What is the reason for praying 20 rakaats in taraweeh?
The practice of praying 20 rak'ahs in Taraweeh during Ramadan has its roots in the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the practices established during his time. The Qur'an encourages prayer and devotion, and the Prophet ﷺ observed Taraweeh prayers with his companions, which set a precedent for the community.
While the Qur'an does not explicitly mention the number of rak'ahs for Taraweeh, it emphasizes the importance of night prayers. In Surah Al-Muzzammil, it is stated: Recite, then, of the Qur'an that which is easy for you. He knoweth that there are sick folk among you, while others travel in the land in search of Allah's bounty, and others (still) are fighting for the cause of Allah
73:20. This verse highlights the flexibility in worship, allowing individuals to perform what they can manage.
Historically, it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ prayed Taraweeh in various ways. Initially, he prayed eight rak'ahs and then, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Umar ibn al-Khattab established the practice of praying 20 rak'ahs during the time of his caliphate. He saw the benefits of having a structured prayer and gathered the people to pray behind one imam. This led to the widespread acceptance of the 20 rak'ah format in many Sunni traditions.
On the other hand, in Shia tradition, the prayers during Ramadan may vary, and there are different practices regarding the number of rak'ahs. The Shia sources, such as Al-Kafi, indicate that prayers can be performed with varying numbers of rak'ahs, often emphasizing the significance of intention and devotion over a fixed number.
Therefore, while 20 rak'ahs is commonly practiced in Taraweeh, the emphasis lies on the worship, spiritual reflection, and community bonding during the holy month of Ramadan.
Sources
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73:20 · Al-Muzzammil
73:20 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَىِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًۭا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍۢ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًۭا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًۭا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۢ
Lo! thy Lord knoweth how thou keepest vigil sometimes nearly two-thirds of the night, or (sometimes) half or a third thereof, as do a party of those with thee. Allah measureth the night and the day. He knoweth that ye count it not, and turneth unto you in mercy. Recite, then, of the Qur'an that which is easy for you. He knoweth that there are sick folk among you, while others travel in the land in search of Allah's bounty, and others (still) are fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite of it that which is easy (for you), and establish worship and pay the poor-due, and (so) lend unto Allah a goodly loan. Whatsoever good ye send before you for your souls, ye will find it with Allah, better and greater in the recompense. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
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