Tahajjud: Ramadan Night Prayer
Overview
Tarawih prayers are prayed only in Ramadan, after Isha prayers. Sunni 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. If someone does not know how to read Qur'an or cannot read it very well, they may recite Surahs that they know.
Tarawih prayers are offered in Sunni Muslim communities worldwide, and in the diaspora (North America, United Kingdom, etc.) they are important congregational events for both men and women. In Muslim countries where women do not attend mosques regularly, they tend to pray tarawih at home, while in the diaspora it is common for women to attend tarawih prayers at mosques.
Importance
Sunni View
Sunni Muslims regard the Taraweeh prayers as 'Sunnah Al-Muakkadah', a salaat that was performed by the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him very consistently. Sunni Muslims believe tarawih is a Sunnah salat and may be performed at home if one is unable to attend a mosque. According to this tradition, Muhammad peace be upon him initially prayed the tarawih in congregation during Ramadan but later discontinued this practice out of fear that Muslims would start to believe the prayers to be mandatory, rather than a sunnah. During the time when Umar ibn al-Khattab was the Caliph, he reinstated the practice when there was no longer any fear of people taking it as something mandatory.
Shi'a view
Shi'a Muslims do not perform Tarawih, deeming it a Bid'ah instituted by Umar, the second Caliph. According to Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 32, Number 227, Umar initiated the practice of Tarawih after seeing the people praying in a scattered and random manner in the mosque during the month of Ramadhan. (Having nothing to do with the practice of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.) They believe that the misunderstanding lies in the supposed proposition that the Prophet Muhammad prayed an 8 or 20 rak'aat prayer after the obligatory Isha' prayer, when really, he was praying the 11 rak'aat prayer of Salatul Layl that is prayed after midnight, otherwise known as the Tahajjud prayer that is mentioned in the Qur'an (Chapter 17 Verse 79). Even Aisha (whom the Shia's do not accept Ahadith from) stated that the Prophet Muhammad never prayed more than 11 rak'aat during the month of Ramadhan. (Volume 3, Book 32, Number 230.) According to the most authentic Sunni and Shia hadith sources, the Prophet Muhammad has strongly recommended praying Mustahab prayers alone, and preferrably at home, and therefore, the Shi'a disregard the claim that the Prophet Muhammad allowed the Muslims to pray Mustahab prayers in congregation, as it contradicts the widely accepted view. The Shi'as dislike the fact that the Sunni Muslims prefer the Tarawih prayers over the proper Tahajjud prayer (that can be located in the Qur'an), for this is a far more advantageous prayer. The Shia's also disbelieve in the practice of Tarawih as they believe it contradicts what is in the Qur'an. During the Tarawih prayers, Shia Muslims claim that the Qur'an is recited at an extremely fast pace, contradictory to Chapter 7 Verse 204, "And when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you." And Chapter 75 Verse 16, "Do not move your tongue with it to make haste with it." Therefore, the Shi'a Muslims consider that if the Tawarih prayer is supposed to replace the Tahajjud prayer that the Prophet Muhammad ordained, is a wrong innovation that will deviate Muslims from original practice.
Time
At night after Isha prayers.
Number of Rakahs
The total rakahs should be in even numbers, so Tarawih is prayed in sets of 2, ususally 4 or 10 sets (so 8 or 20 rakahs).
How to pray
Either in the mosque or at home, pray in sets of 2 rakahs each.
Rules for praying in the mosque
- It is preferable to offer the witr salah after completion of the tarawih salah, but if the witr salah is offered before the tarawih salah, or after offering some of the rak'ahs of the tarawih salah, there is no harm.
- If a late comer for the tarawih salah finds that the Imam has stood up for witr salah when he has yet to complete some of his tarawih rak'ahs he should join in witr congregation, and should complete his remaining rak'ahs of tarawih later in his own time,
- It is desirable to observe the pause of rest after each four rak'ahs for as long as the time taken for observing the four rak'ahs; however, if the followers find it hard and inconvenient they may observe a shorter pause.
- It is not valid to join in the tarawih congregation before first observing the fard salah of 'Isha, for the tarawih salah has to start after the 'Isha salah.
- If a person has observed his fard salah in 'Isha in congregation, but has not observed the tarawih salah in congregation, he is permitted to offer his witr salah in congregation.