Q.  What is the status of taraweeh salaah in Islam. Is Taraweeh just nafl, is it a sunnah salaah ? Is it fard? We are a little confused. Some perform it, some seem to not care about it.  What does Ibn Taymiah say about it? What does Imaam Hanifa say about it? Who do we follow

A. Taraweeh is a salaah that falls into the category of Sunnah Muakadah, not ‘just a nafl salah.’ As with regard to the number of rakaahs, the rakaahs are fixed, just as they are fixed for other Sunnah Muakadah salaat. For example, the two rakaahs before Fajar are fixed, and they would remain that way, so would the number of rakats for the sunah action of taraweeh.

On ibn Taymiyyah, we are aware that he is of the opinion that there is no fixed number of rakats for taraweeh. There is consensus within the Ulamaah that taraweeh salah is not less then twenty rakaats. If the choice was to be made between Sayidinah Umar and Ibn Taymiyyah — despite his great knowledge, Majority of the Ummah would choose Sayidinah Umar (RA). Until about two hundred years ago, twenty rakats was common in all masjids. Likewise, it is common in the Haramain of Makkah and Madinah up until today, and no question about was raised during the overwhelming majority of the 1400 years that Islam is present.  It is only for the past two hundred years that this issue of not wanting to perform twenty rakats is taking place. It is baffling why some people prefer individuals to not be in the mode of prayer for as long as possible during this holiest of Islamic months.

Allah Surely knows Best.