This excerpt is taken from Kitab al-Sawm, compiled by Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri, may Allah preserve him.
Question:
Is the congregational Taraweeh prayer an innovation (Bid'ah)?
Answer:
The congregation of Taraweeh prayers is established from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and how can an act proven from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ be considered an innovation (bid'ah)?
❀ Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
"The Noble Messenger ﷺ prayed in the mosque on one night of Ramadan, and people prayed behind him. The next night, he led the prayer again, and the number of worshippers increased. Then people gathered on the third or fourth night as well, but the Prophet ﷺ did not come out for prayer. When morning came, he said: I saw your eagerness for worship, but I did not come out because I feared that this prayer might become obligatory upon you." The narrator says: This is an incident from Ramadan.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 1129, Sahih Muslim: 177/761, and the wording is his)
❀ Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
"The Noble Messenger ﷺ came on the second night, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) prayed with him. People began to talk about it. On the third night, the number of worshippers in the mosque increased. The Prophet ﷺ came, and people prayed with him. On the fourth night, the mosque became crowded, but the Prophet ﷺ did not come. Those present in the mosque said: (It is) the prayer (Taraweeh)! But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came only at the time of Fajr prayer."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2012, Sahih Muslim: 178/761)
❀ In another narration:
خشيت أن تفرض عليكم صلاة الليل فتعجزوا عنها
"I feared that the night prayer might become obligatory and you might be unable to perform it."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 924, Sahih Muslim: 178/761)
Actually, some people found it difficult to understand a statement of Sayyidina Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), so they hastily called the congregation of Taraweeh an innovation (bid'ah).
❀ Sayyidina Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
نعم البدعة هذه
"How good is this renewal (of the practice) in our time!"
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2010)
The congregational Taraweeh cannot be called an innovation (bid'ah), because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself led the congregation of Taraweeh, then abandoned it out of fear. When Sayyidina Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the congregational Taraweeh being performed again in his time, he praised it, because its origin was present in the Prophetic era. Therefore, this does not mean a real innovation, but a linguistic innovation.
❀ Imam Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (458 AH)
says:لم يكن فيما صنع خلاف ما مضى من كتاب أو سنة أو إجماع فلم يكن بدعة ضلالة بل كان إحداث خير له أصل في السنة
"Sayyidina Umar's (may Allah be pleased with him) action was not against the Book, Sunnah, and consensus, so it was not a misguided innovation, but rather a revival of a good practice whose origin was present in the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ."
Reference: (Al-Sunan al-Saghir: 817)
❀ Allama Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (795 AH)
says:"The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: Every innovation is misguidance. This statement is among the comprehensive words; no act is exempt from its ruling. This hadith is a great principle of religion, and it is similar to the Prophetic statement: Whoever introduces into our religion something that is not originally part of it (in the Book, Sunnah, and consensus), it is falsehood. Thus, if an act is attributed to religion but its foundation is not based on any principle of religion, that act will be called misguidance, and religion is free from it, whether it relates to matters of belief or outward and inward sayings and actions. In the speech of some of the pious predecessors, praise of some innovations has been mentioned; this praise is for linguistic innovations, not legal (Shari') innovations. An example of calling something an innovation linguistically is the statement of Sayyidina Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who gathered people in the mosque during Ramadan, appointed an imam for them, and then one day he came and saw the Companions praying behind one imam and said: How good is this renewal!"
Reference: (Jami' al-'Ulum wal-Hikam: 2/128)
Question:
When does the time for Taraweeh prayer begin?
Answer:
The time for Taraweeh prayer lasts from the Isha prayer until Suhoor; it can be performed at any time during this period. Performing Taraweeh before Isha is an innovation.
❀ Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
"The prescribed method for Taraweeh is to perform it after the Isha prayer, and there is consensus among the Salaf of the Ummah and the Imams of Islam on this. Whoever performs Taraweeh before Isha has followed the path of the innovators who oppose the Sunnah."
Reference: (Al-Ikhtiyarat li Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah li Ibn Abd al-Hadi, p. 41)
Question:
Will women also perform Taraweeh?
Answer:
Prayer of Taraweeh is also prescribed and recommended for women and children.
❀ The Hanafi scholars say:
التراويح سنة مؤكدة للرجال والنساء جميعا بإجماع الصحابة ومن بعدهم من الأئمة منكرها مبتدع ضال مردود الشهادة
"Taraweeh is a confirmed Sunnah for both men and women; there is consensus of the Companions and later Imams on this. Whoever denies it is an innovator and misguided, and their testimony is not accepted."
Reference: (Ghaniyat al-Mustamli by Ibrahim al-Halabi, p. 382, Majma' al-Anhar by Shaykh Zadah: 1/135, Hashiyah al-Tahtawi, p. 411)
❀ Allama Haskafi Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (1088 AH)
, says:التراويح سنة مؤكدة لمواظبة الخلفاء الراشدين للرجال والنساء إجماعا
"Taraweeh is unanimously a confirmed Sunnah for both men and women, because the Rightly Guided Caliphs maintained it continuously."
Reference: (Al-Durr al-Mukhtar: 2/43)
Question:
Is it established to perform Taraweeh and Tahajjud together?
Answer:
According to the Imams of Hadith, there is no difference between the Tahajjud and Taraweeh prayers; they are two names for the same prayer. Some people say that Taraweeh and Tahajjud are two separate prayers. Their statement is subject to scrutiny.
Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri Sahib says:
لم يثبت في رواية من الروايات أنه صلى التراويح والتهجد على حدة في رمضان بل طول التراويح وبين التراويح والتهجد في عهده لم يكن فرق في الركعات بل في الوقت والصفة أي التراويح تكون بالجماعة في المسجد بخلاف التهجد وإن الشروع في التراويح يكون في أول الليل وفي التهجد في آخر الليل
"There is no authentic narration that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered Tahajjud and Taraweeh prayers separately in Ramadan. Rather, during the time of the Prophet, there was no difference in the number of rak'ahs between Taraweeh and Tahajjud. However, there was some difference in time and method: unlike Tahajjud, Taraweeh was performed congregationally in the mosque. Similarly, Taraweeh was prayed in the first part of the night, and Tahajjud was offered in the last part of the night."
Reference: (Al-Arf al-Shadhi: 1/166)
Question:
Is it permissible to omit sending salutations (Durood) and supplications at the end of Tashahhud to shorten the Taraweeh prayer?
Answer:
It is not permissible to do so.
Question:
Is intention (Niyyah) necessary in the Taraweeh prayer?
Answer:
It is necessary to make an intention for every prayer. Intention is the name of the heart's resolve and purpose; making intention by the tongue is baseless and an innovation.
❀ Allama Kasani Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (587 AH)
, says:النية هي الإرادة فنية الصلاة هي إرادة الصلاة لله تعالى على الخلوص والإرادة عمل القلب
"Intention is the name of resolve, therefore the intention of prayer is to sincerely intend the prayer for Allah, and resolve is the action of the heart."
Reference: (Bada'i al-Sana'i: 1/127)
The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ﴾
"They have only been commanded to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion."
Reference: (98-Al-Bayyina:5)
❀ Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى
"Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will have what they intended."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 1, Sahih Muslim: 1907)
Question:
If the Imam was leading the Taraweeh prayer and a follower joined the congregation with the intention of Isha prayer, what is the ruling?
Answer:
There is no harm; the intention of the Imam and the follower can be different. If the Imam is leading a voluntary prayer, the follower can perform an obligatory prayer. It is undoubtedly permissible to perform an obligatory prayer following a voluntary prayer. Authentic hadiths have been narrated on this matter, and the understanding of the Salaf also supports this.
➊ Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
كان معاذ يصلي مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم يأتي فيؤم قومه فصلى ليلة مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم العشاء ثم أتى قومه فأمهم فافتتح بسورة البقرة فانحرف رجل فسلم ثم صلى وحده وانصرف فقالوا له أنافقت يا فلان قال لا والله ولآتين رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلأخبرنه فأتى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول الله إنا أصحاب نواضح نعمل بالنهار وإن معاذا صلى معك العشاء ثم أتى فافتتح بسورة البقرة فأقبل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم على معاذ فقال يا معاذ أفتان أنت اقرأ بكذا واقرأ بكذا
"Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) used to lead the prayer behind the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), then he would come and lead his own people. One night, he led the Isha prayer behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) and then came to his people and led the same prayer, starting the recitation of Surah Al-Baqarah. A man broke his prayer, turned back, and prayed alone. The other companions said: O so-and-so! Have you become a hypocrite? He replied: By Allah, no, but I will certainly inform the Prophet (peace be upon him) about this matter. So he went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! We irrigate the fields all day with camels. Mu'adh prayed Isha with you and then came to us and started Surah Al-Baqarah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) turned to Mu'adh and said: Mu'adh! Are you trying to make people dislike the religion? Recite such and such Surah."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 700, Sahih Muslim: 465, and the wording is his)
❀ Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) says under this hadith:
العمل على هذا عند أصحابنا الشافعي وأحمد وإسحاق قالوا إذا أم الرجل القوم في المكتوبة وقد كان صلاها قبل ذلك أن صلاة من ائتم به جائزة واحتجوا بحديث جابر في قصة معاذ
"Our companions (the muhaddithin), including Imam Shafi'i, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, and Imam Ishaq bin Rahwayah (may Allah have mercy on them), act upon this. They say that when a person leads people in obligatory prayers whom he himself has already prayed before, the prayer of those who follow him is valid. They have taken the narration of Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) about Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) as evidence."
Reference: (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, under hadith: 583)
❀ Allama Sindhi Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
دلالة هذا الحديث على جواز اقتداء المفترض بالمتنفل واضحة والجواب عنه مشكل جدا وأجابوا بما لا يتم
"This hadith clearly indicates that it is permissible for an obligatory prayer to follow a voluntary prayer, although the Hanafi scholars have given inadequate responses, but their answers are very difficult to accept."
Reference: (Hashiyah al-Sindi 'ala al-Nasa'i: 2/103)
❀ In Sahih Muslim (465), the words are clear; the complainant said:
إن معاذا صلى معك العشاء ثم أتى فافتتح بسورة البقرة
"Sayyiduna Mu'adh prayed Isha with you, then came to us and started Surah Al-Baqarah."
❀ In the hadith of Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him), these words are also present:
يصلي بهم تلك الصلاة هي له نافلة ولهم فريضة
"Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) led his people in the prayer which was voluntary for him but obligatory for the people."
Reference: (Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 3/86, Al-Umm by Al-Shafi'i: 1/173, Sunan al-Daraqutni: 1/374, Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar by Al-Tahawi: 1/409, and its chain is authentic)
Ibn Jurayj (may Allah have mercy on him) has specified the hearing. The absence of these words from other narrators does not indicate non-existence; the addition by a trustworthy narrator is unanimously accepted because it does not contradict other trustworthy narrators.
➋ Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
أقبلنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حتى إذا كنا بذات الرقاع نودي بالصلاة فصلى بطائفة ركعتين ثم تأخروا وصلى بالطائفة الأخرى ركعتين قال فكانت لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أربع ركعات وللقوم ركعتان
"We reached Dhat al-Riqa' with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The call for prayer was made. The Prophet (peace be upon him) led one group in two rak'ahs, after which they stepped back, and another group came forward, and he led them in two rak'ahs as well. Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed four rak'ahs, and the companions prayed two rak'ahs each."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari commentary: 4136, Sahih Muslim received: 843)
❀ Allama Zaili Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
على كل حال فالاستدلال على الحنفية بحديث جابر صحيح
"In any case, the hadith of Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) is a correct proof against the Hanafis regarding (the obligatory prayer following a voluntary prayer)."
Reference: (Nasb al-Rayah: 2/57)
❀ Allama Sindhi Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
لا يخفى أنه يلزم فيه اقتداء المفترض بالمتنفل قطعا ولم أر لهم عنه جوابا شافيا
"It is not hidden from the scholars that the definite permissibility of an obligatory prayer following a voluntary prayer is established from this hadith, and the Hanafis have no satisfactory answer to this."
Reference: (Hashiyah al-Sindi 'ala al-Nasa'i: 3/178-179)
Summary:
Fard prayer can be performed behind an imam who is leading a nafl prayer. Taraweeh is also a nafl prayer, therefore the Isha prayer can be performed following the imam who is leading the Taraweeh prayer.
