How many rakats are there in Tarawih Prayer? 20 (,36) or 8 because some people makes 8 rakats Taraweeh also?

RAMADHAAN%0D%0AUntil approximately two centuries ago there were no two answers to this%0D%0Aquestion. Every person until this time unanimously agreed that it is TWENTY%0D%0ARakaats. Around the twelfth century a group calling itself the Ahle Hadith%0D%0Aemerged and began propagating the fallacy that Taraweeh is only eight%0D%0ARakaats. Recently, a small group in our country, in order to cast aside the%0D%0Afollowing one of the four Madhabs, have begun blindly following the so%0D%0Acalled Ahle Hadith. Hence not only do they deprive themselves from the%0D%0Arewards of the entire twenty Rakaats, they also mislead other simpleminded%0D%0Apeople who are unaware of the facts and deprive them as well. At the same%0D%0Atime those of weak Imaan who find the twenty Rakaats difficult due to their%0D%0Alaziness and lack of realisation of the tremendous rewards of Taraweeh, have%0D%0Afound a scapegoat in the baseless propaganda of the Ahle Hadith and its%0D%0Afollowers. The reality, however, is that twenty Rakaats of Taraweeh is%0D%0ASunnatul Mua'kkadah (a greatly stressed Sunnah, deliberate omission of which%0D%0Ais a sin).%0D%0A%0D%0AALL UNANIMOUS%0D%0AIn the time of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu %C1layhi Wasallam) the Taraweeh Salaat%0D%0Awas performed individually and in small groups. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu%0D%0A%C1layhi Wasallam) stressed its performance but did not perform it with the%0D%0Acongregation since he feared that it may then become Fardh (compulsory) upon%0D%0Athe Ummah. In one narration, it is nevertheless mentioned that Rasulullah%0D%0A(Sallallaahu %C1layhi Wasallam) performed twenty Rakaats of Taraweeh and the%0D%0AWitr in Ramadhaan. (Musannad ibn Abi Shaiba and Bayhaqi). This practice of%0D%0Aperforming the Taraweeh individually and in small groups continued in the%0D%0Atime of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (Radhiallaahu %C1nhu) and the initial years of the%0D%0AKhilafa of Sayyidina %DAmar (Radhiallaahu %C1nhu). Thereafter Hadhrat %DAmar%0D%0A(Radhiallaahu %C1nhu) appointed Ubayy ibn Ka%E1b (Radhiallaahu %C1nhu) as the%0D%0AImaam and gathered everybody in one Jama'ah behind him for the full twenty%0D%0ARakaats of Taraweeh. At that time there were numerous Sahaabah (Radhiallaahu%0D%0A%C1nhum) present. All of them agreed on this decision of Hadhrat %DAmar%0D%0A(Radhiallaahu %C1nhu). If this decision was contrary to Deen, the Sahaabah%0D%0A(Radhiallaahu %C1nhu) would have never been tolerated it. Their consensus on%0D%0Athis manner is itself a Sha%E9e proof of twenty Rakaats being Sunnah. A number%0D%0Aof narrations mention the performance of twenty Rakaats by the Sahaaba%0D%0A(Radhiallaahu %C1nhum). Therefore, we find that the four great Imaams of the%0D%0Afour Maddhabs, despite a number of minor differences among them on the%0D%0Ainterpretation and application of various aspects, are unanimous that%0D%0ATaraweeh is twenty Rakaats. This is authentically recorded in their books.%0D%0A%0D%0AHARAMAYN%0D%0AThe aspect of Taraweeh is really as clear as daylight. Therefore, one will%0D%0Afind that in the Haramayn of Makkatul Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah up%0D%0Ato this day, from the very time of Umar (Radhiallaahu %C1nhu), twenty Rakaats%0D%0Ais performed in Jamaa. The Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu %C1nhu), the Taabi%E9en (those%0D%0Awho came after the Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu %C1nhum), the Imaams of Fiqh%0D%0A(jurisprudence) and the entire Ummah, with the exception of the so called%0D%0AAhle Hadith of recent times, has been unanimous on twenty Rakaats.%0D%0A%0D%0AYOUR DECISION%0D%0AFinally, in one Hadith Rasulullah (Sallallaahu %C1layhi Wasallam) is reported%0D%0Ato have said, 'After me there will be much differences. Hence hold on to my%0D%0ASunnah and the Sunnah of my rightly guided Khulafaa'. (Mishk%E3t). Twenty%0D%0ARakaats of Taraweeh with Jamaa was the Sunnah of the rightly guided%0D%0AKhulafaa. In this latter day difference, who will you follow? The Sunnah of%0D%0Athe Khulafaa of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu %C1layhi Wasallam) or the way of those%0D%0Awho contradict them??? You make the decision.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai