There is no difference in this number between the beginning and the end of the month. Accordingly, the night prayer in the last ten days is the same as the night prayer at the beginning of the month.

Thus, if we say that eleven rak'ahs are best during the first twenty nights, we likewise say that eleven are best during the last ten nights, with no difference between them. For Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “He would not pray more in Ramadan or at any other time” (1). She did not make an exception for the last ten nights. However, the last ten nights are distinguished by greater length, for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would stand in prayer throughout the entire night during them (2). Accordingly, he should lengthen the prayer.

But if the people of the mosque choose that he shorten the recitation, bowing, and prostration for them, while increasing the number of rak'ahs, and they say to him, “This is easier for us,” then there is no blame upon him if he agrees with them, due to the general meaning of the Prophet’s saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “Make things easy and do not make them difficult” (3), and his general saying, exalted is He: “When one of you leads the people in prayer, let him keep it brief” (4). So long as the matter is not prohibited for us, making things easier for those whom Allah has placed under our charge is more appropriate and better. The imam is the authority of the mosque, entrusted with those praying behind him. This is why he is called an imam: the imam is the one who has authority over them in matters related to the prayer; he instructs them to straighten and align the rows,