Praise be to Allah.

The Tarawih Prayer (Nightly Supererogatory Prayer during the month of Ramadan) is among what Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] has ordained for Muslims in Ramadan, and it is a stressed act of the Sunnah. It is called ‘the Tawarih’ which means in Arabic ‘intervals of relaxation,’ because Muslims use to take an interval of relaxation after every four rak’has(1) of the Tarawih Prayer as they used to prolong the prayer. It is more desirable to perform the Tarawih Prayer in congregational in the mosque, as the Prophet [pbuh] led his Companions in performing the Tarawih Prayer for some nights then he stopped for fear that it (i.e., the Tarawih Prayer) might become a burden on Muslims. In the Two Sahihs, ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

“One night Allah’s Messenger [pbuh] performed prayer in the mosque and some people followed him. The next night he also performed prayer and too many people gathered. On the third or the fourth night, more people gathered, but Allah’s Messenger [pbuh] did not come out to them. In the morning he said, ‘I saw what you were doing and nothing but the fear that it (i.e., the prayer) might be enjoined on you, stopped me from coming to you.”(2)

In the narration of Al-Bukhari the words, “…and that happened in the month of Ramadan” were added. It is well known that the Companions performed the Tarawih Prayer after the death of the Prophet [pbuh] and the Muslim nation has accepted and followed this practice.

The Prophet [pbuh] says:

“Whoever stands (performing prayer) with the Imam until he finishes prayer, (the reward for) performing prayer all the night will be recorded for him.”(3)

The Prophet [pbuh] also says:

“Whoever performs prayer during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping for Divine reward (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven.”(4)

Thus, performing the Tarawih Prayer is as stated (stressed) act of Sunnah that Muslim should not leave.

Concerning the number of rak’ahs (units of prayer) performed in this prayer, nothing definite is narrated is narrated about the Prophet [pbuh] and hence Muslims are free to choose.

Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

“A Muslim can perform twenty rak’ahs (in the Tarawih Prayer) according to the famous opinion of the Hanbali and Shafi’i Schools, thirty six rak’ahs with regard to the Maliki School, eleven rak’ahs, or thirteen. Thus, all is good and a Muslim can perform more or less rak’ahs according to the (long or short) time of his standing reciting the Qur’an.”(5)

When Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered Muslims to perform the Tarawih Prayer in congregational behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b, the latter performed twenty rak’ahs. Some of the Companions used to perform more and other Companions performed less. So, there is no definite text related about the Prophet [pbuh] determining a certain number of rak’ahs to be performed in the Tarawih Prayer. Many Imams of mosques perform the Tarawih Prayer without paying attention or feeling tranquil while bowing or prostrating. Feeling tranquil is an integral part of prayer and a Muslim must pay attention while standing before Allah, Exalted be He, and learn from the Words of Allah (i.e., the Qur’an) while they are being recited. Of course, a Muslim cannot fulfill this when performing prayer with detestable haste. It is more befitting to perform ten rak’ahs in a state of tranquility and recite the Noble Qur’an for a long time than to perform twenty rak’ahs with detestable haste. This is because the essence of prayer is to turn one’s heart to Allah, Exalted and Ever Majestic be He. Verily, a few rak’ahs (with tranquility and reflection) can outweigh so many ones. Also, it is better to recite the Qur’an with measured recitation than recite it with haste. It is allowable to be quick in reciting the Qur’an provided that no letter is neglected since it is prohibited to neglect a letter for the sake of quick recitation. However, it is good for an Imam (in congregational prayer) to recite the Qur’an in a way that benefits those performing prayer behind him. Allah dispraises those who recite the Qur’an without understanding its meaning as Allah, Exalted be He, reveals:

“And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except [indulgence in] wishful thinking…” Qur’an Al-Baqarah:78

The verse refers to those people who recite (the Book) without understanding its meaning. Allah has revealed the Qur’an for Muslims to understand its meaning and carry out its rulings, not only to recite it.

Some Imams of mosques do not perform the Tarawih Prayer as it should be performed, for they recite the Qur’an so hastily that they violate the sound reciting of the Qur’an. Moreover, they do not feel tranquil while standing, bowing, or prostrating though feeling tranquil is an integral part of prayer. Furthermore, they may perform only a few rak’ahs (units of prayer). That is, those Imams combine many detestable acts which are performing only a few rak’ahs, shortening the time of prayer, and reciting the Qur’an in a bad way. Thus, they perform worship heedlessly.(6)

They must fear Allah, establish their prayer well, and not deprive themselves and those (performing prayer) behind them from performing the Tarawih Prayer according to the legal way.(7)

We invoke Allah to guide all Muslims to success.

 

Endnotes:

  1. The Tarawih Prayer is to be performed in two rak’ahs successively the same as Tahajjud (the Night Vigil Prayer). Some Imams of mosques who are not well-versed in Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) may not say taslim after every two rak’ahs in the Tarawih or Tahajjud, which is wrong and contradictory to the Sunnah. Scholars state that whoever stands to perform a third rak’ah in the Tarawih or Tahajjud is the same as him who (mistakenly) stands to perform third rak’ah in the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer (which consists only of two rak’ahs). Thus, his prayer is invalid. Sheikh Abdul- Aziz Ibn Baz (may Allah be pleased with him) has composed a reply to those people in which he shows their faults.
  2. Al-Bukhari (1129) [3/14] and Muslim (1780) [3/283]
  3. Abu Dawud (1375) [2/71]; At-Tirmidhi (805) [3/169]; An-Nasa’i (1363) [2/93] and Ibn Majah (1327) [2/122]
  4. Al-Bukhari (37) [1/124] and Muslim (1776) [3/282]
  5. See: ‘Al-Akhbar Al-Ilmiyyah min Al-Ikhtiyyah’ written by Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah
  6. Some of the Imams of the mosques raise their voice in recitation of the Qur’an using loudspeakers, thus, they confuse the people performing prayer in other mosques; a thing which is not permissible. Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

“If there is anyone reciting the Qur’an while the people are performing supererogatory prayer, he should not raise his voice in a way that may distract their attention. This is because the Prophet [pbuh] came out to his Companions while they were performing prayer in the mosque and said to them, ‘O people, everyone of you is calling his Lord, so let no one of you raise his voice in recitation over others.”

  1. Some of the Imams of mosques become in haste while reciting the Qur’an in the Tarawih Prayer in order to finish reciting all the Qur’an by the beginning of the last ten days of Ramadan or by the middle of them (the last ten days of Ramadan). When he finishes the Qur’an, he leaves the mosques and travels to perform ‘Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) leaving another Imam instead of him who may not be fit to undertake the duties of the Imam. This is a great mistake that wastes the duty he is assumed to undertake, which is leading the people in prayer until the end of Ramadan. Doing his duty (i.e., leading the people in prayer) is a duty upon the Imam while performing Umrah is only a desirable act. Thus, it is not right to abandon a duty for the sake of a desirable act. This is because staying at his mosque to perform the duty he is charged with is better than performing Umrah. Some other Imams start shortening the time of prayer and the recitation when they finish reciting the Qur’an. They do this in the last ten days of Ramadan which are the nights of emancipation from the Hellfire. It is as if these Imams consider that what is meant from the Tarawih Prayer and Tahajjud (Night Vigil Prayer) is only finishing the recitation of the Qur’an not spending these blessed nights in standing for prayer, following the Sunnah of the Prophet [pbuh] and seeking to have the merit of these nights. This is a sign of their ignorance, which shows their heedlessness to acts of worship. We ask Allah to return them to what is right.

 

Reference: ‘A Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence’, Vol-1, P-163-166 by Dr. Salih Al-Fawzan