Series Regarding the Number of Rakah for Taraweeh
No. 10 Is it authentic that anyone of the Khulafa prayed Twenty Rakah?
Part A: Shaykh Albaani commented on the saying of Sayyid Sabiq:
‘Regarding his statement about the number of Rakah: ‘It is authentic that the people used to pray twenty Rakah at the time of Umar, Uthmaan and Ali.’
I (Albaani) say: ‘As for it being prayed at the time of Uthmaan then I do not know anyone who narrated this from him even with a Sanad which is weak. As for it being from Umar and Ali then it has been narrated from them with chains all of which are deficient like I clarified clearly, of which I do not know of anyone having preceded me in, in my book ‘Salatul Taraweeh’.
I explained in that book, that the narrations mentioned about this issue are of the type which do not strengthen each other and if anyone of them were to be authentic, then that twenty Rakah would have been for a reason which is not present now. Because there does not remain from those Imams who lengthen the recitation which the Salaf were upon, to the extent that it was averted to shortened recitation and increased number of Rakah in place of lengthened recitation.’
[Tamaam al-Mina. …p.252]