Taarawih at home

[muslimah]

Assalamu alaiqum,

Could you please shed some light on how to perform Taarawih prayer for someone who is unable to attend the congregation at mosque, and also not Quran hafez?

Jazakullah Khair

[Blessed Muslim]

Assalamualaikum all!

Jazak Allah khair Sheikh for starting this forum for the month of Ramadhan, this is something amazing and much-needed for muslim ummah today. May Allah reward you and your family for your efforts and time spent for Dawah...Aameen!

Good question sister!

I am sure many of us have this question in our minds. As far as my limited knowledge goes, it is not compulsory to recite the entire Qur'an in the taraweeh prayer and the imam doesn't HAVE to be a hafiz but as in other fardh prayers, the most learned or the one who has memorised the most part of the Qur'an can lead the prayer. Talking about the recitation, taraweeh prayer can be performed even by reciting one single chapter from the Qur'an.

Am I correct in this understanding Sheikh?

Please clarify.

Jazak Allah khair sheikh!

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Assalamu alaikum

Dear 'Blessed Muslim', Allah bless you all your life and in the eternal life - and all of us too!  Yes, the things you said are correct and hopefully useful for 'Muslimah', jazakallahu khair, Allah increase you in all good!

Just to add to that all, if you are unable to go to the Masjid for Taraweeh, you can firstly try to attend even a few days if possible - it is better in terms of Iman for people in Australia to be able to gather with so many others for taraweeh - it'll be inspiring inshallah.

Apart from that, whenever you pray at home, I recommend you pray as soon as possible so you do not procrastinate and the time for taraweeh finishes!  Also, you can read the taraweeh at home by yourself with just whatever few surah of Quran you many have memorised.  Further, you can also recite from a small copy of Quran held in your hand while you are praying Taraweeh.  You recite from it during Taraweeh, when you go to ruku or sujud you can put it aside on a chair etc and when you get back up you pick it up again.  Scholars said reciting from Mushaf (copy of Quran) is allowed especially in a non-obligatory prayer if you want to read more than what you've memorised.  Also, it is allowed for the Imam or the individual praying taraweeh.  The scholars however seemed to not like for the follower of recitation in congregation to hold a Mushaf watching therein as the Imam recites.  Instead they said, the follower should not hold Mushaf but listen to the Imam, even if they do not understand just listen, they said.

So, basically, you can read from Mushaf praying by yourself at home or you can do your prayer and then recite Quran for the rest of the night you're awake during Ramadan nights.

I hope that is what you asked about.

Wassalamualaikum

[muslimah]

Jazakullah khair. That's exactly what I was looking for. Very grateful for both replies. May Almighty Allah bless you!

[Blessed Muslim]

Assalamualaikum Shiekh,

Jazak Allah khair for your detailed answer for that query shiekh.

Now that reply made me sad as I had just started to read Quran from my mobile while I am following the recitation of the Imaam in a mosque in taraweeh prayer. I started to do this as I am feeling tired and extremely sleepy in taraweeh as I don't understand Arabic. Sorry to act stubborn shiekh but if I may ask- How strict are the scholars of Islam on this idea that a person in congregation following recitation from Imaam should not read Qur'an from a mushaf/electronic device. I wish Shariah shows some leniency in this matter as I had my best taraweeh last night when I was following the recitation of the imam while reading the english translation from my mobile. I am drowsing so badly without this practise....please advise sheikh!

Jazak Allah khair katheera!!

Assalamualaikum WRWB!

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Asslamu alaikum

Blessed Muslim, Allah bless you in your eagerness to benefit from Taraweeh prayers so much, barkallahu feek!

I wish I could say its no problem!

How strict is the issue?  Well, it is a matter of ijtihad that the scholars derived that ruling, i.e. not to follow in mushaf the recitation of Imam, especially not the translation of the Quran in another language other than arabic.  Yes it is a matter of ijtihad, so there is room for disagreement.

However, in the matter of rites and especially in Salaat the second pillar of Islam, it is best for us to adhere stictly to the way of the Prophet and the Companions.  Otherwise, I'm afraid, the salaat will change soon and we will not recognise the actual original salaat.

My advise is that Muslims do not follow Imam's recitation in salaat from a Mushaf but rather listen to the recitation of the Imam, even if they do not understand it.  This is an ibadah, a rite, so a bit strict affair!  Think about it, had we been lenient about this issue from centuries ago, we would have said, the one who does no understand arabic, recite the prayer/salaat in our own language for better concentration, for more realisation of what we're saying.  To the extent as you know in Turkey, Mustafa kamal ataturk's misguided movement wanted to make the adhan in turkish so people understand it.  It was only because Muslims stayed firm on the Sunnah to keep the ibadaat as they are from the Prophet, that today we enjoy the original Islam.

The Prophet informed us about minute matters to do with prayer, he and Allah knew that others in future will not understand the Quran in arabic, he still taught us only to say the prayer in arabic as he taught us.

If we missing out on some sweetness of the prayer not knowing arabic, then we can work on learning arabic, not the other way by changing aspects of salaat to other languages (I know it is difficult!!)

Imaging soon you follow Imam in english from mushaf at back, then eventually all Muslims do or most do ...

My advise is that do not open this door.  Just listen to Imam's recitation even if you do not understand all or any of it - as Muslims have been doing for centuries keeping Islam and salaat unchanged and pure the way Allah ordered it.  As for understanding it, may be you can recite some translation before by yourself, or after wards. 

Sorry Blessed Muslim this is best I understand and Allah knows best.

wassalamu alaikum