The amount of Prayers one must pray in Taraweeh.

Q; One of my friends says that in the last 10 nights of Ramadan we have to pray 100 rak'ahs. (says it's sunnah)  But I know its not like this.

If you could just give proper explanation and reference of how many rak'ah we are supposed to pray.

jazakallah!

A; All-Praise is due to Allah,

There is nothing in the authentic narrations of the Sunnah that states you must pray one hundred units of prayer. Without a doubt one may exceed in worship in these nights by offering extra prayers seeking rewards of laylatul-qadr. The number of units for prayer in qiyam that is correct according to authentic Sunnah is eleven. Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him) states in his book Qiyaam Ramadan : 

The number of rak’ahs is eleven, and it is preferable in our opinion not to exceed this number, following the practice of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he never did more than that in his life. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was asked about how he prayed in Ramadaan. She said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) never prayed more than eleven rak’ahs (of qiyaam), whether during Ramadaan or any other time. He would pray four, and don’t ask me how beautiful or how long they were. Then he would pray four, and don’t ask me how beautiful or how long they were. Then he would pray three.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others).

A person may do less than that, even if it is only one rak’ah of witr, because of the evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did this and spoke about it.

With regard to him doing it: ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was asked how many rak’ahs the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray in witr? She said, “He used to pray four and three, or six and three, or ten and three. He never used to pray less than seven, or more than thirteen.” (Reported by Abu Dawood, Ahmad and others).

With regard to him speaking about it, he said: “Witr is true, so whoever wishes can pray five, and whoever wishes can pray three, and whoever wishes can pray one.” End of quote.

See Islam Q&A Fatwa: 3452.

If one wishes to pray Taraweeh then join the night prayers later on in the masjid there is nothing wrong with doing so, but on the condition that they leave the witr until the end of the night.    The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There cannot be no two Witrs in one night.” 

[Abo Dawoud: (1439), and Al-Albaani grades it as authentic in Sahih Abo Dawoud].

There is also no harm if one wishes to pray two units of prayer after the witr prayer as it was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray two rak’ahs after Witr sitting down. Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ Fataawa: (11/311):

The reason for that – and Allaah knows best – was to show the people that it is permissible to pray after Witr. End of quote.

And Allah knows best...