Azami 4648

Abdul-Razzaq (7730) narrated it from Dawud bin Qays and others, from Muhammad bin Yusuf, from Saaib bin Yazid, who related it. Its chain is sahih.Ubayy bin Kaab used to lead the men in prayer, while Tamim Dari led the women, as narrated by Saeed bin Mansur through the route of Urwa. Muhammad bin Nasr, in his book Qiyam al-Layl, mentioned that the imam for the women was Sulayman bin Abu Hathma. Ibn Hajar said, "Perhaps this occurred at two different times."This shows that women attending the masjid to perform tarawih prayer is permissible, so long as their attendance does not cause fitnah.As for the command to pray twenty rakat, this goes back to the fact that when Umar saw how long the standing was, and sensed the hardship it caused the people, among whom were the elderly and the weak, he ordered that the recitation be shortened and that the ruku and sujud be increased, since tarawih prayer is among the voluntary prayers in which increase is permissible. This is indicated by the following reports from Umar and others.Among them is what Saaib bin Yazid himself narrated, he said, "During the time of Umar, in the month of Ramadan, they used to pray twenty rakat, and they would recite hundreds of verses of the Quran." This was narrated by Abu Qasim Baghawi in the hadith collection of Ali bin Jaad, known as Jadiyat (2387), and through his route Bayhaqi (2/496), from Ibn Abu Dhib, from Yazid bin Khusayfa, from Saaib bin Yazid, who related it. Firyabi narrated it in (158) through the route of Yazid bin Harun, from Ibn Abu Dhib, in similar wording, adding, "Until they would lean on their staffs from the intensity of the standing."Bayhaqi narrated it in Marifat Sunan wal-Athar (5409) through the route of Muhammad bin Jafar, who said, Yazid bin Khusayfa narrated to me, from Saaib bin Yazid, who said, "We used to pray twenty rakat and the witr during the time of Umar bin Khattab."Yazid bin Khusayfa is named after his grandfather, being Yazid bin Abdullah bin Khusayfa, and he is trustworthy. Ibn Main declared him trustworthy, as did Ahmad in the narration of Athram, Abu Hatim, and Nasai. This report was graded sahih by Ibn Mulaqqin in Badr Munir (4/350) after attributing it to Bayhaqi, and by Nawawi in Khulasa (1961). This is the second narration from Saaib bin Yazid, that when Umar bin Khattab saw that the length of the standing was causing hardship, he shortened the recitation for them and made it twenty rakat.Among them also is what Malik narrated in Muwatta, in the chapter on prayer during Ramadan (5), from Yazid bin Ruman, who said, "The people used to pray twenty-three rakat during the time of Umar bin Khattab." This contains a report of the past that he heard from his teachers, who were some of the Companions and the Tabiin. Yazid bin Ruman did not meet Umar bin Khattab, being a contemporary of Ibn Shihab Zuhri, and he died in the year 130 AH, so he only met the younger Companions such as Ibn Zubayr, Anas, and others. Zaylai stated in Nasb Raya (2/154) that he did not meet Umar bin Khattab, and Ayni said in Umdat Qari (11/126), "Its chain is disconnected." Bayhaqi said in Fadail Awqat (p. 277), "It is mursal."Among them also is what Ibn Abu Shayba narrated (7764), from Waki, from Malik bin Anas, from Yahya bin Saeed, "That Umar bin Khattab ordered a man to lead them in twenty rakat." This too contains a disconnection, since Yahya bin Saeed, who is the Ansari, did not meet Umar bin Khattab. Ali bin Madini said, "I do not know of him having heard from any Companion except Anas."Among them also is what Ibn Abu Shayba also narrated, from Humayd bin Abdul-Rahman, from Hasan (as such, though perhaps it should be Hasan Basri, from) Abdul-Aziz bin Rafi, who said, "Ubayy bin Kaab used to lead the people in prayer during Ramadan in Madinah with twenty rakat, and he prayed witr with three." Abdul-Aziz bin Rafi did not meet Ubayy bin Kaab, for he died in the year one hundred thirty or after, having reached over ninety years of age, as stated in Tahzib Kamal. Accordingly, his birth would have been after the year one hundred thirty, while Ubayy bin Kaab died in the year 19 AH or 32 AH.Among them also is what Diya Maqdisi narrated in Mukhtara (1161), through the route of Ahmad bin Mani, Hasan bin Musa narrated to us, Abu Jafar Razi narrated to us, from Rabi bin Anas, from Abu Aliyah, from Ubayy bin Kaab, that Umar ordered Ubayy to lead the people in prayer during Ramadan, and said, "The people fast during the day and are not skilled at reciting, so if only you would recite to them at night." Ubayy said, "O Commander of the Faithful, this is something that has not existed before." Umar said, "I know, but it is good." So Ubayy led them in twenty rakat. This chain contains Abu Aliyah, who is Rafi, trustworthy, but he used to narrate frequently with mursal transmission. It also contains Rabi bin Anas Bakri, who is truthful but has lapses, particularly in what Abu Jafar Razi narrated from him. Ibn Hibban said, "People are cautious of his hadith when it comes through the narration of Abu Jafar from him, because his narrations from him contain much confusion."Among them also is what Abdul-Razzaq narrated (7733), from Aslami, from Harith bin Abdul-Rahman ibn Abu Dhubab, from Saaib bin Yazid, who said, "We used to finish the standing prayer during the time of Umar when the approach of Fajr had drawn near, and the standing prayer during the time of Umar was twenty-three rakat." Its chain is very weak, on account of Aslami, who is Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Abu Yahya. Hafiz said of him, "Matruk." As for Harith bin Abdul-Rahman bin Abdullah bin Saad bin Abu Dhubab, opinions about him differ. Abu Hatim said, "Darawardi narrates from him rejected hadiths, he is not strong." Abu Zura Razi said, "There is no harm in him."From these reports, along with the narration of Yazid bin Khusayfa, it appears that Umar bin Khattab first ordered eleven rakat, then afterward ordered twenty-one rakat. Although these reports are not free of some discussion, taken together they indicate that tarawih prayer of twenty rakat was legislated during the time of Umar bin Khattab, and this practice continued, and we find no Companion who opposed him in this. Ayesha's chamber was adjoined to the masjid, yet nothing has been reported from her opposing this, and she is the one who narrated about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that "he never exceeded eleven rakat in Ramadan or outside it," because the number of rakat in tarawih is among the voluntary prayers, not among the confirmed sunnah prayers.Ibn Abdul-Barr said, "It is possible that the standing prayer, as first practiced by Umar, was eleven rakat, then he lightened the length of standing for them and moved them to twenty-one rakat, in which they would shorten the recitation and increase the ruku and sujud." Istidhkar (5/154).Bayhaqi leaned toward a similar reconciliation, saying in Sunan (2/496), "It is possible to reconcile between the two narrations, for they used to stand with eleven, then they used to stand with twenty and pray witr with three." End of quote.Abdull-Haq Ishbili said in his book Salat Tahajjud (p. 287), "It is reported that the people found the length of standing burdensome, so they complained about it to Umar bin Khattab, and he ordered the two reciters to shorten the length of standing and increase the number of rukus. So they used to stand with twenty-three rakat, then they complained again, so they reduced the length of standing and increased the ruku until they completed thirty-six, with witr of three, and the matter settled on this." End of quote.For this reason, some scholars went further, to more than thirty and twenty. Ibn Qasim narrated in Mudawwana from Imam Malik that it was thirty-nine, this being the old practice that the people of Madinah had inherited. Salih, freedman of Tawama, said, "I found the people praying forty-one rakat, of which they prayed witr with five." This is mentioned by the author of Mughni (2/604). Abdul-Rahman bin Aswad used to pray forty rakat and pray witr with seven, in addition to other sayings mentioned in the books of sunnah and fiqh. (See Mukhtasar Kitab Qiyam Ramadan, p. 41–45.)It seems they held the view that there is latitude in this matter, since it falls under the general category of voluntary prayers.The reason the people of Madinah chose thirty-six rakat is that the people of Makkah used to perform a tawaf between every two tarwihas, and pray two rakat, but they did not perform tawaf after the fifth tarwiha. The people of Madinah wanted to equal them, so in place of each tawaf they added four rakat, adding sixteen rakat in total, making the total thirty-six rakat. This is mentioned by Nawawi in Sharh Muhazzab (3/527).In summary regarding tarawih prayer, the matter is one of latitude. Shafii said, "There is no restriction in any of this, nor a fixed limit, since it is a voluntary prayer. If they prolong the standing and shorten the sujud, that is good, and it is more beloved to me, and if they increase the ruku and sujud, that too is good." Marifa of Bayhaqi (4/42).Ishaq bin Mansur said, I said to Ahmad bin Hanbal, How many rakat should be prayed in the night prayer of Ramadan? He said, Various numbers have been mentioned, approaching about forty, it is simply voluntary prayer. Mukhtasar Kitab Qiyam Ramadan (p. 45). However, the preferred view of Imam Ahmad was twenty rakat, as stated in Mughni (2/604).I say, this may vary depending on those praying, as Sheikh Islam bin Taymiya said in Majmu (22/272), "The standing prayer of Ramadan itself was not fixed by the Prophet at a specific number, rather he himself never exceeded thirteen rakat in Ramadan or otherwise, but he would lengthen the rakat. So when Umar gathered the people behind Ubayy bin Kaab, he used to lead them in twenty rakat, then pray witr with three, and he shortened the recitation in proportion to the rakat he added, because that is lighter on those following than lengthening a single rakat. Then a group among the early generations used to stand with forty rakat and pray witr with three, and others stood with thirty-six and prayed witr with three. All of this is permissible, so however one stands in Ramadan among these ways, one has done well." He then said, "What is best varies according to the condition of those praying. If they are able to bear the length of standing, then standing with ten rakat plus three afterward, as the Prophet ﷺ used to pray for himself in Ramadan and otherwise, is best. But if they are unable to bear it, then standing with twenty is best."Shaykh bin Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Whoever reflects on his ﷺ sunnah knows that what is best in all of this is to pray eleven rakat, or thirteen rakat, in Ramadan and otherwise, since this is what corresponds to the practice of the Prophet in most of his circumstances, and because it is gentler on those praying and closer to khushu and tranquility. Whoever adds more, there is no blame or dislike, as previously mentioned."His statement, "whoever adds more, there is no blame or dislike," is indicated by the general sense of his ﷺ statement, "The night prayer is performed two by two," and his ﷺ statement, "Whoever stands with the imam until he finishes is recorded as having spent the rest of his night in prayer," for he ﷺ did not restrict it to a specific number of rakat.For this reason, we see that today, in the two Noble Sanctuaries, during the last ten nights of Ramadan, thirty-one rakat are prayed, twenty rakat early in the night after Isha prayer, and eleven rakat in the last part of the night. Since the matter is one of latitude, what is best and preferable is that one prays with the imam as the imam prays.I have come to know that some people in some countries wish to replace one sunnah with another, so my advice to all of them is to choose gentleness and mildness in speech and action, and to make the words of Allah, the Exalted, "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best" [Nahl 16:125], a methodology for their lives in guidance and counsel, and to take the Prophet ﷺ as their example in every deed intended for the sake of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, said, "So by mercy from Allah, you were lenient with them, and if you had been harsh and hardhearted, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them, ask forgiveness for them, and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah, indeed Allah loves those who rely upon Him" [Al Imran 3:159].Qadi Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "Indeed Allah loves the humble scholar and hates the arrogant scholar, and whoever humbles himself for Allah, Allah bestows wisdom upon him." Faqih wal-Mutafaqqih (2/230).It is permissible for an imam who does not have the Quran memorized by heart to recite from the mushaf, since there is no evidence in the Book or the sunnah that prevents this. Ayesha's slave, Zakwan Abu Amr Madani, used to lead her in prayer reciting from the mushaf. This is mentioned by Bukhari in the Book of Adhan, chapter on the imamate of the slave and the freedman (54).