Brothers and sisters from
the Ahl al-Sunnah come together in Tarawih congregations during the
early evenings of the month of Ramadan.
They stand in prayer and recite the Qur’an, and may Allah (swt) reward
them for their sincere intentions and actions.
However, the word Tarawih was never
mentioned by the Qur’an or the Prophet (s) to describe these extra
congregational prayers during the evenings of the month of Ramadan. It is a term
developed later amongst Muslims.
Linguistically, the word “Tarawih” is the plural of the word ‘tarwiha’
referring to the short period of rest between every four units of the prayer.
Later, the entire congregational prayers in the nights of Ramadan were called
by this term.
Origins of Tarawih as a
Congregational Prayer
It is a well-established
fact that the Tarawih, as a congregational night prayer of Ramadan, owes
its existence to the order of the second caliph, ‘Umar b. al-Khattab.
q Narrated Abu
Hurayra: Allah's Apostle said, “Whoever prayed at night the whole month of
Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his
previous sins will be forgiven.” Ibn Shihab (a sub-narrator) said, “When
Allah's Apostle died, the people continued observing that (i.e. Nawafil
offered individually, not in congregation), and it remained as such during
the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and in the early days of ‘Umar's Caliphate.” ‘Abdur
Rahman bin ‘Abdul Qari said, “I went out in the company of ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab
one night in Ramadan to the mosque and found the people praying in different
groups – a man praying alone or a man praying with a little group behind him.
Then, ‘Umar said, ‘In my opinion I would better
collect these (people) under the leadership of one Qari (reciter) [i.e.
let them pray in congregation!]'. So, he made up his mind to congregate them
behind Ubayy bin Ka’b. Then, on another night, I went again in his company and
the people were praying behind their reciter. On that, ‘Umar remarked, 'What an excellent bid'a
(innovation in religion) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but
rather sleep at its time, is better than the one they are offering.' He meant
the prayer in the last part of the night."
[Sahih al-Bukhari,
volume 3, book 32, number 227]
q “It was called bid’ah because the
Prophet (s) did not use to pray it in congregation, and neither was it prayed
like that in the time of al-Siddiq (referring to the first Caliph), nor in the
early part of night or with these number of units.”
[al-Qastallani, Irshad
al-Sari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, volume 5, page 4]
[al-Nawawi, Sharh
Sahih Muslim, volume 6, page 287]
q “‘Umar was the
first who set the example of the night prayer of Ramadan, the Tarawih,
and gathered people for it, and instructed different regions regarding it. This was during the month of Ramadhan of the
year 14 (hijri). He appointed for
the people reciters of the Qur’an who led the Tarawih prayer for men and
women.”
[Ibn Sa’d, Kitab
al-Tabaqat, volume 3, page 281]
[al-Suyuti, Tarikh
al-Khulafa', page 137]
[al-‘Ayni, ‘Umdat
al-Qari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, volume 6, page 125]
Congregation
in Mosque or Individually at Home?
Offering the
optional prayers individually inside the home and away from congregation in
mosque is highly recommended by the Prophet (s) as it brings more blessings for
the home and family and helps in the Islamic upbringing of children.
q The Prophet (s)
said: “O people! Perform your prayers
at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is what
he performs at his home, except the compulsory (congregational) prayer."
[Sahih
al-Bukhari, volume 9, book 92, number 393]
[al-Nasa’i, Sunan,
volume 3, p. 161, p. 198]
q Once Abdullah bin
Mas’ud asked the Prophet (s): “Which is better; to pray in my house or in the
mosque?” The Prophet (s) replied: “Do you not see how near to the mosque my
house is? To pray in my house is more beloved to me
than to pray in the mosque except for the obligatory prayers.”
[Ibn Majah, Sunan,
volume 1, page 439, number 1378]
q Narrated Zayd bin
Thabit: Allah's Apostle (s) made a small room (with a palm leaf mat). He (s)
came out (of his house) and prayed in it. Some men came and joined him in his
prayer. Then again the next night they came for the prayer, but the Prophet (s)
delayed and did not come out to them. So they raised their voices and knocked
the door with small stones (to draw his attention). He
came out to them in a state of anger, saying, “You are still
insisting (on your deed) that I fear this prayer might become obligatory on
you. So, O you people! offer this prayer at your
homes, for the best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home,
except the compulsory (congregational) prayer.”
[Sahih
al-Bukhari, volume 8, book 73, number 134]
Didn’t the Shi’ah Imams Pray Tarawih
?
Imam al-Baqir (‘a) and Imam
al-Sadiq (‘a) were asked about the permissibility of praying optional prayers
in congregation during the nights of Ramadan.
They both narrated a tradition of the Prophet (s) where he said:
q “Verily, the offering of nafila
(recommended prayers) in congregation during the nights of Ramadan is an innovation… O people! do
not say nafila prayers of Ramadan in congregation…. Without doubt,
performing a minor act of worship which is according to the sunna is
better than performing a major act of worship which is an innovation.”
[al-Hurr
al-`Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi`ah, volume 8, page 45]
This view of the Imams from
the Prophet’s progeny is confirmed by a scholar well-known amongst the Ahl
al-Sunnah who writes:
q “The progeny of
the Prophet (s) say that congregation in Tarawih is an innovation”.
[al-Shawkani, Nayl
al-Awtar, volume 3, page 50]
What do Sunni scholars say about
praying Tarawih at home ?
q “The scholars
agree on its merit, but they differ on whether it is better to pray it in one’s
home individually or in congregation in a mosque.” Al-Nawawi, the famous commentator of Sahih
Muslim, then goes on to list scholars who support the second and dominant
view. He then writes: “Malik, Abu
Yusuf, some Shafi’i scholars, and others say that it is better to pray it
individually in the home”.
[al-Nawawi, Sharh
Sahih Muslim, volume 6, page 286]
Conclusion
The Shi’ah always aspire to pray the night prayer – called the Tahajjud
or Qiyam al-Layl or Salat al-Layl – in the last part of the
nights of every month, particularly during Ramadan. They are also commended to offer additional nawafil
prayers during the nights of Ramadan.
However, they offer these optional prayers mostly in their homes and
never in congregation. By doing so they
abide by the Qur’an and the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s).