Part 17

In the narration of Al-Bukhari the words “..and that happened in the month of Ramadan” were added. It is well-known that the Companions performed the Tardwih Prayer after the death of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslim nation has accepted and followed this practice.

“Whoever stands (performing prayer) with the imam until he finishes prayer, (the reward for) performing prayer all the night will be recorded for him.”

“Whoever performs prayer during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping for Divine reward (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven."

Thus, performing the Tardwih Prayer is a stated (stressed) act of the Sunnah that a Muslim should not leave.

Concerning the number of rak‘ahs (units of prayer) performed in this prayer, nothing definite is narrated about the Prophet (PBUH) and hence Muslims are free to choose. Shaykhul-Islim Ibn Taymiyah said:

‘A Muslim can perform twenty rak'ahs (in the Taréwih Prayer) according to the famous opinion of the Hanbali and Shafi'i Schools, thirty six rak’ahs with regard to the Maliki School, eleven rak’ ahs, or thirteen. Thus, all is good and a Muslim can perform more or less rak ‘ahs according to the (long or short) time of his standing reciting the Quriin.”

When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered Muslims to perform the Tarawih Prayer in congregation behind Ubayy Ibn Ka’b, the latter performed twenty rak‘ahs. Some of the Companions used to perform more rak‘ahs and other Companions performed less. So, there is no definite text related about the Prophet (PBUH) determining a certain number of rak ‘ahs to be performed in the Tarawih Prayer. Many imams of mosques perform the Tardwih Prayer without paying attention or feeling tranquil while bowing or prostrating. Feeling tranquil is an integral part of prayer and a Muslim must pay attention while standing before Allah, Exalted be He, and learn from the Words of Allah (i.e. the Qur'an) while they are being recited. Of course, a Muslim cannot fulfill this when performing prayer with detestable haste. It is more befitting to perform ten rak'ahs in a state of tranquility and recite the

Noble Qur'an for a long time than to perform twenty rak ‘ahs with detestable haste. This is because the essence of prayer is to turn one's heart to Allah, Exalted and Ever Majestic be He. Verily, a few rak’ahs (with tranquility and reflection) can outweigh so many ones. Also, it is better to recite the Qur'an with measured recitation than recite it with haste. It is allowable to be quick in reciting the Qur'an provided that no letter is neglected since it is prohibited to neglect a letter for the sake of quick recitation. However, it is good for an imam {in congregational prayer) to recite the Qur'an in a way that benefits those performing prayer behind him. Allah dispraises those who recite the Qur'an without understanding its meaning as Allah, Exalted be He, reveals:

“And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except [indulgence in] wishful thinking...”

The verse refers to those people who recite (the Book) without understanding its meaning. Allah has revealed the Quran for Muslims to understand its meaning and carry out its rulings, not only to recite it.

Some imdms of mosques do not perform the Tardwih Prayer as it should be performed, for they recite the Qur'an so hastily that they violate the sound reciting of the Qur'an. Moreover, they do not feel tranquil while standing, bowing, or prostrating though feeling tranquil is an integral part of prayer. Furthermore, they may perform only a few rak ‘ahs (units of prayer). That is, those imams combine many detestable acts which are performing only a few rak’ahs, shortening the time of prayer, and reciting the Qur'an in a bad way. Thus, they perform worship heedlessly’. They must fear Allah, establish their prayer well, and not deprive themselves and those (performing prayer) behind them from performing the Tardwih Prayer according to the legal way’. We invoke Allah to guide all Muslims to success.

1 The Taréwih Prayer is to be performed in two rak ‘als successively the same as Tahiajjud (the Night Vigil Prayer). Some imdms of mosques who are not well-versed in Figh (Islamic Jurisprudence) may not say taslim after every two rak ‘ahs in the Tardwih or Tahajjud, which is wrong and contradictory to the Sunnah. Scholars state that whoever stands to perform a third rak‘ah in the Tarawih or Tahajjud is the same as him who (mistakenly) stands to perform a third rak’ah in the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer (which consists only of two rak‘aks). Thus, his prayer is invalid. Sheikh * Abdul-* Aziz Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) has composed a reply to those people in which he shows their fault.

3 Aba Dawid (1375) [2/71]; Al-Tirmidhi (805) [3/169]; An-Naséii (1363) (2/93) and Ibn Majah (1327) [2/122].

5 See: Al-Akhbar Al-‘Ilmiyyah min Al-Ikhtiyarat Al-Fighiyyah’ written by ShaykhulIslam Ibn Taymiyah.

6 Some of the imdms of mosques raise their voices in recitation of the Qur'an using loudspeakers, thus, they confuse the people performing prayer in other mosques; a thing which is not permissible. Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

“If there is anyone reciting the Quran while the people are performing supererogatory prayer, he should not raise his voice in a way that may distract their attention. This is because the Prophet (PBUH) came out to his Companions while they were performing prayer in the mosque and said to them, ‘O people, everyone of you is calling his Lord, so let no one of you raise his voice in recitation over others.”

7 Some of the imams of mosques become in haste while reciting the Qur'an in the Tarawih Prayer in order to finish reciting all the Qur'an by the beginning of the last ten days of Ramadan or by the middle of them (the last ten days of Ramadan). When he finishes the Qur'an, he leaves the mosque and travels to perform ‘Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) leaving another imam instead of him who may not be fit to undertake the duties of the imam. This is a great mistake that wastes the duty he is assumed to undertake, which is leading the people in prayer until the end of Ramadan. Doing his duty (i.e. leading the people in prayer) is a duty upon the imam while performing ‘Umrah is only a desirable act. Thus, it is not right to abandon a duty for the sake of a desirable act. This is because staying at his mosque to perform the duty he is charged with is better than performing ‘Umrah. Some other imams start shortening the time of prayer and the recitation when they finish reciting the Qur'an. They do this in the last nights of Ramadan which are the nights of emancipation from the Hellfire. It is as if these imams consider that what is meant from the Taréwih Prayer and Tahajjud (Night Vigil Prayer) is only finishing the recitation of the Qur'an not spending these blessed nights in standing for prayer, following the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and seeking to have the merit of these nights. This is a sign of their ignorance, which shows their heedlessness to acts of worship. We ask Allah to return them to what is right.

You should know, my dear Muslim brothers, that a sunnah ratibah (a regularlyobserved supererogatory) prayer ought to be performed and it is detestable to abandon it. Whoever keeps leaving the sunnah ratibah commitsa sin and, according to some Imams, nullifies his uprightness because his leaving such worship implies carelessness and weakness in his faith

There are ten rak‘ahs (units of prayer) (or twelve according to some scholars) considered as sunnah ratibah prayers:

“+ Two rak ‘ahs before the Zuhr (Noon) Prayer (or four rak ‘ahs according to some scholars)

“+ Two rak ‘ahs after the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer ** Two rak‘ahs after the ‘Isha’ (Night) Prayer ** Two rak ‘ahs before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer

The proof of these aforementioned sunnah ratibah (regularly-observed supererogatory) prayers is the hadith reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:

‘I remember ten (supererogatory) rak'ahs from Allah's Messenger (PBUH). (He used to perform) two rak ‘ahs before the Zuhr (Noon) Prayer and two rak’ahs after it, two rak‘ahs after the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer in his house, and two rak‘ahs after the ‘Isha’ (Night) Prayer in his house, and two rak ‘ahs before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer and at that time nobody would enter the house of the Prophet (PBUH). Hafsah (the wife of the Prophet) told me that when the prayer caller (muezzin) pronounced the prayer call (adhdn) and the dawn began to break, the (the Prophet) used to perform two rak‘ahs.”'

In Sahih Muslim (Muslim's Authentic Book of Hadith), *Xishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

“Before the Zuhr (Noon) Prayer, the Prophet (PBUH) used to perform four rak ‘ahs in my house; then he would go out and lead the people in prayer; then come in and perform two rak ‘ahs.”

‘This hadith implies that it is more desirable to perform the sunnah ratibah prayer at home than to perform it in the mosque, for the sake of some benefits, such as:

+ Keeping away from ostentation and self-conceit and screening acts of worship from the eyes of people

+ Maintaining the house, where prayer is performed, through remembrance of Allah and prayer which causes mercy to descend upon the people living therein, and keeps Satan away. The Prophet (PBUH) says:

“Perform some of your (supererogatory) prayers at home, and do not take your houses as graves.”

The most stressed of the aforementioned sunnah ratibah (regularlyobserved supererogatory) prayers are the two rak ‘ahs (units of prayer) before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer, for ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says:

“The Prophet (PBUH) was never more regular and particular in perform ing any supererogatory prayer than the two (supererogatory) rak ‘ahs of the Fajr Prayer”

“The two (supererogatory) rak‘ahs of the Fajr Prayer are better than the world and (all) that it contains.”

So, the Prophet (PBUH) used to keep these two rak ‘ahs before the Fajr Prayer as well as the Witr Prayer both in residence and on journeys’.

On journeys, it is not narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) performed any regularly-observed supererogatory prayers (sunnah ratibah) other than the two rak'ahs before the Fajr Prayer and the Wifr Prayer. When Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) was asked about the supererogatory prayer of the Zuhr Prayer, he said:

“Were I to perform supererogatory prayer, I would have completed the obligatory prayer (for during journey, one is not asked to perform supererogatory prayer and he is to shorten obligatory prayer).”’

“On journeys, it is a practice of the guiding Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) that he used to perform obligatory prayers only. It is not narrated about him (PBUH) that he performed, on his journeys, any regularly-observed supererogatory prayers other than the two rak ‘ahs before the Fajr Prayer and the Witr Prayer.”

It is an act of the Sunnah to make the two rak ‘ahs before the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer light, as *Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

“The Prophet (PB UH, ) used to make the two rak’ahs before the Fajr Prayer very light.”

It is also an act of the Sunnah to recite the surah of Al- -Kafirtin (the Disbelievers)"* after the surah of Al-Fatihah (the Opening Chapter of the Quran) in the first rak‘ah, and the surah of Al-Ikhlds (Sincerity of Faith)'' in the second. The Prophet (PBUH) also used to recite the verse, “Say, [O believers], ‘We have

believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us ...’” (Qur'an: Al-Baqarah: 136) in the first rak ‘ah and the verse, “Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, come to aword that is equitable between us and you...” (Quran: Alu ‘Imran: 64) in the second rak’ah.

Concerning the two supererogatory rak‘ahs after the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer, it is also an act of the Sunnah to recite the surah of Al-Kafiriin after AlFatihah in the first rak ‘ah, and the surah of Al-Ikhldg in the second. Al-Bayhaqi, Al-Tirmidhi and other compilers of Hadith related that Ibn Mas ‘tid said:

“T cannot count (the number of times) I heard Allah's Messenger (PBUH) reciting the surah of Al-Kéfiriin and the surah of Al-Ikhlas in the two (supererogatory) rak'ahs after the Maghrib Prayer and the two (supererogatory) rak ‘ahs before the Fajr Prayer.”

If you miss any of the aforementioned supererogatory prayers (of sunnah ratibah), it is an act of the Sunnah to make up for it. This also is to be done with regard to the Witr Prayer, for it is an act of the Sunnah to make up for it during the day, as the Prophet (PBUH) made up for the two supererogatory rak ‘ahs before the Fajr Prayer along with the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer when he slept and could not get up to perform them”. Also, it is narrated that when the Prophet (PBUH) was (so) busy that he missed the two supererogatory rak'‘ahs before the Zuhr (Noon) Prayer, he made up for them after the ‘Asr (Afternoon) Prayer". So, a Muslim can make up for the rest of supererogatory prayers by means of analogical deduction, when missing any of them. The Prophet (PBUH) said:

“If anyone oversleeps and misses the Witr or forgets it, he may perform it when he wakes up or when he remembers.”

The Witr Prayer along with its preceding Shaf" are to be made up for, when missed, as stated in Sahih Muslim (Muslim's Authentic Book of Hadith), on the authority of ‘Aiishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said:

“When sleep or pain overpowered the Prophet (PBUH) and he could not perform the night vigil supererogatory prayer, he used to perform twelve rak ‘ahs (units of prayer) during the day.” "

So, a Muslim ought to keep the aforementioned sunnah ratibah (regularlyobserved supererogatory) prayers to follow the excellent pattern of the Prophet (PBUH) as Allah says:

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the last day and [who] remembers Allah often.”

Keeping these supererogatory prayers compensates for any fault committed in the obligatory Prayers, as man is fallible and needs to compensate for his faults. Hence, a Muslim should not neglect this sunnah ratibah as it will result in more rewards prepared by the Lord (to be given to the Muslim on the Day of Resurrection). Likewise, along with every obligatory act of worship, Allah has ordained a supererogatory act of the same type to compensate for any faults committed in the obligatory act of worship, i.e. Prayer, Fasting, Zakah and Hajj have supererogatory acts of worship. No doubt, these (above-mentioned) ordinances are favors of Allah upon His servants. Allah has varied His ordained acts of worship in order to raise in degrees His servants and remove from them their misdeeds. We invoke Allah to grant us success in all that pleases Him. Verily, He is Hearing and Responsive to supplications.

6 This was mentioned by Ibnul-Qayyim in his book “Zédul-Ma‘éd (Provisions for the Hereafter)” and this hadith was related by Al-Bukhari (1159).

12 Al-Tirmidhi (431) [2/296], Al-Bayhaqi (4878) [3/62] and Muslim (1687) [3/249].

15 Abt Dawid (1431) [2/93], Al-Tirmidhi (464) [1/330] and Ibn Majah (1188) [1/53].

You should know, my Muslim brothers, that there are many hadiths pertaining to the Duha (Forenoon) Prayer. In the Two Sahihs, Abti Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“My friend (i.e. the Prophet) advised me to do three things and I shall not leave them until I die (and they are) to fast three days every month, to perform the Duhé Prayer, and to perform the Witr before sleeping.”’

Also, Abi Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “The Prophet (PBUH) used to perform the Duha Prayer (so regularly)

that we said, ‘He will never give it up, and sometimes he completely gave it up until we said, ‘He will never perform it again.”

The Duhd Prayer can be as short as only two rak ‘ahs (units of prayer) as the Prophet (PBUH) says, “..the two rak‘ahs of the Duhé Prayer...” in the aforementioned hadith on the authority of Abd Hurayrah. Besides, Abi Dawid

related on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Ifanyone sits in his place of prayer after finishing the Subh (Morning) Prayer until he performs the two rak‘ahs of the Duhd Prayer, saying nothing but what is good, his sins will be forgiven even if they are more than the foam of the sea.”