Does Imam Malik consider Taraweeh to be 8 Raka'at

Another argument for 8 Raka'at is the following Hadith of Muwatta Al Malik:   Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Saib Bin Yazid (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said:  Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) ordered Hadhrat Ubai Bin Ka‘ab and Hadhrat Tameem Dari (May Allah be well pleased with them) to lead people in 11 Raka’at.  He said:  The Imam would recite Surah, which have 100 verses in them so much so that because of the long Raka’at, we would support ourselves with staffs and would return only just before Fajr.  (Muwatta Imam Malik, Pg. No. 78, Hadith No. 4)   On the basis of this Hadith, they say that if 3 Raka’at of Witr are subtracted, Taraweeh becomes 8 Raka’at.  Thus, it is established through this Hadith that Taraweeh is of 8 Raka’at.   Making the deduction of 11 Raka’at is incorrect   Making the deduction of 11 Raka’at from this is incorrect because of a few reasons.  There are some reservations about this Hadith and the reliable Muhadditheen and Fuqaha (Jurists) have not deduced Taraweeh to be 8 Raka’at from this Hadith but have made many clarifications.   (1)  Reconciliation between the Hadith of 11 Raka’at and 20 Raka’at   Imam Baihaqui (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:   Translation:  Reconciliation between these 2 Hadith is possible in that the Sahabah offered 11 Raka’at in the beginning and later on started offering 20 Raka’at Taraweeh and 3 Witr.  (Sunan Kubra Lil Baihaqui, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 299)   Imam Ibn Hajr ‘Asqalani (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written:   Translation: It is possible that these are the acts of 2 different occasions.  (Fath Ul Bari, Bab Fadhli Man Qama Ramadhan)   Similarly, Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has written in his Fatawa on the authority of Imam Subki (May Allah shower His mercy on him):   Translation: Maybe Sahabah first preferred long Raka’at over a greater number of Raka’at and took Taraweeh to be 11 Raka’at and later on preferred a greater number of Raka’at over long Raka’at and took Taraweeh to be 20 Raka’at and this remained permanent.  Imam Subki’s (May Allah shower His mercy on him) opinion ends here.  (Al Hawi Lil Fatawa Lis Suyuti, Kitab Us Salaat)

Dr. Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Qadri

Shaykh Ul Fiqh, Jamia Nizamia; Founder - Director

Mufti Maulana Syed Zia Uddin Naqshbandi Quadri

Shaik-ul-Fiqh - Jamia Nizamia

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Does Imam Malik consider Taraweeh to be 8 Raka'at