TARAWEEH - 8 o 20?

by: Ebrahim Haffeejee (Pletermarltzburg)

 

The Taraweeh Salat as practised today is a Bid'ah. A persual of Bukhari (Book of Taraweejh) reveals the following :-
 
The Prophet (S) performed Taraweeh for 3 nights in the mosque, and thereafter at home.
Performing Taraaweeh at home was continued during the Khilaafat of Hazrat Abu Bakr (R) and in the early days of Hazrat Umar's (R) Khilaafat.
The Prophet (S) did NOT want Taraaweeh to be compulsory. The translator calls the Salaat "Nawaafil". Fiqh has made Taraaweeh Sunnah Mu'akkadah!
The Taraaweeh consisted of 8 (Eight) rak'ahs - that is, twice times four rak'ah's.
When Hazrat Umar (R) visited the Masjid-e-Nabawi, he saw the Ashaabus Suffa - and NOT the general Muslims of Nadeenah- should perform this prayer
behind ONE Qari. These people prayed in congregation and behind ONE reciter. When Umar (R) saw this, he remarked: "BID AN NI'MAH- a good innovation".
 
From the above we deduce that:
 
a) The Taraweeh performed today is indeed a BID'AH.
b) Performing Taraweeh in IN CONGREGATION is a BID'AH.
c) Performing 20 rak'ah's is a BID'AH.
d) To transform the Nawaafil (supererogatory) into Sunnah Mu'akkadah is a BID'AH - and a really BAD Bid'ah.
 
Another Bid'ah practised during Ramadaan is the performance of 3 rak'ahs or WITR TOGETHER (unseparated), in congregation. Bukhari, Muslim, the Muwatta
of Imaam Maalik and the majority of the Ahadith state that the Witr consisted of 2 rak'ah's said SEPARATELY - and THEREAFTER the ONE single rak'ah - as
the Shafi'ees do!
 
All Muslims, whether they admit it or not are BID'ATEES.
 
Al-Balaagh Comment:
We learn from the authority of no less a personage that Bibi Ayesha (R), Rasoolullah's beloved wife, that he did NOT pray more then ELEVEN rak'ah's
(including Witr) during the nights of Ramadaan.
        And WHO could be a greater authority that Bibi Ayesha who WITH the Prophet (S) day and night? If we reject what she said, then it means that we
are calling our beloved Rasoolullah's dear wife a LIAR!(Taubah!)
      Others like Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban have recorded in their Sahih's on the authority of Jabir that the Nabi (S) prayed only 8 rak'ah's Taraweeh.
      Sayyid Sadiq, author of Fiqh-us-Sunnah, is most EMPHATIC that the Messenger of Allah (S) performed only 8 rak'ah's Taraweeh and NOTHING
besides that is authentic! (Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Vol.2,p.28).
      Taraweeh,, in any case is only a Sunnah, and NOT Fard! Muslims doing HARD manual labour, fast the whole day in sizzling, unbearable heat, come
home DOG-TIRED, and still must perform long, "unending" 20 rak'ah's? Yet Allah is so UNDERSTANDING, so MERCIFUL, and he assures us in the
Holy Quran that "LAA YUKALLIFULLAAHU NFSAN ILLAA WUS'AHAA- Allah does not impose on any soul a duty beyond its scope." (2:286).
     WHY are Muslims, at the WRONG and insensate behest of the mullahs/sheikhs, making something Fard and compulsory on themselves which Allah
(SWT) himself has not done?
    We must also remember that Hazrat Umar (R) whom we Muslims love and revere, was NOT the SHAARI-E-ISLAM (bringer of Shariah, conveyor
of the laws of Allah), but the Rasool (S) was! Thus we follow that Shariah of Rasoolullah (S), which is a CLEAR-CUT 8 rak'ah's Taraweeh, and NOT
the INNOVATION (Bid'ah) of 20 rak'ah's introduced by Hazrat Umar (R)!
    In the final analysis what DOES it matter whether you perform 8,12,16,20 or 36 rak'ah's - or do not perform Taraweeh at all?! The heavens will not
shatter and come down to earth in a cataclysmic fall if you say only 8 rak'ah's, nor will you reserve your seat in Jannat if you observe 20 rak'ah's.
Just follow the Messenger of Allah (S) and pray EIGHT rak'ah's (that is if you STILL have the strength left after a HARD days work)! as he did and you
will be ok! Try and please the Prophet (S) and Allah with the EIGHT rak'ah's - and NOT the Mullah with his tiring TWENTY!!