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Are the following matters considered innovations (bid'ah): praying more than 8 rak'ahs in Tarawih, fasting on the day of Al-Mi'raj or "Shab-e-Barat" with the intention of pleasing Allah, and is it an innovation to say that fasting on "Shab-e-Barat" is a supererogatory fast, and is performing the "Tasbih Nafl" prayer, in which Surat Al-Ikhlas is recited 100 times in each rak'ah, considered an innovation?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The answer to the question is in five points:

1. Performing more than eight cycles (rak'ahs) in Tarawih prayer is not an innovation (bid'ah), provided that specific nights are not singled out for an increased number, such as the last ten nights. Rather, the number of rak'ahs in these nights should be the same as in others, and the last ten nights should be distinguished by prolonging the rak'ahs.

2. Fasting on the day believed to be the Isra and Mi'raj is impermissible and falls under innovations (bid'ah), unless the fasting is based on a habitual intention, such as fasting alternate days, or on Mondays and Thursdays, and this coincides with the day of the Isra and Mi'raj.

3. Fasting on the day of Isra and Mi'raj, similar to fasting on "Shab-e-Barat," if the intention is to specifically observe them, is not considered among the acts of worship taught to us by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him; rather, it is an innovation.

4. If there is no evidence for singling out the day of Isra and Mi'raj or any other day for fasting, then fasting on them is considered an innovation, because fasting is an act of worship in general, but singling out specific days without legal evidence is an innovation.

5. The "Tasbih Nafal" prayer for which there is no legal evidence is an innovation, such as the prayer that includes reciting "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad" (Say: He is Allah, the One) 100 times, because it is not established in the Book of Allah nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy