Taraweeh: how many rak'ahs, and what the four schools say

Taraweeh: how many rak’ahs, and what the four schools say

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Quick answer: Taraweeh is the voluntary night prayer prayed in congregation during Ramadan, after Isha and in sets of two rak’ahs (units of prayer). Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta states that the relied-upon opinion of the four schools is 20 units, not counting witr. Some scholars hold 8 plus witr, and the schools differ on details such as the Maliki report of 36 and whether home or mosque is better.

Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027 by the Umm al-Qura calendar, which would put the first Taraweeh on the evening of Sunday 7 February. These are expected dates. The month starts when the new crescent is confirmed, or by calculation in some countries, so your local mosque may begin a day earlier or later. Check our Ramadan dates page and your own mosque’s announcement.

What Taraweeh is, and why it has that name

Taraweeh is a sunnah prayer, which means it is recommended rather than obligatory. Jurists of all four schools agree it is a Sunnah for men and women; the Hanafis, Hanbalis and some Malikis call it an emphasised Sunnah. It belongs to the wider category of qiyam al-layl, standing in prayer at night.

The word is the plural of a term for rest. It’s connected to the Arabic word for rest, because worshippers can pause after every four rak’ahs. In Ramadan the prayer is usually led by an imam who recites aloud, and witr follows it behind the imam too.

The Prophet ﷺ spoke about the reward of standing at night in this month, and commentators connect the report below to Taraweeh.

مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven

How Taraweeh began as a congregation

Sahih al-Bukhari records that the Prophet ﷺ prayed in the mosque on some nights of Ramadan and people prayed behind him. The crowd grew, and he stopped coming out. He explained afterwards what he feared.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ، فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، وَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلاَتِهِ، فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا، فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ، فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ، فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا، فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ، فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّى، فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ، حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ "‏ أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَىَّ مَكَانُكُمْ، وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْتَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَالأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ

Narrated 'Urwa:That he was informed by `Aisha, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, the people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). In the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the mosque was full with a large number of people. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out and the people prayed behind him. On the fourth night the Mosque was overwhelmed with people and could not accommodate them, but the Prophet (ﷺ) came out (only) for the morning prayer. When the morning prayer was finished he recited Tashah-hud and (addressing the people) said, "Amma ba'du, your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer (Qiyam) should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on." So, Allah's Apostle died and the situation remained like that (i.e. people prayed individually)

After his death that fear no longer applied, since the obligations of the religion were complete. In the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), the people were praying in scattered groups in the mosque. Bukhari reports that he gathered them behind a single reciter, and he made the remark that appears below.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ مَعَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ لَيْلَةً فِي رَمَضَانَ، إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ، فَإِذَا النَّاسُ أَوْزَاعٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ يُصَلِّي الرَّجُلُ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَيُصَلِّي الرَّجُلُ فَيُصَلِّي بِصَلاَتِهِ الرَّهْطُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي أَرَى لَوْ جَمَعْتُ هَؤُلاَءِ عَلَى قَارِئٍ وَاحِدٍ لَكَانَ أَمْثَلَ‏.‏ ثُمَّ عَزَمَ فَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لَيْلَةً أُخْرَى، وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ قَارِئِهِمْ، قَالَ عُمَرُ نِعْمَ الْبِدْعَةُ هَذِهِ، وَالَّتِي يَنَامُونَ عَنْهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الَّتِي يَقُومُونَ‏.‏ يُرِيدُ آخِرَ اللَّيْلِ، وَكَانَ النَّاسُ يَقُومُونَ أَوَّلَهُ‏.‏

Abdur Rahman bin 'Abdul Qari said, "I went out in the company of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab one night in Ramadan to the mosque and found the people praying in different groups. A man praying alone or a man praying with a little group behind him. So, 'Umar said, 'In my opinion I would better collect these (people) under the leadership of one Qari (Reciter) (i.e. let them pray in congregation!)'. So, he made up his mind to congregate them behind Ubai bin Ka'b. Then on another night I went again in his company and the people were praying behind their reciter. On that, 'Umar remarked, 'What an excellent Bid'a (i.e. innovation in religion) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time is better than the one they are offering.' He meant the prayer in the last part of the night. (In those days) people used to pray in the early part of the night

That is why many scholars describe the single congregation as the practice of the Companions. The Hanafi, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools say 20 is best, as it was the established practice of Umar with no Companion opposing it. The Maliki view, covered next, rests on the practice of Madinah.

How many rak’ahs: the four schools side by side

The numbers below are what the sources report for each school’s position. Where a school has more than one report, both are shown.

School Taraweeh (rak’ahs, without witr) Notes from the sources
Hanafi 20 Al-Sarakhasi gives 20 without witr, and al-Kasani gives 20 with 10 salams in five sets.
Maliki 20 (widely held); 36 (another report) The widespread opinion agrees with the majority; al-Dardir gives 20 with a salam after every two units. A second Maliki position reported in the school is 36.
Shafi’i 20 Al-Nawawi calls it a Sunnah by consensus and gives 20 rak’ahs with 10 taslims (al-Majmu’).
Hanbali 20 Ibn Qudamah says the favoured view of Imam Ahmad is 20.

Witr is added after Taraweeh. Counting witr, the total is 23.

The Maliki figure of 36 has its own history. One account says the people of Madinah added 4 rak’ahs in each rest period, bringing the total to 36, or 39 with witr. Another source also reports that Imam Malik is said to have approved 20 as well.

Modern summaries sometimes differ on the Hanbali position. One popular comparison site lists the Hanbali school with the 8 rak’ah view, while Ibn Qudamah’s report above and Dar al-Ifta’s summary give 20. If your own practice follows the Hanbali school, a Hanbali scholar can tell you what your school’s reference books state.

The view of 8 rak’ahs plus witr

Some scholars, past and present, hold that the sunnah is 8 rak’ahs with 3 of witr, 11 in all. Their main evidence is a report from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in Sahih al-Bukhari, in which Abu Salama asks how the Prophet ﷺ prayed in Ramadan.

يَا عَائِشَةُ، إِنَّ عَيْنَىَّ تَنَامَانِ وَلاَ يَنَامُ قَلْبِي

Narrated Abu Salma bin `Abdur Rahman:I asked `Aisha, "How is the prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) during the month of Ramadan." She said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) never exceeded eleven rak`at in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four rak`at– do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four rak`at, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three rak`at." Aisha further said, "I said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you sleep before offering the witr prayer?' He replied, 'O `Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake

Scholars who favour 20 read this report differently. Many of them hold that it describes the Prophet’s tahajjud, the private night prayer, rather than Taraweeh. Others point to the Muwatta, where Umar first told Ubayy ibn Ka’b and Tamim al-Dari to lead 11 rak’ahs, while a later narration in the same book describes people praying 20 in Umar’s time. The sources report that scholars explain the two numbers in different ways, and this article doesn’t rank them.

There is a middle position attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah. One source summarises it as saying that if Muslims can manage 8 very long rak’ahs, as the Prophet ﷺ did, that would be better, and that the preferred practice depends on people’s condition. The point most of these discussions share is length: a shorter number of rak’ahs is prayed slowly, and a larger number is prayed at a lighter pace.

Mosque or home: what the schools report

All the schools allow Taraweeh alone or in a group. They differ on which is better.

School Congregation in the mosque Praying at home
Hanafi A communal Sunnah (sunnah ‘ala al-kifayah). If some of the community pray it, they fulfil it for everyone. An individual who prays at home misses some virtue, and so does a family congregation at home.
Maliki Congregation is recommended. Home is better when 3 conditions are met: the mosques aren’t left empty, the person is active in praying at home, and he isn’t a visitor to the Two Holy Mosques.
Shafi’i Valid alone or in congregation; the sound view agreed by their companions is that congregation is better. A second view says praying alone is better, for a person who has memorised the Quran and won’t become lazy, and whose absence won’t affect the mosque.
Hanbali Congregation is more virtuous than praying alone. Imam Ahmad said it pleased him that a person prays in congregation. Praying alone is also valid, as when it is done to build a connection with the Quran or to teach the family.

One Hanafi answer adds a note of courtesy. A person who chooses to pray at home should not be rebuked, since he is only leaving a more virtuous deed. The same answer says if praying in the mosque is difficult, there is no sin in praying at home.

How to pray Taraweeh, step by step

The steps below describe what the sources report as the usual practice. Your school may add details, such as how to sit or how to handle a missed rak’ah.

  1. Pray Isha first. One Hanafi guide says it isn’t valid to join the Taraweeh congregation before praying the obligatory Isha. In a mosque, people usually pray the 2 sunnah rak’ahs after Isha before Taraweeh begins.
  2. Pray in sets of two. Taraweeh is prayed in sets of two rak’ahs, like any voluntary prayer. The intention is for 2 rak’ahs each time, so 20 rak’ahs make 10 salams.
  3. Rest after every four. You can make any du’a you like in the pauses, or after the whole prayer is complete. There’s no special du’a prescribed for Taraweeh.
  4. Finish with witr. The witr prayer is the last prayer of the night, so Taraweeh isn’t prayed after it. Someone who wants to pray tahajjud later can, according to IslamOnline, skip witr with the imam and pray it after tahajjud.
  5. Stay within the time. The time starts after Isha and ends when Fajr begins. Sleeping after Isha and waking later in the night to pray is also fine.

If you arrive late, there is guidance for that too. A Hanafi source says a person who joins the imam in the middle can pray witr with him and finish the remaining Taraweeh afterwards. Other schools may differ on details, so this is a good question for your imam.

Reciting the Quran in Taraweeh

Many mosques use Taraweeh to complete the Quran over the month. In many mosques, one juz’ (a thirtieth part) is recited each night. A Hanafi source calls completing a full recitation (khatm) in Taraweeh a sunnah, and al-Dardir, in the Maliki school, says it’s preferred to finish the Quran by reciting about a juz’ per night across the 20 rak’ahs.

At home, you don’t need to have the Quran memorised. One guide says someone who hasn’t memorised it can hold the mushaf while reciting at home, but in congregation it’s better to follow the imam’s recitation instead. If you’d like a reading plan alongside your prayers, see our Quran in 30 days plan.

Practical points for readers in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Europe

Mosques in these countries follow different customs, so the rak’ah count varies by mosque. One UK charity’s guide notes that in a mosque the imam will usually pray the full 20. Some mosques pray 8 and some pray 20, and some run two congregations in the same building, one after the other. Call or check the mosque website before Ramadan to find out which it follows and how long it takes.

Ramadan 2027 falls in the northern winter, so Isha comes earlier than it has in recent summers. Use our Ramadan timetables for prayer times by city, and keep in mind that mosques in different cities may announce the start on different days.

If you have questions about your own situation, such as working night shifts, a long commute, health, or joining a mosque that prays a different number from your school, ask a qualified scholar. They can apply your school’s position to your circumstances. You can also print planners for the month from our downloads page.

Sources

This article explains what the four Sunni schools say and links its sources. It is not a fatwa. Dates are expected dates and depend on moon sighting where you live. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.