brand the imams who pray more than eleven rak'ahs as innovators, and leave the mosque, thereby missing the reward concerning which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever stands in prayer with the imam until he leaves will have the reward of standing the entire night in prayer recorded for him.” (1) They may also sit down after praying ten rak'ahs, causing breaks in the rows by their sitting; and at times they may converse, thereby distracting the worshippers. All of this is mistaken. We have no doubt that they seek what is good and are exercising independent judgment, but not everyone who exercises independent judgment is correct.

The other extreme is the opposite of these people: they strongly denounce anyone who limits himself to eleven rak'ahs, saying, “You have departed from the consensus.” Allah the Exalted says:

“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows a path other than that of the believers—We will leave him to what he has chosen and burn him in Hell—an evil destination.” [al-Nisa]

They say, “Everyone before you knew only twenty-three rak'ahs,” and then they are severe in their denunciation. This too is mistaken.

However, if we were to suppose that we were in a land where people knew only twenty-three rak'ahs, it would not be wise to confront them by praying eleven rak'ahs from the very first night. Rather, we should pray twenty-three rak'ahs, then speak to them about what the sunnah teaches: that eleven is better. Then it may be said, “What do you think? Should we limit ourselves to that number, while observing tranquility and lengthening the bowing”