❀ Qiyām in Ramadan: A Means of Forgiveness When Done with Faith and Expectation of Reward ❀
Virtue of Standing in Ramadan
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward, Allah will forgive all his previous sins."
(al-Bukhārī, Ṣalāt al-Tarāwīḥ, Bāb Faḍl Man Qāma Ramaḍān, 2008; Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb al-Targhīb fī Qiyām Ramaḍān, 759)
The Qiyām of the Messenger ﷺ and the Practice of the Companions
Standing for Three Nights
Sayyidunā Abū Dharr (رضي الله عنه) said:
We fasted Ramadan with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
- In the beginning, he did not lead us in Qiyām.
- On the 23rd night, he led us until one-third of the night had passed.
- On the 24th night, he did not come out.
- On the 25th night, he led us until half the night had passed.
I said: "If only you would lead us in prayer for the rest of the night, it would be better for us."
He ﷺ replied:
"Whoever stands with the Imām until he finishes, it will be recorded for him as if he spent the whole night in prayer."
- On the 26th night, there was no Qiyām.
- On the 27th night, he gathered his family, wives, and the people and led a long prayer until we feared missing al-Falāḥ (suḥūr).
Abū Dharr was asked: "What is al-Falāḥ?" He replied: "Suḥūr."
(Abū Dāwūd, Abwāb Shahr Ramaḍān, Bāb fī Qiyām Shahr Ramaḍān, 1375; al-Tirmidhī, al-Ṣiyām, Bāb Mā Jā’a fī Qiyām Shahr Ramaḍān, 806 – authenticated by Ibn Ḥibbān and Ibn Khuzaymah.)
Encouragement to Pray Qiyām at Home
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"I saw that you were consistent in this practice, and I feared that it might become obligatory upon you, so I did not come out. Therefore, pray Qiyām in your homes, for a man's voluntary prayer in his house is better."
(al-Bukhārī, al-Adab, Bāb Mā Yajūz min al-Ghaḍab wa al-Shiddah li Amr Allāh, 6116; Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb Istiḥbāb Ṣalāt al-Nāfilah fī Baytih, 781)
The Practice of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
Revival of Congregational Qiyām by ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه)
After the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
- During the caliphate of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (رضي الله عنه), Qiyām continued individually in homes.
- Later, ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) revived congregational Qiyām in Ramadan.
He said:
"The last part of the night is better than the first part (when people sleep)."
(al-Bukhārī, Ṣalāt al-Tarāwīḥ, Bāb Faḍl Man Qāma Ramaḍān, 2010, 2011; Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb al-Targhīb fī Qiyām Ramaḍān, 759)
Consensus of the Ummah
The Companions (رضي الله عنهم) and the entire Ummah practiced congregational Qiyām in Ramadan.
Any practice established by the unanimous approval of the Companions cannot be called an innovation (bid‘ah).
The Messenger ﷺ commanded adherence to the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs:
(Abū Dāwūd, al-Sunnah, Bāb fī Luzūm al-Sunnah, 4607; al-Tirmidhī, al-‘Ilm, Bāb Mā Jā’a fī al-Akhdh bi al-Sunnah wa Ijtināb al-Bid‘ah, 2676)
Linguistic Innovation
‘Umar (رضي الله عنه) called Tarāwīḥ a "bid‘ah" in the linguistic sense.
Its basis and evidence are found in the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ, who refrained from leading it throughout Ramadan only to prevent it from becoming obligatory.
After his passing, this concern no longer existed, so congregational Tarāwīḥ for the entire month became legislated.
Qiyām in Ramadan: Eleven Rak‘ahs
The Regular Practice of the Messenger ﷺ
Sayyidunā Abū Salamah asked Umm al-Mu’minīn ‘Ā’ishah (رضي الله عنها):
How was the night prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Ramadan and outside it?
She replied:
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never prayed more than eleven rak‘ahs in Ramadan or outside it."
(al-Bukhārī, Ṣalāt al-Tarāwīḥ, Bāb: Faḍl Man Qāma Ramaḍān, 2013; Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb Ṣalāt al-Layl wa ‘Adad Rak‘āt al-Nabī ﷺ, 738)
Testimonies of Other Companions
Sayyidunā Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh (رضي الله عنه):
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in eight rak‘ahs of Qiyām in Ramadan, then performed Witr."
(Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 1200; Ibn Ḥibbān: 2902; Abū Ya‘lā al-Mawṣilī: 1820 – authenticated by Ibn Ḥibbān)
Sayyidunā Sā’ib ibn Yazīd (رضي الله عنه):
‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) ordered Ubayy ibn Ka‘b and Tamīm al-Dārī to lead the people in eleven rak‘ahs.
(al-Muwaṭṭa’, 1/115 – authenticated by Ḍiyā’ al-Maqdisī and Shaykh al-Albānī)
Narrations of Twenty Rak‘ahs
All chains from ‘Umar, ‘Alī, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (رضي الله عنهم) regarding twenty rak‘ahs are weak.
Reciting from the Muṣḥaf in Tarāwīḥ
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azīz ibn Bāz (رحمه الله) said:
"There is no harm in reciting from the Qur’an while looking into the Muṣḥaf during Qiyām in Ramadan, as this allows the congregation to hear the complete Qur’an. The general ruling of reciting in prayer applies—whether by heart or from the Muṣḥaf.
‘Ā’ishah (رضي الله عنها) ordered her servant Dhakwān to lead her in Qiyām in Ramadan while reciting from the Muṣḥaf."
Imām al-Bukhārī mentioned this in his Ṣaḥīḥ as a mu‘allaq narration in a definitive form.
(Fatāwā Islāmiyyah, 1/442)
The Interval Between Suḥūr and Fajr
Sayyidunā Zayd ibn Thābit (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"We ate suḥūr with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then stood for the Fajr prayer. The interval between finishing suḥūr and the Fajr prayer was about the time it takes to recite fifty or sixty verses."
(al-Bukhārī, Mawāqīt al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Waqt al-Fajr, 575; Muslim, al-Ṣiyām, Bāb Faḍl al-Suḥūr, 1095)
