TARAWIH PRAYERS
Offering them in the Mosques - Is it a Sunnah of the Prophet or A Bid'ah - an Innovation to perfected Deen?

TARAWIH Optional Salaats (prayers) offered after the 'Isha  prayers, every night during the month of Ramadan.



An Appeal to MUSLIMS: Research to establish; i) Do Muslim authors confirm that Prophet Muhammad (sws) had personally discouraged the practice of reciting TARAWIH PRAYERS IN MOSQUES, by his words and actions since he did not want that to become a Bid'ah - an added obligation. ii) Did the Prophet himself prayed Tarawih Prayers for no more than three nights during his life time. iii) During the rule of Hadhrat Abu Bakr (ra) these Prayers were not observed by the Believers. iv) If a vast majority disobeys Prophet's Sunnah, is it acceptable to disobey our beloved Prophet? v) Can an Ijma (consensus among the Islamic scholars), over rule the Sunnah in favour of Bid'ah started during the Khalifat of the 2nd Khalifvi) One does not find a Command for Tarawih Prayers within the Qur'an that had perfected Deen Islam. The Qur'an speaks of Tahajjud Prayer which is recited in the homes. The Prophet (S) had recommended to offer these Tarawih Prayers and Recite the Qur'an in our Homes. Allah's Messenger DID NOT go to his Mosque for Tarawih Prayers.  

Please continue reading to learn the Realities. In case of doubts please the Books and obtain  the information first hand. Below are a few texts from Books and Islamic CDs:

Al-Bukhari 8: 134 (The text below is reproduced from the computer CD 'ALIM')


Allah's Apostle made a small room (with a palm leaf mat). Allah's Apostle came out (of his house) and prayed in it. Some men came and joined him in his prayer. Then again the next night they came for the prayer, but Allah's Apostle delayed and did not come out to them. So they raised their voices and knocked the door with small stones (to draw his attention). He came out to them in a state of anger, saying, "You are still insisting (on your deed, i.e. Tarawih prayer in the mosque) that I thought that this prayer (Tarawih) might become obligatory on you. So you people, offer this prayer at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home, except the compulsory (congregational) prayer."


 

The following text was added on October 14, 2004:

The entire text of the above Hadeeth in Arabic and English is found in the published book SAHIH AL-BUKHARI Volume 8, Book 78 'THE BOOK OF AL-ADAB (GOOD MANNERS)', Page 81, Hadeeth No. 6113, Narrated by Zaid bin Thabit. The same Hadeeth is repeated in Volume 9, Book 96 'HOLDING FAST TO THE QUR'AN AND THE SUNNAH', Page 240, Hadeeth No. 7290 Narrated by Zaid bin Thabit who was the personal secretary of the Prophet (s.a.s.).
Both these Hadeeths do end with this noteworthy passage:-
 "Therefore, O people! Perform your Salat (prayers) at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory (congregational) prayer."
 
Below is the Scanned Image from Vol. 9, Page 240 of the printed copy entitled 'Sahih Al-Bukhari' -
Arabic- English
 by DARUSSALAM, Riyadh, S. Arabia:  





The following verse of the Qur'an guides the believers to follow the "People in authority from among us" as long as they do not teach us or command us to follow that which is contradictory or disputable to what has been revealed to us by Allah (s.w.t.) in His Book or what His Prophet had preached or acted upon during his life. Follow only the Qur'an and Sunnah of Prophet.

"O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if you have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the messenger if you are (in truth) believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end." Qur'an 4: 59.

"And whatsoever the messenger giveth you, take it. And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it). And keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is stern in reprisal." Q. 59:7.

 

ALLAH (S.W.T.) ALONE KNOWS THE TRUTH....


May Allah Guide the Ummah to HIS DEEN
based upon HIS REVEALED WORDS. Ameen