Ramadan worship • evidence-based fiqh guide

How Many Rakats Is Taraweeh? Is It Compulsory?

Is Taraweeh 8 or 20 rak‘ahs, does Witr count in the total, and must every Muslim pray it? Here is the short answer first, followed by the Qur’anic, hadith, and classical fiqh evidence.

By Mohammad Aamir  •  Published 10 July 2026  •  Reviewed as an educational summary

Short Answer (TL;DR)

How many rakats is Taraweeh? If one number is required, the dominant classical Sunni answer is 20 rak‘ahs of Taraweeh, prayed two by two, followed by Witr. This article adopts that as the clearest answer for the established congregational format.

But 20 is not the only valid number. Eight rak‘ahs followed by three Witr (11 total) closely matches the sound report of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s usual night prayer. Eleven, 13, 20, and 36-rak‘ah arrangements all have roots in transmitted practice or classical scholarship. The sound general instruction is to pray night prayer in pairs.

Is Taraweeh compulsory? No. It is not فرض (fard) or, as Taraweeh itself, واجب (wajib). Sunni jurists classify it as an emphasized Sunnah or a highly recommended Ramadan night prayer. Missing it is not like missing one of the five obligatory prayers, although habitually neglecting an emphasized Sunnah is treated as blameworthy in some schools.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What Taraweeh means: linguistic context
2. Qur’anic context
3. Sunnah and early congregational history
4. 8, 11, 13, 20, 36, or 40: the differences
5. The position chosen here, with proofs
6. Is Taraweeh compulsory?
7. Why this question exists
8. A practical way to pray
9. Frequently asked questions
10. Classical sources and conclusion

1. What Does Taraweeh Mean? Linguistic Context

The Arabic word Taraweeh, التراويح, is the plural of ترويحة (tarwihah), a single period of rest. It comes from the semantic field of راحة (rahah), meaning rest or ease.

Ibn Manzur explains in Lisan al-‘Arab that the Ramadan prayer acquired this name because worshippers rested after every four rak‘ahs; he also records wording about resting between every two taslims. The name therefore describes the pauses surrounding a long Ramadan night prayer. It does not, by itself, create a divinely fixed total.

Key distinction: قيام رمضان (qiyam Ramadan) is the hadith expression for standing in prayer during Ramadan. Taraweeh is the later, widely used name for this Ramadan night prayer, especially its organized congregational form.

Related expressions are قيام الليل (qiyam al-layl, standing at night), التهجد (tahajjud, often used for night prayer after sleep), and الوتر (Witr, the odd-numbered closing prayer). The categories overlap, but jurists may use them more precisely in different chapters.

2. Qur’anic Context: Does the Qur’an Specify Taraweeh?

The Qur’an does not use the later label “Taraweeh,” and it does not state a Ramadan rak‘ah count. It does, however, establish the spiritual foundation of night prayer:

• Qur’an 73:2–4 directs the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to stand during the night and recite with measured recitation.
• Qur’an 73:20 introduces ease: recite what is manageable. Classical exegetes discuss this verse as lifting or reducing the earlier burden of prolonged night standing for the community.
• Qur’an 17:79 mentions tahajjud as additional night worship for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

In Tafsir al-Qurtubi, the commentary on 17:79 discusses the linguistic relationship between sleep, wakefulness, and tahajjud; the commentary on 73:20 addresses the easing of night worship. These verses show the excellence of night prayer, but the details of Ramadan congregation and its rak‘ah arrangements come from the Sunnah, Companion-era practice, and fiqh.

Qur’anic takeaway: the text emphasizes sincere standing, measured recitation, and manageable worship—not a Qur’anic mandate of either eight or twenty.

3. Sunnah and Early Congregational History

Three sound hadith themes frame the ruling:

1. Its merit: “Whoever stands in Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward” is promised forgiveness of previous sins. See Sahih al-Bukhari 2008.
2. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم led it in congregation, then stopped: after several nights he did not emerge, explaining that he feared the prayer might be made obligatory upon the community. See Sahih al-Bukhari 2012 and Sahih Muslim 761a.
3. ‘Umar رضي الله عنه organized one congregation: he gathered worshippers behind Ubayy ibn Ka‘b رضي الله عنه, reviving a congregational form after the fear of new obligation had ended with revelation. See Sahih al-Bukhari 2010.

The canonical hadith about ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s organization does not state a count. Reports in al-Muwatta’ preserve both 11 rak‘ahs and 23 rak‘ahs in ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s period. Other early reports, especially the report of al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid رضي الله عنه transmitted by al-Bayhaqi and graded with a sound chain by al-Nawawi, mention 20 rak‘ahs. Scholars reconciled these materials in different ways: as different phases, different counting conventions, or a flexible exchange between longer standing and more units.

4. How Many Rakats Is Taraweeh? The Major Differences

The following table covers the major transmitted and juristic arrangements found in Sunni discussion. “Total” can be confusing because some speakers include Witr and others do not.

Arrangement	What it usually means	Main basis or context
8 + 3 = 11	Eight night-prayer rak‘ahs, then three Witr.	‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها reports that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not exceed 11 in Ramadan or outside it. See Bukhari 2013. Al-Muwatta’ also reports an 11-rak‘ah instruction in ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s period.
13 total	A reported Prophetic night-prayer total; counting may include two light opening units or differ by narration.	Sound reports describe 13 in the broader chapter of night prayer. It is not a text fixing every communal Taraweeh at 13.
20 + Witr	Twenty Taraweeh rak‘ahs, commonly followed by one or three Witr; “23” usually means 20 + 3.	Dominant classical congregational arrangement in the Hanafi, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali schools and a recognized Maliki practice; supported by early reports from ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s era.
36 + Witr	Thirty-six Taraweeh rak‘ahs, often yielding 39 with three Witr.	The old Medinan practice associated with the Maliki school. Classical explanations connect the additional units to matching the worship intervals of Makkans who performed tawaf between sets.
40 + Witr / 41 total	Other early high-count arrangements.	Recorded from some early authorities and mentioned in al-Tirmidhi’s juristic note. These were never the only accepted totals.
Flexible even number + Witr	Pray two by two, then close with Witr.	The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s general instruction says night prayer is two by two, without stating a ceiling. See Bukhari 990.

What the four Sunni schools generally say

• Hanafi: 20 rak‘ahs, excluding Witr; Taraweeh is commonly classified as سنة مؤكدة (Sunnah mu’akkadah). See al-Marghinani’s al-Hidayah and its commentarial tradition.
• Maliki: both 20 and the old Medinan 36-rak‘ah practice are documented, with details varying inside the school and by region.
• Shafi‘i: 20 rak‘ahs in ten taslims is the standard presentation. Al-Nawawi writes that Taraweeh is Sunnah by scholarly agreement and gives 20 as the school’s position in al-Majmu‘.
• Hanbali: 20 is a preferred and famous arrangement; additional rak‘ahs are not inherently invalid. Ibn Qudamah records 20 and the 36-rak‘ah Medinan view in al-Mughni.

Scope note: This is a mainstream Sunni fiqh summary. Twelver Shi‘i law generally does not institutionalize the Sunni congregational Taraweeh format and instead emphasizes recommended Ramadan night prayers performed without that congregation. Readers following a particular school should consult a qualified teacher in that tradition.

5. The Position Chosen Here: 20 Rak‘ahs, Excluding Witr

Chosen answer: For a reader asking for one standard number, pray 20 rak‘ahs of Taraweeh in ten sets of two, then pray Witr separately.

Qualification: this is a preferred classical congregational format, not an exclusive validity rule. Eight rak‘ahs plus Witr remains a sound, respected practice.

Why choose 20?

1. Authenticated Companion-era practice: al-Bayhaqi transmits from al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid رضي الله عنه that people stood for 20 rak‘ahs in ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s time. Al-Nawawi describes the chain as sound and uses it in the Shafi‘i discussion. This is an early historical proof, not merely a late custom.
2. Broad classical juristic adoption: 20 became the standard presentation in the Hanafi, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali schools and is recognized within Maliki practice. Al-Tirmidhi’s note after hadith 806 reports 20 from the majority of the people of knowledge known to him.
3. It balances recitation and units: early worshippers sometimes shortened the standing by increasing the number of rak‘ahs. This helps explain why 11 with very long recitation and 20 with shorter recitation can both serve the same goal of sustained Ramadan qiyam.
4. It preserves congregational unity: if a local imam leads 20, completing the prayer with the imam has its own sound encouragement. Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi 806 states that whoever stands with the imam until he finishes is credited with a night of prayer.

Hadith-critical honesty matters: reports assigning exactly 20 rak‘ahs directly to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم are considered weak by major hadith critics. The reliable case for the chosen number rests on sound Companion-era practice and classical juristic reception—not on overstating a weak Prophetic report.

Likewise, the sound hadith of ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها describing 11 total rak‘ahs is genuine and important. Some scholars apply it directly to Taraweeh as eight plus three Witr. Others understand it as her description of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s usual personal night prayer, while the communal Ramadan arrangement remained flexible. The general hadith “night prayer is two by two” is why neither camp should declare the other’s prayer invalid.

6. Is Taraweeh Compulsory? Fiqh and Theological Context

No. Taraweeh is not one of the five obligatory daily prayers, and it is not a separately compulsory Ramadan prayer. The strongest plain-text proof is the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s own explanation: he stopped leading the growing congregation because he feared that the prayer might be made obligatory. That fear never became a revealed obligation.

The legal vocabulary needs care:

• فرض (fard): definitively obligatory. Taraweeh is not fard.
• واجب (wajib): obligatory in Hanafi technical usage on evidence below the level of fard, while often synonymous with obligatory in other usage. Taraweeh itself is not classified as wajib.
• سنة مؤكدة (Sunnah mu’akkadah): an emphasized Prophetic practice. This is the common Sunni description of Taraweeh.
• مستحب (mustahabb) or نفل (nafl): recommended or supererogatory worship. These terms capture its non-obligatory legal status, although “optional” should not be heard as “spiritually unimportant.”

Some Hanafi authorities describe deliberately and habitually abandoning an emphasized Sunnah without excuse as blameworthy and potentially sinful. Other juristic formulations emphasize missed reward rather than the liability attached to an omitted obligation. The safe, school-aware statement is therefore: Taraweeh is not compulsory, but it is strongly emphasized and should not be dismissed casually.

Do not confuse Taraweeh with Witr. The Hanafi school classifies Witr as wajib; the other three Sunni schools generally classify it as an emphasized Sunnah. This difference does not turn Taraweeh itself into an obligation.

7. Why Does the 8-vs-20 Taraweeh Question Exist?

The disagreement is not simply “hadith versus madhhab.” It exists because several legitimate interpretive questions overlap:

1. Personal practice or communal format? ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها’s hadith describes the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s night prayer in Ramadan and outside it. Jurists differ over whether its 11-rak‘ah description fixes the later congregational Taraweeh count.
2. Are we counting Witr? “Eleven” often means 8 + 3; “23” often means 20 + 3. Saying only a total creates apparent contradictions.
3. Longer standing or more rak‘ahs? The 11-rak‘ah reports describe extraordinarily long and beautiful prayer. Larger counts can distribute recitation across more units.
4. Different early reports exist: al-Muwatta’ preserves both 11 and 23 in ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s era. Jurists assess and reconcile these reports differently.
5. Local mosque practice becomes identity: communities can mistake a valid preferred form for the only valid form. The sources support greater breadth than online arguments often admit.

The mature response is to follow a reliable scholarly method, protect the prayer’s tranquility, and avoid turning a voluntary act of worship into a cause of hostility.

8. A Practical, Evidence-Based Way to Pray Taraweeh

1. Time: pray after the obligatory ‘Isha prayer and before Fajr during Ramadan.
2. Intention: intend voluntary Ramadan night prayer in the heart; no fixed spoken formula is required.
3. Structure: pray two rak‘ahs at a time, give salam, and repeat. This follows Bukhari 990.
4. Chosen count: complete ten pairs, making 20 Taraweeh rak‘ahs.
5. Rest: pause when helpful, traditionally after each four rak‘ahs. There is no universally prescribed “Taraweeh dua” that must be recited in every pause.
6. Close with Witr: follow your school’s method or your imam. Count Witr separately when explaining how many Taraweeh rak‘ahs you prayed.
7. Prioritize quality: clear Qur’an recitation, stillness in bowing and prostration, and sincere attention matter more than racing to a number.

If your mosque prays eight, pray eight with them; if it prays twenty, completing twenty with the imam is an excellent practice. The sound hadith says: “Whoever stands with the imam until he finishes, it is recorded for him as a night of prayer” (Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi 806, graded hasan sahih by al-Tirmidhi).

9. Frequently Asked Questions

How many rakats is Taraweeh: 8 or 20?

Both are valid Sunni practices. The dominant classical congregational format is 20 Taraweeh rak‘ahs followed by Witr. Eight followed by three Witr reflects the sound report of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s usual 11-rak‘ah night prayer.

Is Taraweeh compulsory?

No. Taraweeh is not fard or wajib. It is an emphasized Sunnah or highly recommended Ramadan night prayer. Some schools strongly censure habitually abandoning an emphasized Sunnah without excuse, but that does not make it one of the obligatory prayers.

Is Witr included in the Taraweeh rakah count?

Usually, jurists count it separately. Thus 20 Taraweeh plus three Witr equals 23 total, while eight Taraweeh plus three Witr equals 11 total. Always say whether your number includes Witr.

Can I pray only eight rakahs of Taraweeh?

Yes. Eight plus Witr is a valid and evidence-based practice. Do not claim that worshippers who pray 20 are contradicting the Sunnah; their practice has strong Companion-era and classical support.

Should I leave after eight if the imam prays twenty?

You may leave because Taraweeh is voluntary, but staying until the imam finishes is preferable when reasonably possible because Tirmidhi 806 promises the reward of a full night’s prayer to the person who completes the prayer with the imam.

Can Taraweeh be prayed at home?

Yes. Taraweeh is valid alone or in a permitted congregation at home. Congregational mosque prayer has special communal benefits, while home prayer may be appropriate for illness, caregiving, travel, safety, or personal circumstances.

What time is Taraweeh prayed?

Its time begins after ‘Isha and lasts until Fajr. Mosques usually pray it soon after ‘Isha; later-night prayer is also valid within the time.

Do women have to pray Taraweeh?

It is not compulsory for women or men. Women may pray at home or attend a mosque where appropriate arrangements exist, following the guidance of their school and local circumstances.

10. Classical Sources and Further Reading

Pagination varies by edition. Hadith numbers below use the linked modern numbering where available.

1. Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-‘Arab, root r-w-h, entry on tarwihah; commonly cited at vol. 2, p. 462 in the Dar Sadir edition.
2. Al-Qurtubi, al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an, commentary on Qur’an 17:79 and 73:20.
3. Sahih al-Bukhari 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2013: merit, ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s congregation, fear of obligation, and the 11-rak‘ah report.
4. Sahih al-Bukhari 990: night prayer is two by two and closed with Witr.
5. Malik ibn Anas, al-Muwatta’, Book 6, hadiths 3–5: ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s congregation and reports of 11 and 23 rak‘ahs. The 23-rak‘ah report through Yazid ibn Ruman is mursal.
6. Al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra, the report of al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid رضي الله عنه concerning 20 rak‘ahs in ‘Umar رضي الله عنه’s era; often cited at vol. 2, p. 496 in older pagination.
7. Al-Marghinani, al-Hidayah, Book of Prayer, discussion of voluntary prayer and Ramadan night prayer; standard Hanafi presentation of 20.
8. Al-Nawawi, al-Majmu‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, vol. 4, pp. 31–33 in common editions: Sunnah status, 20-rak‘ah Shafi‘i view, other views, and hadith assessment.
9. Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni, Book of Prayer, chapter on Ramadan night prayer: 20 and the Medinan 36-rak‘ah position.
10. Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi 806: staying with the imam and al-Tirmidhi’s note on early rak‘ah differences.

Conclusion

So, how many rakats is Taraweeh? The best single answer for the dominant classical congregational format is 20 rak‘ahs, excluding Witr. The sound evidence also supports genuine flexibility: eight plus Witr follows the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s commonly reported personal night-prayer pattern, while larger early arrangements reflect different balances between long standing and more units.

Is Taraweeh compulsory? No. It is an emphasized Sunnah and one of Ramadan’s most rewarding forms of worship, not a sixth daily obligatory prayer. Pray what you can with sincerity, follow a reliable imam or school, preserve tranquility, and do not use a valid difference to divide worshippers.

Educational note: This article summarizes major Sunni positions for general learning and does not replace a personal ruling from a qualified scholar who knows your school and circumstances. “Authentic” here distinguishes sound hadith evidence from juristic conclusions; a sound report can still be interpreted in more than one legally responsible way.