Tarawih
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- This is a sub-article of Sunnah salat and Ramadan.
Tarawih (Arabic: تراويح) refers to extra congregational prayers performed by Muslims at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. They are not compulsory; however, many Muslims pray these prayers in the night during Ramadan. Some scholars maintain that Tarawih is not a Sunnah, but is the preponed Tahajjud prayer shifted to post-Isha for the ease of believers.
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[edit] Overview
Tarawih prayers are prayed in pairs of two and can be prayed in at least 20 raka‘āt according to two schools (Hanafis, Shafi'i) of Sunni Islam. Some believe that 8, 12 or 20 can be read. A break is taken after every 4 rak'ah - Imam Malik added 4 raka'h in each break (to account for the time spent in Tawaf, since he was in Madinah) thus taking the total number to 36. Due to varying numbers, the number of prayers performed is broad in scope. This prayer is performed only during Ramadan of the Islamic calendar after Salāt of Isha'a. 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. Tarawih prayers are considered optional, not mandatory.
[edit] Sunni Muslims view
A majority of Sunni Muslims regard the Tarawih prayers as Sunnat al-Mu'akkadah, a salaat that was performed by the Islamic prophet Muhammad 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 initially prayed the tarawih in congregation during Ramadan even though there is no evidence to prove such practice. He prayed in congregation for three consecutive nights but discontinued this practice out of fear that it would be made mandatory, rather than sunnah.[1] During the time when Umar ibn al-Khattab was the Caliph, he reinstated the praying of Tarawih in congregation since the Prophet Muhammad had passed away and as such there was no longer any misapprehension of it being made mandatory.[2] However, Imam Malik prefers that Tarawih be prayed at home, if one has a strong intention to do so.[3][4]
[edit] Shia Muslims view
The Shia view differs among the three main schools of thought, Ismaili, Twelvers and Zaydis. However, some Zaydis have been known to regard tarawih as sunnah. Twelvers believe in the Tahajjud Prayer or Salatul layl (Night Prayer) which Muhammad recommended during nights of Ramadan. Salatul-Layl or Tahajjud Prayer is made up of eleven Rak’ats.
- The first eight Rak’ats are prayed as normal in pairs of two Rak’ats each with the niyyah of Nawafilatul-Layl.
- The next two Rak’ats are prayed with the Niyyah of Salatul Shaf’a.
- The remaining one Rak’at is prayed with the Niyyah of Salatul Witr.
In the last one Rak’at, Qunoot is recited before or after Rukuu and the Salat is completed as usual with Tashahud and Salaam.
[edit] Conflation with Tahajjud
Other scholars maintain that the Tarawih is actually a substitute for the Tahajjud prayer, and under all circumstances it is better to pray the Tahajjud than the Tarawih. Javed Ghamidi, for instance, contends that Tarawih was never performed by Muhammad, and was instituted by Umar when he already saw people preponing their Tahajjud. The collective prayer of Tarawih, thus, is not established as a religious practice.[5]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Sahih Muslim, Book #4, Hadith #1,663
- ^ Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Book #32, Hadith #227
- ^ al-Mudawannah
- ^ ibn Rushd, al-Bayan wat-Tahsil
- ^ Ghamidi, Javed Ahmad (2010). "The Shariah of Worship Rituals" (in Urdu (tr. English)). Mizan: A Comprehensive Introduction to Islam (2010 ed.). Lahore: Al-Mawrid. p. 324.
[edit] References
- John L. Esposito: The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. Oxford University Press US 2004, ISBN 9780195125597, p. 276 (restricted online version at Google Books)
[edit] External links
- The 1400 Year History of Tarawih Salaah
- Answering The Claims That There Are No Authentic Narrations For 20 Rak'at Tarawih by Dr. Abul Hasan Hussain Ahmed
- Taraweeh programs with explanation of Quranic Ayahs in Urdu all over Pakistan
- misconceptions of praying only eight rakaa'ahs
- Detailed Account of Tarawih Prayers
- Article: Concerning the Number of Rak'aat of the Taraawih Prayer (Q&A), by imam ibn Uthaymeen
- Videos: Ramadan Tarawih Telecast From Makkah, Haram - 2008
- Dars e Quran and Taraweeh (Live)
- Number of Rakats in Taraweeh (Urdu)
- Taraweeh in the light of Hanafi Fuqaha (Urdu)
- 2010 Tarawih Video in Full
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