Other prominent scholars who have used Imaam al-Bayhaqi's narration's, besides other proofs include: Shaykh Habibur Rahman al-A'zami (see above), Shaykh Isma'il Ansari (see later), Shaykh al-Muqri in Tahqeeq al-Taraweeh, Shaykh Zafar Ahmad Uthmani in his monumental I'la as-Sunan [28], Shaykh Abdur Rahim Lajpuri in Fatawa al-Rahimiyya [29], Shaykh Ahmad Khan in Ja'al Haqq[30], Shaykh Taqi al-Uthmani in Dars-e-Tirmidhi [31] and many others.
A writer once claimed that Imaam al-Bukhari held the view that the rak'ahs of Taraweeh were eight, excluding the witr. What is surprising to note is that despite his bold ascription of this view to Imaam al-Bukhari, he did not furnish one shed of proof or reference to the works of Imaam al-Bukhari to verify his claim.
On the contrary, the commentators of Sahih al-Bukhari, like Hafiz Ibne Hajar and Hafiz al-Ayni have not ascribed any view for 8 rak'ahs to Imaam al-Bukhari to our knowledge. What is unsurprising to note is that the two aforementioned scholars of Hadith have mentioned the proofs in favour of 20 rak'ahs. One may raise the catechism - if Imaam al-Bukhari had held the view ascribed to him, would there be no doubt that his great student, Imaam Abu Isa al-Tirmidhi [32], would not have failed to mention this?
For we know that Imaam al-Tirmidhi only knew of either 20 or 41 rak'ahs [33] in his time.
He has recorded in al-Jami us-Sahih, that Umar [34], Ali (radhiyallahu anhum) and other Companions of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) used to perform 20 rak'ahs of Taraweeh, as well as saying that Sufyan al-Thauri (d. 161 AH), Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (d. 181 AH) and al-Shafi'i (d. 204 AH) held the same view. He has also quoted Imaam al-Shafi'i as saying that he saw the people of Makkah performing 20 rak'ahs of Taraweeh.
The only proof to suggest that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed 20 rak'ahs has been reported on the authority of Abdullah ibne Abbaas (radhiyallahu anhu):
"Verily, the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) in the month of Ramadhaan, used to perform 20 rak'ahs and the witr (afterwards) without congregation."[35]
This narration has been shown to have a weak (da'eef) isnad by the verifying scholars like al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani [36], Hafiz al-Zayla'i and others, due to the presence of the narrator: Abu Shaiba [37] Ibrahim ibn Uthman. He was the grandfather of the Imaam of Hadith: Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaiba, as well as being a Qadi; but as for his status as a reporter of Hadith, he has been declared to be discarded (matrook) by Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Taqreeb ul-Tahdhhib[38] and al-Bayhaqi has declared him to be weak in al-Sunan al-Kubra[39].
One may wish to note that al-Albani has gone to the added length of declaring Ibn Abbas' narration to be Maudu (fabricated) [40], whereas no previous scholars of Hadith have gone beyond declaring its isnad to be da'eef (weak). This is nothing strange, for al-Albani usually goes to the added lengths and extremities of declaring narration's which do not suit his whims and desires to be either da'eef or maudu.
An interesting study prepared and published on this issue by a Shaykh who is said to have memorized the six most authentic collections of Hadith, is available to verify this assertion.
Let us now see what a number of Imams of sacred law have said about the aforementioned narration from Ibne Abbas (radhiyallahu anhu).
(a) Imaam Ahmad al-Tahtaawi [41] has said in Sharh Durr al-Mukhtar [42] :
"On the authority of Ibne Abbas' statement, 20 rak'ahs of Taraweeh has been estblished from the Holy Prophet's (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) practice."
(b) Shaykh Abdul Haqq al-Dehlawi [43] has been quoted by the author of Fatawa Rahimiyya [44] as follows: "Shaykh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith of Delhi writes in his book, Fath-e-Sirr-ul-Mannan:
'The obvious thing is that, according to the holy Companion's, the Holy Prophet's (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) saying 20 rak'ahs had been established, as is mentioned in Ibne Abbas' tradition, and for this reason Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) adopted 20 rak'ahs...'
He also quoted Shaykh Abdul Haqq as saying from his book: Ma sabata minas Sunnah [45],
'According to our belief, the taraweeh consists of 20 rak'ahs, for Bayhaqi has reported with sound authority that the holy Companions (radhiyallahu anhum) used to perform 20 rak'ahs during Umar's time; moreover, this practice continued during Uthman and Ali's (radhiyallahu anhum) periods also.'"
(c) Shaykh Abdur Rahim continued to say in his Fatawa:
"The fact is that Hadhrat Ibne Abbas and Hadhrat Umar are both Companions; there is no 'weak' narrator between them, wherefore Ibn Abbas' tradition may be called weak and the Companion's action may be considered to be based on a weak tradition. Their action was based on a sound basis; how can those who follow them be called 'the deluded'? In short, according to the Companion's reckoning, the afore said hadith is not at all weak, though, due to the inclusion later of a weak narrator. Ibrahim ibn Uthman may be according to the latter-day authorities called weak 'by way of narration', but 'intelligibly' it must be authentic because the well-guided Caliphs and other Companion's conformity to and continuance of 20 rak'ahs is the proof of its being reliable.
Allamah Bahrul-Uloom [46] says:
'The Companions continued conformity to 20 rak'ahs is the context and sign of the soundness of this tradition.'"
In support of what we have mentioned, let us quote to you what a leader of Salafiyyism has mentioned in his book: Criticism of Hadith among Muslims with reference to Sunan Ibn Maja [47] :
"Shafi'i also recognizes a weak Hadith as authentic (sahih) if it is found to be accepted by the whole ummah (see al-Sakhawi: Fath al-Mugith). But he does not accept Malik's view of restricting the practise to the people of Madinah. According to the later scholars of the Hanafi school like Ibn al-Humam, a Hadith will be declared Sahih, if it is supported by the practise of the Ummah (see Abdal Rashid Nu'mani: Ma tamusu ilaihe al-Haja, p. 18). Among traditionalists, Tirmidhi often remarks, after quoting a less authentic Hadith: 'It is being practised by the people of learning (Ahl-ul-Ilm).' Suyuti deduces: 'It indicates that the Hadith is supported by the sayings of the people of learning. More than one scholar has said that a Hadith is declared Sahih if supported by the sayings of the people of learning, even if it lacks a proper Isnad (see Suyuti: al-Ta'aqubat, folio 20).'"
In closing this section, consider what Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahmatullahi alayhi) said to his student Imaam Abu Yusuf (rahmatullahi alayhi). Shaykh Anwar Shah Kashmiri stated in Fayd ul-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari:
"Imaam Abu Yusuf (rahmatullahi alayhi) asked Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahmatullahi alayhi), 'Did Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) have any compact from the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for 20 rak'ahs of Taraweeh?' The Imaam replied, 'Hadhrat Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) was not one to invent on his own; certainly he had some proof for this!'"[48]