Taraweeh prayer is two by two rak’ahs

[Ummu Sufyaan]

Taraweeh prayer is two by two rak’ahs

Some imams in Taraweeh put four or more rak’ahs together with one tasleemah, without sitting between each two rak’ahs, and they claim that this is Sunnah. Is there any basis for this action in sharee’ah?.​

Praise be to Allaah.

This action is not prescribed in sharee’ah, rather it is makrooh or haraam according to most scholars, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The night prayers are two by two.” Saheeh – agreed upon, from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him). And it is proven that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray eleven rak’ahs at night, and say the tasleem after each two rak’ahs, and he would pray Witr with one rak’ah. Saheeh, agreed upon. And there are many similar ahaadeeth.

With regard to the famous hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, which says that “the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray four rak’ahs at night, and do not ask how beautiful and how long they were, then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and how long they were”, the hadeeth is agreed upon – the answer is that he said the tasleem after each two rak’ahs; it does not mean that he would follow four rak’ahs with one salaam, because of the hadeeth quoted above. And it is proven that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The night prayers are two by two” as stated above. The ahaadeeth confirm one another, so the Muslim is obliged to study all of them together and to interpret those that are general in meaning by those that are more specific. And Allaah is the Source of strength. End quote.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)

Source

 

[Ramadhan]

I have just finished taraweeh in my local masjid, and it's 4 rakaat (without tasleem after the first two rakaat) followed by another 4.
and many masjid in Indonesia also perform taraweeh this way.
What am I supposed to do?

 

[Muhammad]

Assalaamu Alaykum,

Not an answer to your question - was just going to say subhanAllaah, you have already finished Taraweeh! Here we are still waiting to hear the confirmation that it will be Ramadhan tonight!

 

[Ummu Sufyaan]

I have just finished taraweeh in my local masjid, and it's 4 rakaat (without tasleem after the first two rakaat) followed by another 4.
and many masjid in Indonesia also perform taraweeh this way.
What am I supposed to do?

Subhanallah. maybe there is there a difference of opinion on this? i dont know, i always thought that taraweeh was prayed by the 2.

 

[Ramadhan]

Subhanallah. maybe there is there a difference of opinion on this? i dont know, i always thought that taraweeh was prayed by the 2.

Many masjids here also perform the 2 by 2, unfortunately masjids closest to where I live do it by 4.

 

[ardianto]

Subhanallah. maybe there is there a difference of opinion on this? i dont know, i always thought that taraweeh was prayed by the 2.

Yes, there is a difference of opinion on this, although (from my knowledge) according to majority of Ulama, the right salatul taraweeh is two by two raka'ah.