"Salafi" fiqh

[waziri]

Asalamualaykum,

I have some questions about some of the rulings of the "Salafi" scholars.

As Ramadhan is around the corner InshaAllah I would like to first ask about the ruling of the "salafis" that the taraweeh slah is only eight rakah when the vast majority of the ulema have clearly stated that taraweeh consits of twenty rakah.

I know thw "salafis" use this hadith of Aisha (ra)as evidence for their rulings,

Narrated Abu Salama ibn Abdur Rahman that he asked Aisha (Allah be pleased with her), "How was the prayer of Allah's Apostle (Peace be upon him) in Ramadan?" She replied, "He did not pray more than eleven raka'at in Ramadan or in any other month. He used to pray four raka'at - let alone their beauty and length - and then he would pray four - let alone their beauty and length - and then he would pray three rak'aat (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.'" (Bukhari, 3/230, English edn)

but as far as i understand it this hadith is refering to the tahajjud salah and not taraweeh.

Can the brothers please explain the ruling of eight rakah for taraweeh?
jazakAllah khair.

wasalam

[Abu Ilyas]

As Salamualaikum,

Brother, I dont think there is a 'salafi' opinion on this issue because I dont think there is such a thing as 'Salafi' Fiqh.

What we do have is an opinion of atleast one Scholar, who happens to be 'Salafi' i.e from the people of Sunnah and Jamaa'ah, namely Shaykh Al Albani who states that the maximum number of Rakaah prayed were 8 or 8+3 by the Prophet SAWS. He argues therefore that we should follow the sunnah in acts of worship and pray that number specified in Tarawih.

Other equally 'Salafi' scholars, many of the scholars in Saudi Arabia for example dont have a problem with praying twenty rakaah as is done at the Haram for example. Their reasoning is that the Tarawih prayer is not from those Fard or regular Sunnah prayers whose Rakaah are fixed, rather like any other voluntary prayer, for example the night prayer (Tahajjud) a worshipper may pray as many Rakaah as he desires. And thats what they do. 20 is simply happens to be the number they pray in the Haram for reasons like this has been the regular practice from the Muslims for years.

I have heard a scholar say that Tarawih is simply the Tahajjud prayer in Ramadhan. There is no difference.

Thats a very quick response, there are many other arguments for both views, but I hope what I said is clear.

Was Salaam

AI

[waziri]

JazakAllah khair for your response brother.

It seems to me that those who pray eight rakah are of the opinion that it is the sunah number of rakah to pray,I would like to know on what textual evidence they base this?Like I said the hadith of Aisha(ra)is usually quoted as evidence but for the reason i mentioned earlier this can not be used as it is refering to the tahajjud salah and not taraweeh,also in it she Allah is pleased with her stated that the rasool of Allah peace be upon him used to pray 11 rakah wheather it was ramadhan or not which indicates that the rasool of Allah peace be upon him would pray tahajjud aswell as taraweeh during ramadhan.


I agree with Albani in that we should pray the sunnah amount of rakah but I believe the sunnah number to be 20 not eight.

Brother as far as Im aware and please do correct me if Im wrong the taraweeh salah according to the ulema is an emphasised sunnah (muakadah)and there for we need to pray the required amount in accordance with the sunnah.There are other sunnah prayers that we pray, 4 rakah before asr for example and we do not change the amount of rakah simply because the salah is not fard or even if its not sunnah muakaah we still pray the number of rakah that we believe to be the sunnah amount.

Please prvide me with some daleel that shows clearly that eight rakah was the sunnah of the rasool of Allah peace be upon him.

wasalam

[Abuz Zubair]

There is no limit to how much one can pray in Ramadan. There is also a difference of opinion whether or not tahajjud the same as tarawih or not.

This is just a minor fiqhi difference of opinion. The Hanbalis and the Hanafis pray 20. Can't remember of the top of my head for malikis and shafi'is, by I do remember it was a lot more than just 20.

You can pray just two if you like, or sixteen.

The scholars differ as to what is better, and not what must be done. Some say it is better to pray 8, Hanbalis and Hanafis say 20.

These differences should not be made into contentions, especially in a month like Ramadan.

Similar issue for example in Hajj. Is it better to make Hajj on foot or on a transport. Likewise, which Hajj is better, Hajj of tamattu', qiran or ifrad. All of these sort of differences are not over what one must do, and if he doesn't he is wrong or misguided.

This issue should not be made into a contention, especially just before, and even more especially during the month of Ramadan, where we are supposed to stop bickering amongst ourselves, at least for a month during a year! :D

[suhail]

Yes i was hearing one salafi scholar talking about taraweeh and he said that you can pray 8 or 20 or whatever. He was saying that at the time of Umar bin Abdul Aziz they used to pray 38 rakah so there is really no limit on taraweeh.

We just want a reason to fight amongst us for no reason at all. Scholars have difference of opinion on this issue but all of them say you can pray as much as you want at least during ramadan.

What the heck people lets not make this as a issue if a person is praying 8 let him pray 8 you can go ahead and pray 100 if you want.


Jazakallah Khair
Suhail