Number of prayers Tarawih Prayers Recommended

From Abu Salamah bin 'Abdirrahman, he reported that he had asked' Aisha radi 'anha, "How is the night prayer Prophet sallallaahu' alaihi wa sallam in the month of Ramadan?". 'Aisha said,

مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – يَزِيدُ فِى رَمَضَانَ وَلاَ فِى غَيْرِهِ عَلَى إِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً

"Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam never increase the number of cycles in the night prayer in Ramadan nor in other prayers more than 11 rak'ahs." (HR. Bukhari no. 1147 and Muslim no. 738)

From Jabir bin 'Abdillah radi' anhu, he said, "Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam never prayed with us in the month of Ramadan as many as 8 raka'at then he berwitir. On the next night, we were gathered in the mosque, hoping he would come out. We continue to await him there until the coming dawn. Then we see him and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, verily we waited for you last night, in the hope you will pray with us." He sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam replied, "I am afraid that eventually the prayer becomes obligatory for you." (HR. Ath Thabrani, Ibn Hibban and Ibn Khuzaimah. Shaykh Al Albani said that this hadith is hasan degrees. See At Tarawih Prayers, p. 21)

Number of prayers tarawih prayer is recommended that no more than 11 or 13 cycles. This is chosen by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam, as mentioned in the hadiths that have been passed.

'Aisha said, "The Messenger sallallaahu' alaihi wa sallam never increase the number of cycles in the night prayer in Ramadan nor in other prayers more than 11 rak'ahs." (HR. Bukhari no. 1147 and Muslim no. 738)

From Ibn 'Abbas, he said,

كَانَ صَلاَةُ النَّبِىِّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – ثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ رَكْعَةً . يَعْنِى بِاللَّيْلِ

"Prayers of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam in the evening is 13 cycles." (HR. Bukhari no. 1138 and Muslim no. 764). Some scholars say that the evening prayer of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam is 11 rak'ah. As for the other two cycles are two light cycles performed by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam as the opening prayers at night, as it was said by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari (4/123, Ash Syamilah).