This excerpt is taken from Kitab al-Sawm, compiled by Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri, may Allah preserve him.
Question:
What is the ruling on Taraweeh prayer?
Answer:
The standing (Qiyam) of Ramadan is unanimously called Taraweeh; it has many names. Abandoning it can lead to deprivation of many rewards and blessings.
The Taraweeh prayer is a prescribed recommended act.
❀ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (311 AH)
, says:باب ذكر الدليل على أن قيام شهر رمضان سنة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم خلاف زعم الروافض الذين يزعمون أن قيام شهر رمضان بدعة لا سنة
"The explanation of the evidence that the night standing in Ramadan is the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, contrary to what the Rafidah say that the standing (Taraweeh) of Ramadan is an innovation, not a Sunnah."
Reference: (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Qabl al-Hadith: 2201)
He also says:
إن صلاة الجماعة في قيام رمضان سنة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لا بدعة كما زعمت الروافض
"The congregation of Ramadan standing is the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, not an innovation, as the Rafidah claim."
Reference: (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Qabl al-Hadith: 2208)
❀ Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (405 AH)
, says:صلاة التراويح في مساجد المسلمين سنة مسنونة
"(In this hadith there is clear evidence that) the Taraweeh prayer in the mosques of Muslims is a prescribed Sunnah."
Reference: (Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn: 1/440)
❀ Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (463 AH)
, says:أن قيام رمضان سنة من سنن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مندوب إليها مرغوب فيها ولم يسن منها عمر بن الخطاب إذ أحياها إلا ما كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يحبه ويرضاه ولم يمنع من المواظبة عليه إلا خشية أن يفرض على أمته وكان بالمؤمنين رءوفا رحيما صلى الله عليه وسلم فلما علم ذلك عمر من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلم أن الفرائض لا يزاد فيها ولا ينقص منها بعد موته عليه الصلاة والسلام أقامها للناس وأحياها وأمر بها وذلك سنة أربع عشرة من الهجرة وذلك شيء ادخره الله له وفضله به ولم يلهم إليه أبا بكر وإن كان أفضل من عمر وأشد سبقا إلى كل خير بالجملة ولكل واحد منهم فضائل خص بها ليست لصاحبه
"The standing of Ramadan (Taraweeh) is the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and also a recommended and commendable act. When Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, organized the prayer of Taraweeh for the entire month, he did so because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, liked the congregational Taraweeh prayer. The only thing that prevented its continuity was that the Prophet, peace be upon him, feared it might be made obligatory upon the Ummah, and he was very compassionate and kind to the believers. Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, understood this reason of the Prophet and also knew that after the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him, there can be no addition or subtraction in the obligations, so he established the Taraweeh prayer for the people, renewed it, and ordered its establishment. This event took place in the year 14 AH. This is a virtue that Allah granted to Sayyiduna Umar, and He bestowed this distinction upon him. Allah did not inspire this to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, although Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, was superior to Sayyiduna Umar and excelled in every good overall, but every companion has special virtues that others do not have."
Reference: (Al-Tamhid: 8/108)
❀ Also, in the explanation of a hadith, he says:
في هذا الحديث من الفقه فضل قيام رمضان وظاهره يبيح فيه الجماعة والانفراد لأن ذلك كله فعل خير وقد ندب الله إلى فعل الخير وفيه دليل على أن ما أمر به عمر وفعله من قيام رمضان قد كان سبق من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيه الترغيب والحض فصار ذلك من سننه صلى الله عليه وسلم
"This hadith contains jurisprudence that the standing of Ramadan is a virtuous act. From the apparent meaning of this hadith, the permissibility of performing night standing both in congregation and individually is established, because all these are good deeds and Allah encourages good deeds. Also, this hadith contains evidence that the order and practice of Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding the standing of Ramadan was already encouraged and praised by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, thus this (performing congregational Taraweeh throughout Ramadan) also became the Sunnah of the Prophet."
Reference: (Al-Tamhid: 7/105)
❀ Hafiz Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (676 AH)
, says:اتفق العلماء على استحبابها
"There is consensus among the scholars on the recommendation of the Taraweeh prayer."
Reference: (Sharh Muslim: 6/39, Al-Majmu': 3/363, Al-Ghaya fi Sharh al-Hidaya li al-Sarwaji al-Hanafi: 4/365, Tarh al-Tathrib li al-Iraqi: 4/162, Umdat al-Qari li al-Ayni: 1/233)
❀ He also says:
أجمع المسلمون في زمنه وبعده على استحبابها
"There is consensus among Muslims on the recommendation of Taraweeh prayer during the caliphate of Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and afterwards."
Reference: (Tahdhib al-Asma' wa al-Lughat: 2/12)
❀ Allama Shatibi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (790 AH)
, says:إن قيام الإمام بالناس في المسجد في رمضان سنة عمل بها صاحب السنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وإنما تركها خوفا من الافتراض فلما انقضى زمن الوحي زالت العلة فعاد العمل بها إلى نصابها
"In the month of Ramadan, it is Sunnah for the Imam to lead the people in congregational standing; the owner of the Sunnah, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, practiced this and abandoned it only due to fear of it being made obligatory. But when the era of revelation ended and the reason ceased, this practice returned to its original state."
Reference: (Al-I'tisam: 1/375)
❀ Allama San'ani, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (1182 AH)
, says:قيام رمضان سنة بلا خلاف والجماعة في نافلته لا تنكر
"There is no disagreement about the Sunnah of the standing of Ramadan, and it is not rejected to lead the night standing in congregation."
Reference: (Subul al-Salam: 1/345)
❀ Hanafi scholars write:
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 his testimony is not accepted."
Reference: (Ghaniyat al-Mustamli li Ibrahim al-Halabi, p. 382, Majma' al-Anhar li Shaykhzada: 1/135, Hashiyat al-Tahthawi, p. 411)
❀ Allama Abu al-Ma'ali al-Ispijabi Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (591 AH)
, says:هي سنة لا يسع تركها إذ الأمة أجمعت على شرعيتها وجوازها ولم ينكرها أحد من أهل القبلة إلا الروافض
"Taraweeh is Sunnah and cannot be abandoned because there is consensus of the Ummah on its legitimacy and permissibility. Except for the Rafidah, none of the people of the Qiblah deny it."
Reference: (Zad al-Fuqaha: 1/251)
❀ Allama Haskafi Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (1088 AH)
, says:التراويح سنة مؤكدة لمواظبة الخلفاء الراشدين للرجال والنساء إجماعا
"Taraweeh is a confirmed Sunnah for both men and women by consensus, because the Rightly Guided Caliphs maintained it."
Reference: (Al-Durr al-Mukhtar: 2/43)
❀ Allama Tahthawi Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (1231 AH)
, says:التراويح سنة بإجماع الصحابة ومن بعدهم من الأمة منكرها مبتدع ضال مردود الشهادة
"There is consensus of the noble companions and those after them that Taraweeh is Sunnah. Whoever denies it is an innovator and misguided, and his testimony is not accepted."
Reference: (Hashiyat al-Tahthawi 'ala Maraqi al-Falah, p. 411, Majma' al-Anhar li Shaykhzada: 1/135)
❀ Allama Sarkhasi Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (483 AH)
, says:الأمة أجمعت على شرعيتها وجوازها ولم ينكرها أحد من أهل العلم إلا الروافض لا بارك الله فيهم
"The legitimacy and permissibility of Taraweeh is agreed upon by the Ummah; none of the scholars deny it except the Rafidah, may Allah not bless them."
Reference: (Al-Mabsut: 2/143, Minhat al-Khaliq li Ibn Abidin: 2/71)
❀ Allama Ibn Abidin Shami Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (1252 AH)
, says:إذا أنكر أصل مشروعيته المجمع عليها بين الأمة فإنه يكفر
"Whoever completely denies an act whose legitimacy is agreed upon by the Ummah becomes a disbeliever."
Reference: (Fatawa Shami: 6/314)
Benefit:
❀ Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
Reference: (728 AH)
says:السنة في التراويح أن تصلى بعد العشاء الآخرة كما اتفق على ذلك السلف والأئمة فمن صلاها قبل العشاء فقد سلك سبيل المبتدعة المخالفين للسنة
"The prescribed method for Taraweeh is that it should be performed 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 adopted 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)
➊ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
"Whoever stands (in prayer) during Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 37, Sahih Muslim: 173/759)
➋ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يرغب في قيام رمضان من غير أن يأمرهم فيه بعزيمة فيقول من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه فتوفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم والأمر على ذلك ثم كان الأمر على ذلك في خلافة أبي بكر وصدرا من خلافة عمر على ذلك
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, encouraged standing in Ramadan, saying: Whoever stands in Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven. The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not make it obligatory. The standing in Ramadan continued without congregation until the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and it remained so during the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, and at the beginning of the caliphate of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 174/759)
➌ Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates:
إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى في المسجد ذات ليلة فصلى بصلاته ناس ثم صلى من القابلة فكثر الناس ثم اجتمعوا من الليلة الثالثة أو الرابعة فلم يخرج إليهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلما أصبح قال قد رأيت الذي صنعتم فلم يمنعني من الخروج إليكم إلا أني خشيت أن تفرض عليكم قال وذلك في رمضان
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed one night in Ramadan in the mosque. People prayed behind him. The next night, when he led the prayer again, the number of worshippers increased. Then people gathered on the third or fourth night as well, but the Prophet, peace be upon him, 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, wording is his)
➍ Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates:
خرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في الليلة الثانية فصلوا بصلاته فأصبح الناس يذكرون ذلك فكثر أهل المسجد من الليلة الثالثة فخرج فصلوا بصلاته فلما كانت الليلة الرابعة عجز المسجد عن أهله فلم يخرج إليهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فطفق رجال منهم يقولون الصلاة فلم يخرج إليهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حتى خرج لصلاة الفجر
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came out 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, peace be upon him, came out and people prayed with him. On the fourth night, the mosque became crowded, but the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not come out. Those present in the mosque said: (It is) the prayer (Taraweeh), but the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, came out only at the time of Fajr prayer."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2012, Sahih Muslim: 178/761)
➎ In another narration it is said:
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)
➏ Sayyiduna Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
صمنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رمضان فلم يقم بنا شيئا من الشهر حتى بقي سبع فقام بنا حتى ذهب ثلث الليل فلما كانت السادسة لم يقم بنا فلما كانت الخامسة قام بنا حتى ذهب شطر الليل فقلت يا رسول الله لو نفلتنا قيام هذه الليلة قال فقال إن الرجل إذا صلى مع الإمام حتى ينصرف حسب له قيام ليلة قال فلما كانت الرابعة لم يقم فلما كانت الثالثة جمع أهله ونساءه والناس فقام بنا حتى خشينا أن يفوتنا الفلاح قال قلت وما الفلاح قال السحور ثم لم يقم بقية الشهر
"We fasted Ramadan with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He did not lead us in night prayer except on the twenty-third night for a third of the night. On the twenty-fourth night, he did not lead the prayer. On the twenty-fifth night, he led us until half the night. I said: O Messenger of Allah! I wish you would lead us the whole night. He said: The reward of standing in prayer in congregation is equal to standing the whole night. On the twenty-sixth night, he did not lead the prayer. On the twenty-seventh night, he led the Companions along with their families in prayer until we feared missing the 'Falah' (pre-dawn meal). The narrator asked Abu Dharr: What is meant by 'Falah'? He said: Suhoor (pre-dawn meal). Then he did not lead the prayer for the remaining nights."
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)
➐ Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
احتجر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حجيرة بخصفة أو حصير فخرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي فيها قال فتتبع إليه رجال وجاءوا يصلون بصلاته قال ثم جاءوا ليلة فحضروا وأبطأ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عنهم قال فلم يخرج إليهم فرفعوا أصواتهم وحصبوا الباب فخرج إليهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مغضبا فقال لهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما زال بكم صنيعكم حتى ظننت أنه سيكتب عليكم فعليكم بالصلاة في بيوتكم فإن خير صلاة المرء في بيته إلا الصلاة المكتوبة
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, made a mat or a tent of palm leaves, went out of the house and entered it for night prayer. The Companions followed him and began praying behind him. The next night, the Prophet delayed coming out. People made noise and threw pebbles at the door. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, came out angry and said: If your eagerness for worship remains like this, I fear that this prayer (in the mosque) will be made obligatory upon you. Pray in your homes; the best prayer for a man besides the obligatory prayer is in his home."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 731, Sahih Muslim: 213/781, wording is his)
➑ Sayyiduna Nu'man ibn Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
قمنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في شهر رمضان ليلة ثلاث وعشرين إلى ثلث الليل الأول ثم قمنا معه ليلة خمس وعشرين إلى نصف الليل ثم قمنا معه ليلة سبع وعشرين حتى ظننا أن لا ندرك الفلاح وكانوا يسمونه السحور
"We stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on the twenty-third night for a third of the night. Then on the twenty-fifth night for half the night, and on the twenty-seventh night, we stood so long that we feared missing the pre-dawn meal."
Reference: (Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 4/272, Sunan an-Nasa'i: 1607, and its chain is authentic)
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him (1/440), declared this hadith authentic according to Imam Bukhari's conditions, and Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said it is Hasan (good).
➒ Abdul Rahman ibn Abd al-Qari, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
خرجت مع عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه ليلة في رمضان إلى المسجد فإذا الناس أوزاع متفرقون يصلي الرجل لنفسه ويصلي الرجل فيصلي بصلاته الرهط فقال عمر إني أرى لو جمعت هؤلاء على قارئ واحد لكان أمثل ثم عزم فجمعهم على أبي بن كعب ثم خرجت معه ليلة أخرى والناس يصلون بصلاة قارئهم قال عمر نعم البدعة هذه والتي ينامون عنها أفضل من التي يقومون يريد آخر الليل وكان الناس يقومون أوله
"One night in Ramadan, I went out with Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, towards the mosque. People were divided into different groups; some were praying alone and some in congregation. Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: In my opinion, it would be better to gather them behind one reciter. He resolved this and gathered the people behind Sayyiduna Ubayy ibn Ka'b, may Allah be pleased with him. One night, I went out with him again. People were praying behind one reciter, and Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: What a good renewal this is! However, those who sleep at this time and stand in the last part of the night are better than them."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2010)
➓ Sayyiduna Amr ibn Murrah al-Juhani, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
جاء رجل إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول الله أرأيت إن شهدت أن لا إله إلا الله وأنك رسول الله وصليت الصلوات الخمس وأديت الزكاة وصمت رمضان وقمته فممن أنا قال من الصديقين والشهداء
"A man asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: O Messenger of Allah! If I testify to the Oneness of Allah, acknowledge your prophethood, perform the five prayers, pay zakat, fast Ramadan, and perform Taraweeh, where will I be counted? He said: Among the truthful and the martyrs."
Reference: (Musnad al-Bazzar: 25, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2212, Sahih Ibn Hibban: 3438, and its chain is authentic)
❀ Hafiz Haithami, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
أرجو أنه إسناد حسن أو صحيح
"It is hoped that the chain is Hasan or Sahih."
Reference: (Majma' az-Zawa'id: 1/46)
Warning:
It is attributed to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما:
قال له رجل أصلي خلف الإمام في رمضان قال يعني ابن عمر أليس تقرأ القرآن قال نعم قال أفتنصت كأنك حمار صل في بيتك
"A person asked him رضي الله عنهما: Should I perform Taraweeh following the Imam? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما asked: Are you not a Qari? He replied: Yes, I am a Qari. He said: Then will you stand silently like a donkey? Stay in your home."
Reference: (Sharh Ma'ani al-Athar by Al-Tahawi: 1/351, Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 2/494)
➊ The chain is weak. Sufyan al-Thawri is a mudallis; the hearing is not specified.
➋ This relates to a person who is a Qari of the Qur'an. He should stay at home.
