The Background Of Taraweeh In Ramadan
By S. Arshad, New Age Islam
29 April 2021
Taraweeh
Is A Special Prayer Offered In Ramadan
Main
Points:
1.
The holy Prophet pbuh offered Taraweeh in Ramadan collectively for only three
days
2.
After the Prophet's demise, Muslims offered Taraweeh individually
3.
Hadhrat Umar r.a. made it a collective prayer
-----
The special prayer of Taraweeh is offered
in the month of Ramadan. It is offered after the prayer of Isha. Generally 20 Rikats are observed though different
sects follow different beliefs about the number of Rikats. In Indian sub-continent, Muslims offer 20 Rikats of
Taraweeh.
The hadiths give an account of how Taraweeh
was introduced by the holy Prophet pbuh and how it became a part of the rituals
of the month of Ramadan.
Hadhrat Abu Hurairah r.a. narrated that he
heard the holy Prophet pbuh saying, "Whoever offers Taraweeh in Ramadan in
good faith his previous sins will be forgiven."(Kitabus Salat: Chapter 8;
No. 1213 Sahih Bukhari)
Tarawih
prayer at Great Mosque of Kairouan, Tunisia.
----
Ibn-Shahab narrated that after the demise
of the holy Prophet pbuh, people would offer Taraweeh (in mosque) individually
and in groups. This continued during the caliphate of Hadhrat Abu Bakr r.a. and
in the initial years of the caliphate of Hadhrat Umar r.a. Abdar Rahman
narrated that one night he went to the mosque along with Hadhrat Umar r.a. and
saw people offering Taraweeh individually and in separate groups. Hadhrat Umar
said that it would be wise if I gather all of them under one Qari. Therefore,
he gathered them under Ubai bin Ka'ab. After that when I went to the mosque
with Hadhrat Umar one night, I found them offering Taraweeh under their Qari.
Hadhrat Umar said, "This Biddat is rather good, and that part of night in
which you offer Namaz is better than
that in which you keep sleeping and that people would offer Taraweeh in the
first part of night."(Kitabus Salat: No 1885: Chalter 8 Sahih Bukhari)
Hadhrat Abu Salama bin Abdur Rahman
narrated that he asked Hadhrat Ayesha r.a. "How many Rikat of Namaz would
the holy Prophet pbuh offer in Ramadan?" She replied, "Whether it was
Ramadan or non-Ramadan, he pbuh would not offer more than eleven Rikats: First, four Rikats, and what to say about the length and beauty of it, then
four Rikats, and what to say of the
length and beauty of it, and then he pbuh would offer three Rikats. Once I said to him, 'O Prophet
of God! You sleep before offering Witr,
he pbuh said, 'Ayesha! My eyes sleep, the heart does not."(1887)
Another hadith gives an account of how
Taraweeh assumed the status of Sunnah. Hadhrat Ayesha narrated, “Once the holy
Prophet pbuh went out of the house in the middle of night in Ramadan and
offered Taraweeh in the mosque. Some people also offered Taraweeh behind him.
In the morning people discussed it. Second night more people gathered and
offered Taraweeh with him and discussed among more people. On the third night
even more people gathered . The holy Prophet pbuh came out and offered
Taraweeh. People offered Taraweeh with him. On the fourth night so many people
gathered that there was shortage of space in the mosque. (The holy Prophet pbuh
did not come out). He pbuh came out in the morning for prayers and addressed
the people after the prayers. After reciting Tashahhud, he pbuh said, "I
knew that you had gathered here but I feared that this Namaz ( Taraweeh) may become mandatory ( Fardh) for you and you may not be able to perform it. That's why I
did not come out. After that he pbuh left for his heavenly abode and the
situation remained the same."(Kitabus Salat: Chapter 8: No 1886)
From the hadiths and traditions quoted
above, it becomes clear that the Muslims offered Taraweeh with the holy Prophet
pbuh for three days and after the prophet's demise, Muslims offered Taraweeh in
small groups or alone. During the caliphate of Hadhrat Umar r.a. Taraweeh was
offered in Jamat under one Qari and
has since become an integral part of Ramadan.
------
S.
Arshad is a NewAgeIslam.com columnist.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/the-background-taraweeh-ramadan/d/124755
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