Subject: Salatul Taraweeh in the month of Ramadan Wed Jun 15, 2011 8:01 pm
Ramadan: Salatul Taraweeh
Tarawih (تراويح) is an Arabic phrase referring to extra prayers given by Muslims at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan (Also spelled Taraweeh, Terawih or in the Urdu language; Taraveeh or Taravih). They are not compulsory, however, many Muslims pray these prayers in the night during Ramadan.
Number of Rak'aat:
Tarawih prayers are prayed in pairs of two and can be prayed in at least 20 raka‘āt according to the two major schools (Hanafis, Shafi'i) of Islam. Some believe that it is 8 plus the witr rakaat in either case.
Khatm (complete recitation) of the Qur'an in It
Muslims believe it is customary to attempt a khatm "complete recitation" of the Qur'an in Ramadan by reciting at least one juz' per night in tarawih. If someone does not know how to read Qur'an or cannot read it very well, they may recite surah that they know.
Definition of Taraweeh
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (R.A.) (died 852 a.h.) says in Fathul Baari - commentary of Bukhari:
“Taraweeh is the plural of tarwehah which means one occasion of rest similar to the word ’tasleemah’ from ’salaamah.’ Salaah in Jama’ah (congregation) in the nights of Ramadhaan is called taraweeh, because initially when they gathered upon it they needed to rest between every 2 sets of slaam (i.e. between every 4 rakaats) [Fathul Baari vol.4 pg.294].
Proof of Taraweeh being Sunnah
It is reported by Abdur Rahman Ibn Auf (R.A.) that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
“Verily Allah{SWT} Ta’ala made the fasting of Ramadhaan compulsory upon you and I Have made its standing (in Salaah) Sunnat for you. Hence whoever fasts the month of Ramadhaan and stands (in prayer) in Ramadhaan with faith and hoping for reward will emerge from his sins like the day his mother gave birth to him (Nasai pg.468 vol.4, Musnad Ahmad Hadith no.1660 vol.2 pg.306).
Sunni Muslims View
Sunni Muslims regard the Tarawih prayers as Sunnat al-Mu'akkadah, a salaat that was performed by the Islamic prophet Muhammad{SAW} very consistently. Sunni Muslims believe tarawih is a Sunnah salat and may be performed at home if one is unable to attend a Masjid. According to this tradition, Muhammad{SAW} initially prayed the tarawih in congregation during Ramadan. He prayed in congregation for three consecutive nights but discontinued this practice out of fear that it would be made mandatory, rather than sunnah.
It is reported from Aisha (R.A.) that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) performed salaah one night in the Musjid. A group of people (sahaaba) followed him in his salaah. Thereafter Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) performed salaah the following night and the number of people increased. Thereafter they gathered in the third or fourth night but Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) did not go out to them. When Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) went out in the morning he said: “I had seen what you had done. The only thing that prevented me from coming out to you was that I feared that it (the salaah at night in Ramadhaan) would be made compulsory upon you. This was in Ramadhaan (Bukhari vol.1, pg.152).
The above Hadith clearly indicates that Taraweeh Salaah with Jama’ah in the month of Ramadhaan is originally the Sunnat of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and the only reason that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) curtailed this practice was due to the fear that it might be made compulsory (fard) upon the Ummah.
During the time when Umar ibn al-Khattab was the Caliph, he reinstated the praying of Tarawih in congregation since the Prophet Muhammad{SAW} was no longer alive and as such there was no longer any fear of it being made mandatory.
Wed Jun 15, 2011 8:01 pm
