Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Alaikum,

Brother

 

My question concerns the taraweeh prayer during Ramadan.  I read the answer given on whether taraweeh is 10 or 20 raka’ahs. You mentioned the reasons why both are permissible. What of 10 raka’ahs?

 

Moreover, can one perform other   voluntary prayers after taraweeh between dusk and dawn?

 

Thank you.

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Ten rakas tarawih

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question: …..My question concerns the taraweeh prayer during Ramadan.  I read the answer given on whether taraweeh is 10 or 20 raka’ahs. You mentioned the reasons why both are permissible. What of 10 raka’ahs?

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) would encourage the believers to perform the ‘qiyam ul-layl’ night prayers during Ramadan (tarawih) without commanding them as obligatory and he (saws) said: "Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadan [tarawih] with a firm belief and hoping for reward, all of his previous sins would be forgiven."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

 

The ‘tarawih’ or ‘qiyam-ul-layl’ or the late night prayers are considered optional voluntary prayers; if one offers them they would receive a huge reward from their Lord, and if one abstains for any reason, there is no sin upon them.

 

Hadrat Aishah (r.a.) reported that the Prophet (saws) would not pray more than eleven rak'at (eight rakahs + three rakahs witr) during Ramadan, or otherwise.

 

It is reported on the authority of Jabir (r.a.) that the Prophet (saws)  prayed eight rak'at and the witr prayer with the companions (and this was during Ramadan).

 

It is reported that during the times of the Khilafah of Hadrat Umar (r.a.), Hadrat Uthman (r.a.), and Hadrat Ali (r.a.), the believers would offer twenty rakahs of ‘qiyam ul-lyal’ (or tarawih) in congregation, and whatever else Allah blessed them to offer individually.

 

There is absolutely no minimum or maximum limit to the number of ‘rakahs’ one may offer in their optional ‘qiyam-ul-layl’ (or another name: tarawih) prayers…..one may offer two or four or six rakahs or one may offer two or four or six hundred rakahs, if one so wills and pleases. 

 

Your Question: Moreover, can one perform other   voluntary prayers after taraweeh between dusk and dawn?

Because the ‘qiyam ul-layl’ prayers are optional, one is at liberty to offer as few or as many rakahs as they will or please or is convenient for them.  The Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to end their night prayers with a ‘witr’, thus making the ‘witr’ prayer the last prayer before the ‘fajr’ adhaan.

 

It is reported that Hadrat Ali (r.a.) said: "The witr prayer is not required like your obligatory prayers, but the Prophet (saws) would perform the witr prayer and say: 'O you people [followers] of the Qur'an, perform the witr prayer,  for Allah is One and He loves the witr.'"

 

The Prophet (saws) said: 'The ‘qiyam ul-layl’ (optional night prayers) is sets of two rak'at.  If one fears the coming of the dawn, he should perform one rak'ah, thereby making all of them odd [witr].'

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.112         Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

The Prophet (saws) said, "Make Witr as your last prayer at night."

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan