Meaning and Ruling

Ibn Athîr said in Nihâyah 2/658 that Salâtut-Tarâwîh is so called because people normally rest after every Taslîm from its two-two rak’ah. He said, Tarâwîh is plural of Tar’wîhah which means a point of rest after an effort.

Technically speaking however, Salâtut-Tarâwîh is a set of highly recommended units of prayer that are observed in the nights of Ramadan. The maximum number is eleven rak’ah as plainly stated in the hadith of Â’ishah (may Allâh be pleased with her) recorded by Al-Bukhârî and Muslim.

Salâtut-Tarâwîh is a congregational prayer that replaces the usual Tahajud Prayer an individual Muslim observes in the ordinary nights apart from the nights of Ramadân. Salâtut-Tarâwîh is also called Qiyâm Ramadân.

Legitimacy of the Prayer

Abu Tha’labah (may Allâh be pleased with him) said the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) came out one night during a Ramadan and he saw people by a side of the Masjid observing a congregational prayer, he asked after what they were doing, someone said: ‘O Messenger of Allâh, these are people who do not have the Qur’ân (that is, did not memorize the Qur’ân) so Ubayy bn Ka’b is reciting while they follow his prayer.’ The Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘They are correct.’ [The hadith is a mur’sal in the version of Al-Bayhaqî but has supportive marfoo’ proofs such as the version of Abû Hurairah (may Allâh be pleased with him) recorded in Sunan Abî Dâwud and also in Al-Bayhaqî. Al-Imâm al-Albânî graded the hadith as sahîh in Salâtut-Tarâwîh].

An-Nu’mân bn Bashîr (may Allâh be pleased with him) also reported that they observed Salâtut-Tarâwîh behind the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) on the 23rd night of Ramadân, they prayed until one-third of the night. They also observed it behind him on the 25th night which lasted until the middle of the night. Then the one they observed on the 27th night lasted almost the whole night. [The report is recorded by Al-Bayhaqî, Ibn Abî Shaybah, An-Nasâ’î, etc. Al-Imâm al-Albânî graded the hadith as sahîh in Salâtut-Tarâwîh.]]

However, in the report of Ahmad and Tabarânî on the authority of Anas bn Mâlik (may Allâh be pleased with him), it came that the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) having come out in some of the nights, later refused to come out in the other nights. He (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) said he did not want the prayer to be made obligatory upon the Ummah.

Our mother, Â’ishah (may Allâh be pleased with her), had a similar report from the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) regarding is eventual stay off the Tarâwîh.

Thus the prayer was suspended. Nothing like it in the tenure of Abû Bakr (may Allâh be pleased with him) and the first part of the tenure of Umar (may Allâh be pleased with him) until one Ramadan night when Umar saw some Muslims observing the Tarâwîh in the Prophet’s Mosque scattered. He then asked Ubayy bn Ka’b and Tamîm Ad-Dârii to lead the people in Salâh. Umar, when he saw the scene the following night, loved what he saw.

The people of knowledge have said what Umar (may Allâh be pleased with him) did was never an innovation in the Deen nor was it a proof for what is today common as Bid’ah Hasan [‘Praiseworthy Innovation in the Deen’], he rather revived the Sunnah laid down by the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) and because the fear he (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) was nursing for not carrying on the prayer in his time was no more.

Excellence of Salâtut-Tarâwîh

In the Sahîh Bukhârî, Muslim and other collections, on the authority of Abû Hurairah (may Allâh be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Whoever observes the prayer (in the nights of Ramadan) with faith and hope for reward, his former sins would be forgiven.’ Abu Dharr (may Allâh be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘…whoever stands and completes the [Tarâwîh Prayer] behind the Imâm, it would be written for such that he stands all his night in prayer.’ [Recorded in Musannaf of Ibn Abî Shaybah, Abû Dâwud, At-Tir’midhî, etc. Al-Imâm al-Albânî graded the hadith as sahîh in Salâtut-Tarâwîh].

Also the hadith above indicates the excellence of observing the prayer behind the Imâm. There is nothing like observing parts of the units and suspending others till late in the night. Al-Imâm Abû Dâwud said someone asked al-Imâm Ahmad: ‘Which one is better, praying with the people in Ramadân or praying alone? Al-Imâm Ahmad replied: ‘Praying with the Imâm.’’

Mas’alah: Which is better, praying in the earlier part of the night in Jamâ’ah or praying in the later of the night alone? Ash-Shaykh al-Albânî said praying in later part of the night is better if that is done in the Jamâ’ah but if otherwise praying with the Jamâ’ah in the early part of the night is better than praying alone in the later part. Allâh knows best.

Number of Units

Salâtut-Tarâwîh is eleven rak’ah. Aisha (may Allâh be pleased with her) reported, in Al-Bukhârî and Muslim, that the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) would not exceed eleven rak’ah in Ramadan and other nights. So he (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) would not exceed eleven rak’ah!

The report from Ibn Abbâs that he (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) observed thirteen rak’ah is sahîh but the meanings given to that are two: that perhaps that the additional two rak’ah were the optional rak’ah accompanying the Ishâ Prayer, that is what Ibn Hajar (may Allâh bestow mercy on him) said in Fat’hul-Bâri; the second meaning, that the two rak’ah are what have been established from the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) that he used to start his night prayers with two light rak’ah, that is what al-Imâm al-Albânî said in Salâtut-Tarâwîh. The proofs for the second view are reports from Muslim, al-Imâm Mâlik and others.

Meanwhile, all the reports indicating that it is permissible to observe 20 units of rak’ah are all weak, they are weak either as reports going back to the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam), or as reports going back to Umar (may Allâh be pleased with him). Ash-Shaykh al-Albânî specifically stated the report from Ibn Abbâs, recorded in Musannaf Ibn Abî Shaybah, that the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) observed 20 rak’ah of Tarâwîh is extremely weak. He said there is Abu Shaybah Ibrâhim bn Uthmân in the chain, he is matrook hadith and he used to report fabricated hadith.

So as earlier pointed out, the Tarâwîh revived in the time of Umar did not exceed 11 rak’ah too. That was Umar told the Imams to observe as recorded in al-Muwata’a (1/137).

Meanwhile, the Tarâwîh can be less than 11 rak’ah. That it should not exceed the number does not mean it cannot be less than and nevertheless there are authentic reports that it can be less than 11. On the authority of Â’ishah (may Allâh be pleased with her), the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Witr is the right of every Muslim; whoever wishes can observe it as five or three or one.’ At-Tahâwî, Ad-Dâraqutnî, Al-Hâkim and Al-Bayhaqî recorded the hadith. Ash-Shaykh al-Albânî said it is sahîh in Salâtut-Tarâwîh.

Manners of Observing Salâtut-Tarâwîh

Having said the number can be less than two, there are various ways of observing the prayer. The most popular and the best is to observe eleven rak’ah as two-two rak’ah up to eight then followed by three rak’ah . Al-Imâm al-Albânî chooses that in his Salâtut-Tarâwîh.

Other manners include: Four, four then three. Nine rak’ah no sitting except at the sixth rak’ah. The report that says thirteen can be observed this way: two light rak’ah then two-two whose length is in a descending order.

There are various other ways. You can check Salâtut-Tarâwîh and Qiyâm Ramadân of Shaykh al-Albânî. Majâlis Ramadân of Shaykh Uthaymîn is also useful in this respect.

Another thing in the manner of observing the Tarawîh is that it should be prolonged. During the period of Umar, people would stand until the appearance of the Fajr, they would have to recline on sticks in the process.

[The usual rush in observing Tarâwîh in this part of the Muslim world is highly pathetic, may Allâh return the Muslims to what is more correct].

Ash-Shaykh al-Albânî mentions what indicates that saying the whole Qur’ân must be finished in the Tarâwîh of Ramadân is not imperative. He brought reports indicating that chapters of the Qur’ân were variously read in the Tarâwîh of the Salaf.

Muslim Women and the Tarâwîh

Muslim women too are not exempted from observing the Tarâwîh behind the men in the Masjid. Though if a separate Imâm can be gt for them it is better as done by Umar when he appointed Salmân bn Abî Hathmah (may Allâh be pleased with him) to lead the women in Tarâwîh. Al-Imâm Al-Albânî said, to appoint a Imâm for the women requires that the mosque must be wide enough to accommodate that otherwise if there will be confusion, it is better they pray behind the Imâm of the men.

Al-Qunoot

The Qunoot is a set of supplications that usually follow the night prayer. It is also legislated in the Tarâwîh prayers. The supplications are to be read aloud. The best of the Qunoot is what the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) taught his grandson hasan but it is equally permissible to exceed that as was recorded in the report from the Imâms during the time of Umar that they used to curse the kuffâr and make salat on the Prophet (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) in the Qunoot.

The Qunoot in Ramadan can be before and after the rukoo from the last rak’ah, from the middle of Ramadan.

If the Imâm to raises his hands while making the supplications in Qunoot, the people behind him too can raise their hands, Al-Imâm Al-Albânî said, ‘The Imâm is to be followed in correctness and mistakes in salât.’

After the Witr

The following supplication can be made after finishing from Salâtut-tarâwîh:

Subhânal-Malikil-Quddoos [Praise to the King the Purified], three times, the voice could be raised at the third time.

Allâh knows best.