Answer
(Fatwa: 455/417=D)
In Shamail Timizi, there is a narration of Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ) spending a night in the house of his aunty Maimoonah (رضی اللہ عنہا) in which he offered tahajjud salah with the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) and narrated the action of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم):
فصلی رکعتین ثم رکعتین ثم رکعتین ثم رکعتین ثم رکعتین ثم رکعتین قال ھن ست مرات ثم اوتر (الحدیث)
The Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) offered the prayer six times in pairs (two rakats). Thus the total rakats were 12. (Mulla Ali Qari says that the total rakats of tahajjud according to Imam Abu Haneefah are 12). Then the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) prayed witr.
Likewise, the tradition of Zaid bin Khalid in which he narrated his observation, also mentions tahajjud as twelve rakat. He says that first the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) prayed two light rakats and then prayed two long rakats, then prayed two rakats four times; thus the total rakats were 12. This hadith is mentioned in Mishkwat: 106 and Sahih Muslim.
Shaikhul Hadith Hazrat Maulana Zakariya (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) has elucidated all these traditions related to tahajjudin his book خصائل نبوی شرح شمائل ترمذی. You should study the book if available.
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
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