Dear brothers and sisters, June 11, 2009;
Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullahi Wa Bharakhathuhu.
May Allah Subhana Wa Taala reward brother Adil Naveed for sending the email on Tarawi prayers. His mail is found below.
While searching on another topic, I came across the following Tradition in the ALIM CD.
===
The number of rak'at of Tarawih
'Aishah reported that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam would not pray more than eleven rak'at during Ramadan or otherwise. This is related by the group.
Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban have recorded in their sahihs on the authority of Jabir that the Prophet prayed eight rak'at and the witr prayer with the companions. Then, the next day, the people waited for him but he did not come out to them.
Abu Ya'la and at-Tabarani record, with a hasan chain, from Jabir that Ubayy ibn Ka'b came to the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have done something last night," (i.e., during Ramadan). The Prophet said: 'And what was that, O Ubayy?' He said: The women in my house said, 'We don't recite Qur'an [well or much] so can we pray behind you?' I prayed eight rak'at and the witr prayer with them.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alehi wasallam was pleased with that and did not say anything."
This is the sunnah that has been related from the Messenger of Allah and nothing besides that is authentic. It is also true that during the time of 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali the people prayed twenty rak'at, and this is the opinion of the majority of the jurists of the Hanafi and
Hanbali schools as well as that of Dawud.
At-Tirmidhi says: "Most of the people of knowledge follow what has been related from 'Umar and 'Ali and other companions of the Prophet, [i.e., that they prayed] twenty rak'at. And this is the opinion of al-Thauri, Ibn al-Mubarak, and ash-Shaf'i. And so I found the people of Makkah praying twenty rak'at."
Some of the scholars are of the opinion that the sunnah is eleven rak'at, including witr, and it is also preferred to pray the remainder [of the twenty rak'at] .
Al-Kamal ibn al-Hamam says: "The evidence indicates that the sunnah of the twenty rak'at is what the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam himself did and then he stopped out of fear that it would become something obligatory (for his followers), therefore, the rest of the rak'at are only preferred. It is however, confirmed that he only prayed eleven rak'at, including the witr, as is stated in the two sahihs. According to the scholars, the sunnah is eight rak'at while it is preferred to pray twelve rak'at."
===
The above is Fiqh number 27a in Volume 2.
One important aspect of Tarawi prayer is that during the month of Ramadan the whole of the Holy Quran is recited. There is immense benefit in listening to the recitation of the Holy Quran. In some Masjids the Tarawi is eight rakats. Those who offer the Tarawi in those Masjids have the benefit of listening to the full Holy Quran in addition to following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
The offering of twenty rakats of Tarawi is permitted; it is not a sin. [We are advised to follow the rightly guided Caliphs. Elsewhere we had deduced that the rightly guided Caliphs were Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, Allah be pleased with them. Thus following them and offering twenty rakats of Tarawi is allowed.] Allah Subhana Wa Taala has permitted as in Verse 73:20.
===
Yusuf Ali 73:20
Thy Lord doth know that thou standest forth (to prayer) nigh two-thirds of the night, or half the night, or a third of the night, and so doth a party of those with thee. But Allah doth appoint night and day in due measure He knoweth that ye are unable to keep count thereof. So He hath turned to you (in mercy): read ye, therefore, of the Qur'an as much as may be easy for you. He knoweth that there may be (some) among you in ill-health; others travelling through the land, seeking of Allah.s bounty; yet others fighting in Allah.s Cause, read ye, therefore, as much of the Qur'an as may be easy (for you); and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan. And whatever good ye send forth for your souls ye shall find it in Allah.s Presence,- yea, better and greater, in Reward and seek ye the Grace of Allah. for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
===
Chapter 73 of the Holy Quran has 20 Verses. Verses 1 to 9 and Verse 20 are about the night prayer of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and as Sunnah for the Muslims. Verses 10 to 19 are regarding the arrogant and their punishment. If desired, read the translation of the meaning of the twentieth chapter in the link below.
As regards those of us living near Masjids in which the Tarawi prayer is offered in twenty rakats, the two possibilities are acceptable, Inshah Allah.
1. Offer all the twenty rakats in congregation.
2. Offer the first eight rakats in congregation; leave the congregation but stay in the Masjid quietly and listen to the recitation in the remaining twelve rakats.
Either of the above two choices permits a Muslim to listen to the whole of the Holy Quran at least once every year during Ramadan.
Islam is easy. It is preferred that the Muslims live in peace rather than fighting over the correct choice between two Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
Allah Subhana Wa Taala knows best.
Your brother,
Mohideen Ibramsha
Was Salaam
=================
--- On
Sun, 6/7/09, adil naveed <adilnaveed@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: adil naveed <adilnaveed@yahoo.com>
Subject: [MasjidNabwi] taraweeh 8 or 20 ?
To:
Date: Sunday, June 7, 2009, 2:56 PM
How many rakats are there in Tarawih Prayer? 20 (,36) or 8 because some people makes 8 rakats Taraweeh also?
Please let us know in detail with historical background from the life of Prophet Salallaho-alaihi- wasallam, Sahaba and aur Bujurgaan-e- deen RAMADHAAN
Until approximately two centuries ago there were no two answers to this question. Every person until this time unanimously agreed that it is TWENTY Rakaats. Around the twelfth century a group calling itself the Ahle Hadith emerged and began propagating the fallacy that Taraweeh is only eight Rakaats. Recently, a small group in our country, in order to cast aside the following one of the four Madhabs, have begun blindly following the so called Ahle Hadith. Hence not only do they deprive themselves from the rewards of the entire twenty Rakaats, they also mislead other simpleminded people who are unaware of the facts and deprive them as well. At the same time those of weak Imaan who find the twenty Rakaats difficult due to their laziness and lack of realisation of the tremendous rewards of Taraweeh, have
found a scapegoat in the baseless propaganda of the Ahle Hadith and its followers. The reality, however, is that twenty Rakaats of Taraweeh is Sunnatul Mua'kkadah (a greatly stressed Sunnah, deliberate omission of which
is a sin).
ALL UNANIMOUS
In the time of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 翼ayhi Wasallam) the Taraweeh Salaat was performed individually and in small groups. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 翼ayhi Wasallam) stressed its performance but did not perform it with the congregation since he feared that it may then become Fardh (compulsory) upon
the Ummah. In one narration, it is nevertheless mentioned that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 翼ayhi Wasallam) performed twenty Rakaats of Taraweeh and the Witr in Ramadhaan. (Musannad ibn Abi Shaiba and Bayhaqi). This practice of performing the Taraweeh individually and in small groups continued in the
time of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (Radhiallaahu 聲hu) and the initial years of the Khilafa of Sayyidina 猒ar (Radhiallaahu 聲hu). Thereafter Hadhrat 猒ar (Radhiallaahu 聲hu) appointed Ubayy ibn Ka墎 (Radhiallaahu 聲hu) as the Imaam and gathered everybody in one Jama'ah behind him for the full twenty
Rakaats of Taraweeh. At that time there were numerous Sahaabah (Radhiallaahu 聲hum) present. All of them agreed on this decision of Hadhrat 猒ar (Radhiallaahu 聲hu). If this decision was contrary to Deen, the Sahaabah (Radhiallaahu 聲hu) would have never been tolerated it. Their consensus on
this manner is itself a Sha嶪 proof of twenty Rakaats being Sunnah. A number of narrations mention the performance of twenty Rakaats by the Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu 聲hum). Therefore, we find that the four great Imaams of the four Maddhabs, despite a number of minor differences among them on the interpretation and application of various aspects, are unanimous that Taraweeh is twenty Rakaats. This is authentically recorded in their books.
HARAMAYN
The aspect of Taraweeh is really as clear as daylight. Therefore, one will find that in the Haramayn of Makkatul Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah up to this day, from the very time of Umar (Radhiallaahu 聲hu), twenty Rakaats is performed in Jamaa. The Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu 聲hu), the Taabi嶪n (those who came after the Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu 聲hum), the Imaams of Fiqh (jurisprudence) and the entire Ummah, with the exception of the so called Ahle Hadith of recent times, has been unanimous on twenty Rakaats.
YOUR DECISION
Finally, in one Hadith Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 翼ayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said, 'After me there will be much differences. Hence hold on to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my rightly guided Khulafaa'. (Mishk綟). Twenty Rakaats of Taraweeh with Jamaa was the Sunnah of the rightly guided
Khulafaa. In this latter day difference, who will you follow? The Sunnah of the Khulafaa of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 翼ayhi Wasallam) or the way of those who contradict them??? You make the decision.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
|