This excerpt is taken from Kitab al-Sawm, compiled by Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri, may Allah preserve him.
Question:
Is it permissible to pray Taraweeh behind an innovator Imam?
Answer:
The leadership of an innovator is not valid, therefore following him in obligatory and voluntary prayers is not correct.
Question:
How is it to recite more than one Quran in Taraweeh?
Answer:
It is permissible.
Question:
In Taraweeh, if a verse of prostration is recited but the prostration is not done immediately, rather after performing the two prostrations of the same unit, the prostration of recitation is done as a third prostration, what is the ruling?
Answer:
The prostration of recitation is Sunnah and recommended; it should be done immediately when the verse of prostration is recited. Performing it after or before the two prostrations of the prayer is completely incorrect.
Question:
If the sitting of rest (Jalsa) is missed in Taraweeh prayer, is prostration of forgetfulness (Sajdat al-Sahw) obligatory?
Answer:
Every forgetfulness requires prostration. If the sitting of rest is missed, then prostration of forgetfulness is also required.
Question:
How is it to say supplicatory words after some verses in the recitation of Taraweeh?
Answer:
For the Imam, it is Sunnah and recommended to say supplicatory words at certain places. However, it is not established for the listeners and followers to do so.
Question:
Is it permissible to raise hands and make a collective supplication after four rak'ahs of Taraweeh?
Answer:
Supplication can be made at any time, provided that there is no notion of it being recommended or obligatory at a specific time. Therefore, it is permissible to make a collective supplication after four rak'ahs of Taraweeh without any special arrangement.
Question:
Some say that there is no prostration of forgetfulness (sajdah sahw) for the forgetfulness in Taraweeh, what is the ruling?
Answer:
This statement is baseless. Taraweeh is a Nafl prayer, and sajdah sahw is required for forgetfulness in Nafl prayers as well.
Question:
A severely ill person who cannot sit or stand, can he pray Taraweeh lying down?
Answer:
He can pray.
Question:
In the mosque, who has the greater right to lead Taraweeh, the permanent Imam or can any Hafiz lead?
Answer:
The first right is of the permanent Imam; if he does not want to lead, then any Hafiz can lead the Taraweeh prayer.
Question:
Can Taraweeh prayer be offered after Witr?
Answer:
It can be read.
❀ Qais bin Talq, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that one day during Ramadan, Sayyiduna Talq bin Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, came to us. When evening came, he provided us with iftar. That same night, he made us stay up for prayer and led us in Witr. Then he went to his mosque and led his companions in prayer. When Witr remained, he sent a man forward and said: Lead your companions in Witr. I have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say:
لا وتران في ليلة
"One does not pray Witr twice in one night."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 1439, Sunan an-Nasa'i: 1680, Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 470, with a good chain, also narrated by Ahmad: 4/23, with a good chain as well)
Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, classified this hadith as Hasan, while Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him (1101), and Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him (2449), classified it as Sahih.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, also classified it as Hasan.
Reference: (Fath al-Bari: 2/481)
Question:
If a person prays half the rak'ahs of Taraweeh with the Imam and completes the rest in the last part of the night, what is the ruling?
Answer:
It is permissible, but the virtue of standing with the Imam will not be fully attained.
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that we fasted Ramadan with the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He did not make us stand in prayer every night; on the twenty-ninth night, he made us stand for one-third of the night. On the twenty-fourth night, he did not make us stand, then on the twenty-fifth night, he made us stand until midnight. I said: O Messenger of Allah! I wish you would make us stand the whole night, to which he replied:
إن الرجل إذا صلى مع الإمام حتى ينصرف حسب له قيام ليلة
"Praying in congregation grants the reward of standing the entire night."
Reference: (Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 5/159, Sunan Abi Dawood: 1375, Sunan an-Nasa'i: 1606, Sunan at-Tirmidhi: 806, Sunan Ibn Majah: 1327, and its chain is authentic)
Question:
If a person is accustomed to a specific devotional practice, can he skip Taraweeh prayer because of it?
Answer:
He should not skip Taraweeh; what could be a better devotional act than Taraweeh in Ramadan?
Question:
Some people say "Salutations upon the Master of the World" after four Rak'ahs of Taraweeh; is this permissible?
Answer:
It is not permissible.
Question:
If someone is unable to fast the next day due to illness or travel, should they still perform Taraweeh prayer?
Answer:
Taraweeh is not related to fasting or not fasting. For someone who cannot fast the next day due to travel or illness, performing Taraweeh is still Sunnah and recommended.
Question:
If someone performed Taraweeh but did not fast the next day without a valid Shariah excuse, will they receive the reward for Taraweeh?
Answer:
If the fast is missed without an excuse, the sin of missing the fast will be upon them, but they will still receive the reward for Taraweeh.
Question:
Is it recommended to complete the entire Quran during Taraweeh?
Answer:
General evidence indicates that it is recommended to recite the entire Quran during Taraweeh, although no specific text has been revealed regarding this.
Question:
If the verse of prostration (Sajdah Tilawat) comes at the point where the Imam has to complete the recitation, what is the method of performing the prostration?
Answer:
Complete the verse, then perform the prostration, and after rising from the prostration, stand for a moment in Qiyam, then say Takbeer and proceed to Ruku.
Question:
How is it to participate in Taraweeh just to give a cue and then break the prayer afterwards?
Answer:
This method of giving a cue is not permissible. It is not necessary to be a follower to give a cue; if a person feels that the Imam needs a cue, he can give it from outside the congregation. If a person has joined the congregation, then he should complete the prayer; breaking the congregation without an excuse is not permissible.
Question:
How is it to recite Surah Ikhlas three times in one rak'ah of Taraweeh?
Answer:
It is permissible, provided that one does not consider it obligatory.
Question:
If a Hafiz completes the recitation of the Quran in Taraweeh in one mosque in one week, and in the second week in another mosque, and similarly in the third mosque, is this permissible?
Answer:
If the followers request it, there is no harm.
Question:
If the Imam accidentally leaves out some verses in Taraweeh and recites those verses again after two days, what is the ruling?
Answer:
It is permissible.
Question:
If a Hafiz finds a part of the Quran difficult, he skips it and continues reciting. Later, if he recites those skipped verses on another day, what is the ruling?
Answer:
It is permissible.
Question:
How is it to make the Imam and the listener stand side by side in Taraweeh prayer?
Answer:
Making them stand side by side is not permissible. The listener should stand in the row.
Question:
What is the ruling if a person considers eight Rak'ahs of Taraweeh as Sunnah but prays more than that?
Answer:
Eight Rak'ahs are Sunnah; it is permissible to pray additional Nafl Rak'ahs beyond that.
Question:
If a person is praying Taraweeh alone, should he recite aloud or quietly?
Answer:
Both types are permissible.
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما states:
"The recitation of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was so loud that when he was reciting inside the house, it could be heard in the courtyard."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 1327, Shama'il al-Tirmidhi: 322, and its chain is Hasan)
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه states:
كانت قراءة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بالليل يرفع طورا ويخفض طورا
"The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم sometimes recited at night in a loud voice and sometimes in a low voice."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 1328, and its chain is Hasan)
This hadith has been declared authentic by Imam Ibn Khuzaymah رحمه الله (1159), Imam Ibn Hibban رحمه الله (2603), and Imam Hakim رحمه الله (1/310). Hafiz Dhahabi رحمه الله has agreed with their view.
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah رضي الله عنه states:
"One night the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم came out and passed by Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, who was reciting in a low voice. Then he passed by Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه, who was reciting in a loud voice. When both of them came to the presence of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, he said: Abu Bakr! I passed by you and you were praying in a low voice. He replied: O Messenger of Allah! I was whispering to the One to whom I was speaking. Then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said to Sayyiduna Umar: I passed by you and you were reciting loudly. He replied: O Messenger of Allah! I was waking up the sleepers and driving away Satan. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم then said: Abu Bakr! Raise your voice a little, and to Sayyiduna Umar he said: Lower your voice a little."
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 1329, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 447, and its chain is Hasan)
This hadith has been declared authentic by Imam Ibn Khuzaymah رحمه الله (1161) and Imam Ibn Hibban رحمه الله (733). Imam Hakim رحمه الله (1/310) has declared it authentic according to the conditions of Muslim. Hafiz Dhahabi رحمه الله has agreed with their view.
Question:
Can a minor child become an imam in Taraweeh prayer?
Answer:
If the most present reciter among the attendees is a minor child, he can lead both obligatory and voluntary prayers.
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Yazid Jarmi Amr ibn Salmah رضي الله عنه narrates:
"We used to live near a water source on our route, so we kept asking them about the religion. He narrated a hadith and said: My father went to gather information about Islam from the people of his neighborhood, and he stayed with the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم as long as Allah willed. When he returned, we welcomed him. Seeing us, he said: By Allah! I am coming from a truthful Messenger. Then he said: He commands you to do such and such deeds and forbids you from such and such deeds. He also commands that you pray such and such prayer at such and such time, and such and such prayer at such and such time. When it is time for prayer, a person should call the adhan, then the one among you who knows the Quran best should lead the prayer. Our neighborhood people considered and found no one who knew the Quran better than me, because I used to memorize the Quran with the caravan people. So they made me stand in front, and I led them in prayer at the age of six."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 4302)
