believers’, Hazrat Aishah Siddeeqah (Radhiyallahu anha) voiced any objection.

We are not arrogant and audacious to by-pass the illustrious Sahaabah as the deviant Salafis do. What the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum) understood and practised of the Sunnah is the Shariah. To dig up Ahadeeth in this belated age, fourteen centuries after Ijmaa’ was concluded on a practice of the Deen, is plain deviation. All the four Math-habs declare Taraaweeh to be twenty Rakaats. The awry Salafi contention must therefore be dismissed with contempt.