These benefits are from the esteemed Mālikī Scholar, Imām Ibn ‘Abdil-Barr (D. 463^AH), in his book ‘al-Istidhkār’, a detailed explanation of Imām Mālik’s Ḥadīth Collection, ‘al-Muwattā’. His commentary stands as one of the most comprehensive Fiqh texts, encompassing the viewpoints of jurists from various schools of thought alongside their respective evidences.

Imām Mālik (rahimahullah) states in his ‘al-Muwatta’:

Chapter: Narrations Regarding the Night Prayer in Ramadan.

Imām Mālik (rahimahullah) then reports from Ibn Shihāb from ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr that Abdul-Rahman ibn Abd al-Qāri said, “I went out with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiyallahu ‘anhu) in Ramadan to the mosque and the people there were spread out in groups. Some men were praying by themselves, whilst others were praying in small groups. ‘Umar said, ‘By Allāh! It would be better in my opinion if I gathered these people behind one reciter.’ So he gathered them behind Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (radiyallahu ‘anhu). Then I went out with him another night and the people were praying behind their Qur’ān reciter. ‘Umar said, ‘How excellent this new way is, but what you miss while you are asleep is better than the time you pray.’ He meant that praying at the end of the night is better, and people used to pray in beginning of the night.”

‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) gathered them to pray behind one reciter, choosing the best reciter (Ubayy), complying with—and Allāh knows best—the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “The person who is most versed in the Qur’ān should lead the people in prayer.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim) This hadith was narrated by Abū Mas‘ūd al-Anṣārī (radiyallahu ‘anhu) from the Prophet ﷺ. Also, it has been reported from the Prophet ﷺ that he said [about the companions]: “The one most versed in the Qur’ān is Ubayy ibn Ka‘b.” (al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

Regarding ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) coming out one night while the people were praying behind their Imam and he said, “How excellent this new way is!”, this is an evidence that he did not used to pray with them. He did not pray with them either because he was preoccupied with the affairs of the Muslims or because he used to pray alone. Ibn ‘Uyaynah reported from Ibrahim ibn Maysarah, who reported from Tawus, saying, “I heard Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhu) say, ‘Umar invited me to eat with him during the month of Ramadan—for the suhūr meal—so he heard the people’s noise when they were leaving the night prayer, so ‘Umar said, ‘What remains from the night is more beloved to me than what has already passed.’” This serves as evidence that they used to pray at the beginning of the night, and then ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) shifted it to the end of the night. This continued to be the matter as Mālik mentions, up until the time of Abū Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn Hazm who said: “We used to finish the night prayer and then we would rush our servants to bring food, out of fear that Fajr would enter.”

Mālik then mentions in this chapter, from Muhammad ibn Yūsuf from al-Sā’ib ibn Yazid, that he said, “‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiyallahu ‘anhu) ordered Ubayy ibn Ka‘b and Tamim al-Dāri (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) to lead the people in prayer with 11 rak‘ahs. The reciter would recite with the Mi’in chapters (which have nearly a hundred verses or more) to the extent that we would lean on sticks from having stood so long in prayer. And we would not leave the prayer until the approach of Fajr.”

This has also been reported by Ibn ‘Uyaynah with his chain to al-Sā’ib ibn Yazid however it did not mention Tamim al-Dāri with Ubayy ibn Ka’b as Mālik mentioned. That could be because Tamim al-Dāri would only lead the women in the prayer. The hadith of Ibn Shihāb which is the most authentic hadith regarding this matter mentions that ‘Umar made Ubayy ibn Ka‘b their Imam. Ibn ‘Uyaynah has also reported from Hishām ibn ‘Urwah from his father that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab gathered the people in the night prayer of Ramadan, the men behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b and the women behind Sulayman ibn Abi Hathmah (radiyallahu ‘anhu). So, it is possible that Tamim al-Dāri was also an Imam for the women for a period of time and Allāh knows best.

Regarding ‘Umar’s (radiyallahu ‘anhu) statement, “How excellent this new way (bid‘ah) is.” The linguistic meaning of bid‘ah is ‘introducing and starting something new’. However, anything like this performed in the religion and opposes the Sunnah that the people have acted upon is a [blameworthy] bid‘ah and there is no good in it. In fact, it is obligatory to criticise, forbid and command people to avoid it. It is also obligatory to boycott those who innovate into the religion once the evil of their ways becomes clear.

As for something being introduced that does not oppose what is originally from the Shari’ah (Islamic legislation) and the Sunnah then that is an excellent new way as ‘Umar said here because its origin is actually that it is a Sunnah. 

This is like what ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) said regarding the Duha prayer, he was not aware of its legislation so he asked, “Does the Duha time have a prayer for it?” Ibn Abi Shaybah reports from Ibn ‘Ulayyah, from al-Jariri, from al-Hakam, from al-A‘raj who said, “I asked Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) about the Duha prayer so he said to me, ‘It is a bid‘ah and it is an excellent bid‘ah.’”

Allāh, the Most High, has said regarding the People of the Book:

وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا

“But the monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but [they sought it] only to please Allāh therewith, but they did not observe it with the right observance.” Sūrah al-Hadid 57:27)

As for innovating things in the worldly life then there is no problem in this and there is no blame for the one who does so.^[1]

As for ‘Umar’s (radiyallahu ‘anhu) statement: “But what you miss while you are asleep is better than the time you pray.”

That is due to the virtue of supplicating in the pre-dawn time (sahar) as mentioned in narrations and Allāh has praised those who seek forgiveness in the pre-dawn time. Scholars of Tafsir (Quranic Exegesis) commented on Allāh’s statement about Ya‘qub (‘alayhis-salam):

قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“He said: I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you, verily He! Only He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (Sūrah Yūsuf 12:98) They explain that Ya‘qub (‘alayhis-salam) delayed the seeking forgiveness to the pre-dawn time.

And the Prophet ﷺ said: “Allāh descends to the lowest heaven when a third of the night remains—another narration mentions when half the night remains— and He says is there anyone to call upon Me? Is there anyone to seek My forgiveness? Is there anyone to repent?”

How Many Rak‘ahs in the Tarawih Prayer?

In the hadith of Mālik from Muhammad ibn Yusuf from al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid he said that ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) commanded Ubayy ibn Ka‘b and Tamim al-Dāri (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) to lead the people with 11 rak’ahs — 11 rak’ahs is what Mālik reported in this hadith. However, other narrators oppose Mālik and say in some places 21 rak’ahs. I do not know anyone who has reported this narration stating 11 rak’ahs other than Mālik, and Allāh knows best.

It is possible that initially, during the early stages of the night prayer, ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) instituted 11 rak’ahs, then later increased it to 21 rak’ahs to ease the recitation burden in each rak’ah and to allow for more time in bowing (ruku‘) and prostration (sujud). This is a possibility however what I hold to be stronger is that the narration that says 11 rak’ahs is a mistake, and Allāh knows best.^[2]

Another report mentions 23 rak’ahs; in the report of 21 rak’ahs, it is implied that the Witr prayer consists of only 1 rak’ah, whereas in the 23 rak’ahs setup, the Witr consists of 3 rak’ahs.

Praying at Home or in the Masjid

The scholars have differed regarding whether it is better to pray with the people or to pray alone in the night prayer of Ramadan.

Mālik and al-Shāfi‘i hold that praying alone at home in the night prayer of Ramadan is better. Mālik said, “Rabi‘ah and many of our scholars used to leave and not pray with the people.” He continued, “I also do this, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ did not pray except in his home.”

Al-Shāfi‘i used as evidence for his position the hadith of Zayd ibn Thābit in which the Prophet ﷺ  said regarding the night prayer in Ramadan, “O people pray in your homes for indeed the best prayer of a person is in their home except the prescribed prayers.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim) al-Shāfi‘i said, “This is especially the case since prayer with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ in his mosque, has great virtue [yet he said to pray at home].” It has also been narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma), Sālim, al-Qāsim, Ibrāhim and Nāfi‘ all used to leave and not pray with the people.

It has come from ‘Umar and ‘Ali (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) that they both used to instruct an Imam to lead the people in prayer in the masjid. However, it has not been narrated from them that they used to pray with them.

As for al-Layth ibn Sa‘d, he said, “If all of the people prayed the night prayer in Ramadan by themselves and with their families to the extent that the congregational prayer in the masjid is abandoned and no one prays in the masjid, then it is not befitting for them to abandon the masjid. That is because the night prayer of Ramadan is from the affairs that the people should never abandon, and it is from that which ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) made as a Sunnah for the Muslims and gathered the Muslims upon it. But if there is a congregation praying in the masjid, then there is no problem in a person praying by himself in his home, leading his family.”

The proof of al-Layth and those who hold the same position as him is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “Upon you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah) It has been narrated by al-‘Irbād ibn Sāriyah from the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ also said, “Follow the two who come after me, Abū Bakr and ‘Umar.” (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah) This was reported by Hudhayfah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) from the Prophet ﷺ. Many groups of scholars from the later scholars, from the Hanafis and Shāfi‘is also hold the same position as al-Layth.

Some of the Hanafis who hold this position are ‘Isa ibn Abān, Bakkār ibn Qutaybah, Ahmad ibn Abi ‘Imrān and al-Tahāwi. And some of the Shāfi‘is are Ismā‘il ibn Yahya al-Muzani and Ibn ‘Abdil-Hakam. All of them say that praying in congregation in the masjid for the night prayer of Ramadan is better and more beloved to them than a person praying in their home.

They also use as evidence the hadith of Abū Dharr (radiyallahu ‘anhu) from the Prophet ﷺ in which he said, “If a man prays with the Imam until he concludes the prayer, then it will be written for him as if he prayed for the whole night.” (Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and al-Nasa’i) This is also the position of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Athram said: “Ahmad ibn Hanbal used to pray the Tarawih and Witr with the people and he would use the hadith of Abū Dharr as an evidence.”

Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, “Jābir ibn Abdillāh (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) used to pray the Tarawih in congregation, and that has also been narrated from ‘Ali and Ibn Mas‘ūd (radiyallahu ‘anhuma).

The scholars of the Dhāhiri Madh-hab use as evidence the hadith of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ who said: “Congregational prayer is 25 times better than individual prayer.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim) Another narration mentions, “27 times”. However, this, with most of the scholars, is regarding the obligatory prayer. The proof for that is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ in the hadith of Zayd ibn Thabit (radiyallahu ‘anhu), “A person praying in their home is better than them praying in this masjid of mine except the obligatory prayer.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim) Regarding this hadith, even though Mālik reported it with a mursal chain of narration^[3], many other scholars have narrated it with a complete chain of narration.

Al-Athram said: “I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal being asked about praying in between the Tarawih and he disliked it. It was mentioned to him that it has been reported that some of the companions allowed it. So he said: “This is false rather, it has only been allowed by Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, al-Hasan and Ibrahim.” Ahmad also said “…and it has been reported from three of the companions that it is disliked, ‘Ubādah ibn al-Sāmit, Abū al-Dardā’ and ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir (radiyallahu ‘anhum).”

I (Ibn ‘Abdil-Barr) say: The night prayer in Ramadan is a voluntary prayer and no prayer is obligatory except the five daily prayers. Whatever is more than the five daily prayers is voluntary. The proof for that is the hadith of Talha ibn ‘Ubaydillāh where a man asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Is there anything else obligatory upon me?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “No, except what you do voluntarily.”

The Prophet ﷺ also said, “A person praying in their home is better than them praying in this masjid of mine except the obligatory prayer.” If the voluntary prayer in the house is better than praying in the Prophet’s mosque where prayer is multiplied by a thousand times, then this clearly shows the virtue of praying the voluntary prayer at home. Due to this Mālik, al-Shāfi‘i and those who are upon the same position as them hold that praying alone at home is better for every voluntary prayer (including Tarawih). Thus, if the Tarawih is established in the mosques during Ramadan even if it is with the lowest number of worshippers then prayer at home in that case is better.

Mālik narrated from Dāwūd ibn al-Husayn that he heard al-A‘raj say, “I never saw the people in Ramadan, but that they were cursing the disbelievers.” He added, “The Imam used to recite Sūrah al-Baqarah in eight rak‘ahs, and if he did it in twelve rak‘ahs, the people would think that he had made it easy.”

The Witr Qunut in the Second Part of Ramadan

Mālik used to hold the position that Qunūt is performed in the second part of Ramadan during the Witr prayer, including supplications against the disbelievers who deserve it (such as being at war with the Muslims etc.).

The Egyptian students of Malik—Ibn al-Qāsim, al-Ash-hab and Ibn Wahb—narrated that he abandoned the opinion of performing Qunūt in the second part of Ramadan. However, his students in Madinah narrated from him that he used to say, “The Imam makes the Qunūt in the second part of Ramadan, and those praying behind him say ‘Āmin’”. This is also the position of Ahmad and Ishāq.

Doing the Qunūt in the second part of Ramadan has been narrated from ‘Ali, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhum), Ibn Sirin, al-Thawri, al-Zuhri, Yahya ibn Wath-thāb, Ibn al-Mundhir, Mālik, al-Shāfi‘i and Ahmad. 

There are also contradictory narrations regarding Ibn ‘Umar’s position. It has been narrated by Ibn ‘Ulayyah from Ayyub, from Nafi‘ that Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) used to do the Qunūt in the second part of Ramadan. However, Ibn ‘Umayr reported from Ubaydillāh, from Nāfi‘, from Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) that he would not do the Qunūt, not in Fajr nor Witr. As for al-Shāfi‘i, in Iraq, his position was reported by al-Za‘farāni that the Qunūt is done in the Witr in the second part of Ramadan and the Qunūt should not be done in Witr all year except in the second half of Ramadan. In Egypt, he held that Qunut is done even in the morning prayer. 

Many authentic narrations have been reported by the companions concerning the Qunūt in Witr. From that is what al-Tabari reported saying, Humayd ibn Mas‘adah narrated to us, he said Yazid ibn Zuray‘ narrated to us, he said Yūnus narrated to us from al-Hasan who said, “‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) instructed Ubayy ibn Ka‘b to lead the people in prayer and when the first half of Ramadan ended and the second half began on the 16th night, they would make Qunūt and supplicate against the disbelievers.

Ibn Jurayj said, “I asked ‘Atā about the Qunūt in the month of Ramadan. He said, ‘The first person to do Qunūt in it was ‘Umar.’ I said in the second half of the month? He said, “Yes.”

Ibn Wahb narrated from Mālik that it was said to him: “They recite five verses in every rak‘ah.” He said: “More than that is more beloved to me.” So it was said to him: “What about ten verses in every rak‘ah?” He said: “Yes, ten verses from the long chapters.” He (Ibn Wahb) said: “He (Mālik) also held that more than ten verses should be read when they reach the chapters of Ṭāsīn and al-Ṣāffāt.^[4]

This is the evidence of those who permit performing the Qunūt in the Witr prayer during the night prayer in the second half of the month — using as evidence what we have mentioned from these great companions and it is the action and practice of the people of Madinah at that time during Ramadan and it has not been reported that any of the scholars at that time criticised them for doing so.

A group of the Salaf held the position that Qunūt is done in the first part of Ramadan as well, and it is the position of Abū Thawr. They have said that the Qunūt is performed throughout Ramadan, and during the Qunūt prayer, supplications against the disbelievers are made. It is also the position of Al-Awzā‘i who held that Qunūt is also done in the Fajr prayer before the ruku‘.

How Much Qur’ān Should be Recited During Tarawih?

As for how much Qur’ān should be read in every rak‘ah of the night prayer in Ramadan, in al-Muwatta’ is as you have seen reported from Ubayy and his companions that they would read the ‘Mi’in’ chapters (which have nearly a hundred verses or more) and that they would recite Surah al-Baqarah in 8 rak‘ahs and sometimes in 12 rak‘ahs.

Ibn Abi Shaybah said, Husayn ibn ‘Ali narrated to us from Zā’idah from Hishām from al-Hasan [al-Basri) who said: “Whoever leads the people in prayer in Ramadan should do what is easy for them. If he recites slowly, then he should complete the entire Qur’ān once. If he recites at a moderate pace, then he should complete the entire Qur’ān one and a half times, and if he recites quickly, then he should complete the Qur’ān twice.”

Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr used to recite 25 verses in every rak‘ah. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil-‘Aziz used to command those who lead the prayer in Ramadan to recite 10 verses in every rak‘ah.

al-Za‘farānī narrated from al-Shāfi‘i that he said: “If they prolong the standing and make the prostration less then that is good and it is more beloved to me. But if they make the bowing and prostration more then that is acceptable.”

The summary in this matter is that according to Imam Mālik and the scholars there is no minimum limit in how much should be recited.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever leads the people in prayer then he should make it short.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim)

‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) said: “Do not make the slaves of Allāh dislike Allāh.” Meaning: Do not make the prayer lengthy for them.

When the Prophet ﷺ sent Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (radiyallahu ‘anhu) to Yemen as a teacher and ruler, the Prophet ﷺ gave him instructions, and from what he ﷺ said to him was: “Prolong the recitation according to what they are able to handle.” (al-Hilyah)

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best prayer is the one with prolonged standing.” (Muslim) This narration is regarding the person who prays by himself.

Slaves and Women Leading the Prayer

Mālik narrated from Hishām ibn ‘Urwah from his father that Dhakwān Abū ‘Amr was a slave of ‘A’isha (radiyallahu ‘anha) that she had freed with the emancipation taking place after her death. He used to lead the people in prayer in Ramadan.

I am not aware of any difference of opinion among scholars regarding the permissibility of slaves who have reached the age of puberty leading the night prayer in Ramadan and every prayer except the Jumu‘ah prayer. This is why Imām Mālik mentioned this narration, to demonstrate its permissibility.

Abū Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah also reported saying, Ubaydullah ibn ‘Umar narrated to us from Nafi‘ from Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) that when the Muhājirīn (companions who had migrated) came from Makkah they stayed next to Qubā’ and were led in prayer by Sālim, the freed slave of Abū Ḥudhayfah (radiyallahu ‘anhu), because he had memorised the most Qur’ān amongst them. Present praying behind him were Abū Salamah ibn ‘Abdil-Aswad and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiyallahu ‘anhuma).

The scholars have reached a consensus (ijmā‘) that men cannot be led in prayer by women. They differed regarding the ruling on women leading each other. 

Read Part 1 of this article: The Night Prayer in Ramadan (Part 1)

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Source: Slightly abridged from al-Istidhkār of Imām Ibn ‘Abdil Barr (2/65-79)

Footnotes:

[1] Read the following article on the usage of the word bid’ah in its linguistic sense: Refuting the Notion of Bid’ah Hasanah (Good Innovation) in Worship

[2] Read more details about the number of rak’ahs in the following article: The Taraweeh Prayer and Some Important Regulations Pertaining to it

[3] A mursal ḥadith is when a tābi‘ī — a successor of the companions who never met the Prophet — narrates a ḥadīth directly from the Prophet and he does not mention who narrated the ḥadīth to him. A mursal chain of narration is considered weak because of the disconnection in the chain.

[4] This refers to the following chapters of the Qur’ān: al-Shu‘arā, al-Naml, al-Qaṣaṣ (all three begin with the letters ‘Ṭāsīn’) and al-Ṣāffāt.