Question: Ibn Hajar has reproduced from Imam Raf'e: For two night's the Holy Prophet -may Allah raise his rank- led 20 rakah's of prayer each night: on the third night the people gathered but the people didn't come out, Then the next morning he told the people: It so occured to me that it would be made obliagotory for you and you would not be able to perform this obligation.
(Talkis ul Habeer fi Takrij Ahadith ar Raf'e ul Kebir , Page 119)
What is the authencity of this report? And in which hadeeth books we can find it, i saw it in several books but without the addition of 20 rakah's each night.
Answer: The mention of 20 rak^aat is has a weak chain of narration. However, the narrator that is weakened in it, Ibrahiim ibn ^uthmaan, has been declared as acceptable by Ibn ^Adiyy, and it has supporting evidences in the actions of the companions.
