TARAWEEH PRAYER IS QIYAAM AL-LAYL (NIGHT PRAYERS) IN RAMADAN

TARAWEEH PRAYER IS QIYAAM AL-LAYL (NIGHT PRAYERS) IN RAMADAN

ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA

http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com

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emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com

Sunday 20 Ramadan 1442 AH and 2 May 2021 CE

Reminder Day 20

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum WA-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.

Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger.

Help us Answer the Ummah! Every second, everywhere someone needs an answer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “A person who leads others to doing what is good will earn the same reward as those who do it.” (Muslim, 1893).

“Do not lose hope, nor be sad. You will surely be victorious if you are true in Faith.” And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].” [Holy Quran Chapter Al Imran Ayah 139]

“If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.”

[Holy Quran Chapter Imran Ayah 160]

Preamble

What Is The Difference Between Taraweeh And Qiyamul Lail?

No, Qiyam ul Layl is the voluntary prayer which you pray during the night, before Fajr. This is prayed both during Ramadan and on other days as well. It is extremely rewarding. Taraweeh is the prayer especially prayed during Ramadan after Isha prayer but before Witr.

Is Taraweeh Prayer Fardh Or Sunnah?

Once, in the month of Ramadhan, the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) came out of his home and led Taraweeh Salah. The Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) who were present at the time, prayed behind him in congregation. The second and third nights, a larger number of Sahaba came and performed the Taraweeh Salah behind the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him).

On the fourth night, an even larger number of Sahaba turned up at the Masjid expecting to pray this new Salah behind the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) but he did not come out to lead Salatul Taraweeh that night. The Sahaba waited all night. When the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) finally emerged for Fajr prayer he told them “I knew you were waiting for me but I did not come to lead the Taraweeh Salah last night because I was afraid it might become fardh on the Ummah which they may find difficult to fulfil.” (Sahih Bukhari p.269 v.1)

From the above-mentioned Hadith, we can derive that the Taraweeh prayer is Sunnah Muakkadah and not fardh[1].

IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO PRAY TARAWEEH TWICE IN ONE NIGHT?

There is a hadith which says: Hannaad ibn Sariy told us, from Mulaazim ibn ‘Amr who said: ‘Abdullah ibn Badr told me, from Qays ibn Talq, who said: Abu Talq ibn ‘Ali visited us one day in Ramadan, and he stayed with us until the evening, and led us in praying qiyaam that night, and led us in praying Witr, then he went to a mosque and lead his companions in prayer until only Witr remained, then he asked the man to go forward and lead the prayer, and said to him: Lead them in praying Witr, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  say: “There cannot be two Witrs in one night[2].”

Section One

Taraweeh prayer is qiyaam al-layl (night prayers) in Ramadan, and there is no set number of rak‘ahs for qiyaam al-layl in Ramadan or at any other time, that the Muslim should not exceed. So he may pray as much as he wants at night in Ramadan and otherwise.

If the people at the mosque divide the night prayers in Ramadan into two parts, one part after ‘Isha’ and another part at the end of the night, in order to attain the virtue of praying at the time before dawn and to strive hard in worship, especially in the last ten nights, and they do Witr at the end of the prayer, there is nothing wrong with them doing that.

The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:

There is nothing wrong with increasing the number of rak‘ahs during the last ten nights and doing more than in the first twenty nights, and dividing them into two parts, one that is prayed at the beginning of the night and made brief like Taraweeh in the first twenty nights, and another part that is prayed at the end of the night and made lengthy like tahajjud. The Prophet ﷺ used to strive hard in worship in the last ten nights in a manner unlike other times. End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah – vol 2 (6/82)

Section Two

If a person prays Taraweeh in one mosque, then he finds another mosque where prayers are still going on, and he goes and prays with the people, there is nothing wrong with him doing that either, but he should not pray Witr twice. So if he prayed Witr with the first congregation, he should not pray Witr with the second congregation, because there should not be two Witrs in one night.

For example, if he is an imam who leads the people in prayer in two mosques, or who leads two different groups in prayer, at the beginning of the night and at the end of the night, or he prays as a member of the congregation in one and as an imam leading the prayer in the other, all of that is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it, in saha Allah. It was narrated by Abu Dawood (1439), at-Tirmidhi (470), an-Nasaa’i (1679) and Ahmad (16296) from Qays ibn Talq who said: Talq ibn ‘Ali visited us one day in Ramadan, and he stayed with us until the evening and broke his fast, then he led us in praying the night prayers and led us in praying Witr. Then he went to his own mosque, and led his companions in prayer, then when only Witr was left, he asked a man to go forward and lead the prayer, and said: Lead your companions in praying Witr, for I heard the Prophet ﷺ  say: “There should not be two Witrs in one night.” This hadith was classed as hasan by Ibn al-Mulaqqin in al-Badr al-Muneer (4/317) and by al-Haafiz in al-Fath (2/481)[3].

As-Sindi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “So he led his companions in prayer” – what appears to be the case is that he led them in both the obligatory and supererogatory prayer, so the people followed him in offering the obligatory prayer by way of one who is offering an obligatory prayer following one who is offering a supererogatory prayer[4].

Imam Ahmad was asked about a man who leads people in ‘Isha’ and Taraweeh prayers during the month of Ramadan – can he lead them in praying Witr when he intends to lead another group in prayer after that? He (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He should do something in between, such as eating, drinking, or sitting down[5].

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: That is because it is makrooh to follow Witr immediately with another prayer. So he should do something else in between, so that there will be an interval between his Witr and subsequent prayers. This applies if he is going to lead them in prayer in the same place. But if it is going to be in another place, then his going there will form a separation. But he should not do a second Witr, because “There should not be two Witrs in one night[6].”

Most of the fuqaha’ are of the view that doing this is permissible in all cases, and is not makrooh in any situation. See: Fath al-Baari by Ibn Rajab (6/258-259).

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If you have prayed Witr in your own mosque, then you go to another mosque and find the people praying there, then go in and pray with them, but when they pray Witr, stand up and add another rak‘ah so that the prayer will be even-numbered, because you have already prayed Witr[7].

Is There Any Difference Between Tahajjud And Qiyaam Al-Layl?

Qiyaam al-layl means spending the night, or part of it, even if it is only one hour, in prayer, reading Qur’aan, remembering Allah (dhikr) and other acts of worship. It is not stipulated that it should take up most of the night.

It says in Maraaqi al-Falaah: What is meant by qiyaam is spending most of the night in worship, or it was said: spending one hour of it, in reading Qur'aan, listening to hadeeth, glorifying Allah (tasbeeh) or sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ . End quote.

Al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, 34/117.

Tahajjud means specifically praying at night, and some scholars limited it to prayers that are offered at night after sleeping.

Al-Hajjaaj ibn ‘Amr al-Ansaari (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One of you thinks that if he gets up at night and prays until morning comes that he has done tahajjud. But in fact tahajjud means praying after sleeping, then praying after sleeping. That is how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah upon him) prayed. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in al-Talkhees al-Habeer (2/35): Its isnaad is hasan; it includes Abu Saalih, the scribe of al-Layth, and it is somewhat weak. It was also narrated by al-Tabaraani, whose isnaad includes Ibn Luhay‘ah, whose report is supported by the one that came before it. End quote.

Thus it becomes clear that qiyaam al-layl is more general than tahajjud, because it includes prayer and other actions, and it includes prayer before and after sleeping.

But tahajjud is exclusively praying, and there are two opinions concerning it. The first is that it means praying at any time of the night, which is the view of the majority of fuqaha’.

The second is that it is prayer after sleeping. Ref: al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 2/232.

Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salaah (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Qur’aan in the prayer) as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawâfil) for you (O Muhammad (ﷺ). It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqâm Mahmûd (a station of praise and glory, i.e., the honour of intercession on the Day of Resurrection)” [al-Isra’ 17:79]:

Tahajjud comes from hujood, which is doing one thing and the opposite, it so the word hajada may mean he slept or it may mean he stayed up at night, which are opposites.

Tahajjud means waking up after sleeping, and it became a name for prayer, because the individual wakes up for it. So tahajjud means getting up to pray at night. This meaning was given by al-Aswad, ‘Ilqimah, ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn al-Aswad and others.

Ismaa‘eel ibn Ishaaq al-Qaadi narrated from the hadeeth of al-Hajjaaj ibn ‘Amr, the Companion of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah upon him) that he said: Does one of you think that if he gets up and spends the entire night in prayer that he had prayed tahajjud? Rather tahajjud is praying after sleeping, then praying after sleeping, then praying after sleeping. This is how the Messenger of Allah (blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed.

And it was said tahajjud means sleep, as it is said in Arabic, Tahajjada al-rajul, meaning the man stayed up, and alqa al-hujood, i.e., sleep. And the one who gets up to pray is called mutahajjid. End quote from Tafseer al-Tabari, 10/307.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the difference between Taraweeh, Qiyaam and Tahajjud? Please advise us, may you be rewarded.

He replied: Prayer at night is called tahajjud or qiyaam al-layl, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salaah (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Qur’aan in the prayer) as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawâfil) for you”[Holy Quran Chapter al-Isra’ 17:79]

“O you wrapped in garments (i.e. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)!

2. Stand (to pray) all night, except a little”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Muzzammil 73:1-2]

“They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allaah) and praying, with fear and hope]”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Dhaariyaat 51:17].

With regard to Taraweeh, the scholars use this word to refer to qiyaam al-layl in Ramadan at the beginning of the night, which should be made light and not lengthy. It may also be called tahajjud or qiyaam al-layl[8].

 

Questions Regarding Taraweeh, Tahajjud And Qiyamul Layl

Your questions are related to taraweeh, qiyamul layl and tahajuud. Hereunder is a summary of your questions.

(1) Is taraweeh the same as qiyamul layl?

(2) What is the difference between taraweeh, qiyamul layl and tahajjud?

(3) The term taraweeh is not mentioned in the Quraan or Ahadeeth.

(4) Is it better to perform taraweeh alone or in a congregation?

(5) Did Rasullullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam perform 11 rakaats at home?

(6) What intention to make when one stands for Traweeh Salah?

Hereunder are the answers in sequence:

(1) Taraweeh is not the same as qiyamul-Lail. Qiyamul-Lail refers to the tahajjud salaah.

The word tahajjud refers to waking up from sleep. The preferable time of performing tahajud is in the latter portion of the night after waking up from one’s sleep.

The word taraweeh is the plural of the word tarweeha which literally means ‘to rest’. In the context of salatut -taraweeh, it means to rest between every four raka’at.

(2) Below are some of the differences between taraweeh salaah and qiyamul layl (tahajjud);

	TARAWEEH	QIYAAMUL-LAYL
(a)	Specific to the month of Ramadhan	Sunnah throughout the year.
(b)	The preferable time is in the beginning portion of the night.	The preferable time is in the later portion of the night.
(c)	Congregational Salaah.	Not performed in congregation.
(d)	Established from the Ahaadeeth.	Established from the Quraan.
(e)	The ruling was revealed in Madinnah.	The ruling was revealed in Makkah.

 

It is important to note that there are two different Sunnah acts in the Tarawaeeh Salaah. One is to perform twenty rakaats of taraweeh and the other Sunnah is to complete the entire Quraan in the Tarawaeeh Salaah.

If one is a haafidh, it is advisable for him to perform Tarawaeeh separately and complete his Quraan in Tarawaeeh. If one is not a haafidh, then it is advisable for him to perform the Tarawaeeh with congregation in the masjid.

Rasullullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam did perform eleven rakaats at home. Eight rakaats were tahajud salaah and three was witr salaah. This was the general practice of Rasullullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam throughout the year.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray eight rak’ahs at night and pray witr with three, and pray two rak’ahs before Fajr[9].”

One should make intention of performing twenty rakaats sunnat-e- maakkadah taraweeh salah or qiyamul layl behind the Imam[10].

 

They pray Taraweeh and Tahajjud in their Mosque; how can they finish with the imam?
In one of the fatwas on your website, you said that whoever prays Taraweeh with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him as if he spent the entire night in prayer. Here in our mosque, in the last ten nights of Ramadan, they pray Taraweeh with twenty rak‘ahs, along with three rak‘ahs of Witr, after ‘Isha’. Then they pray tahajjud a few hours before before sahoor, sometimes with eight rak‘ahs, along with three rak‘ahs of Witr. How should we pray in this situation, so that we can guarantee that we will attain the reward of spending the entire night in prayer?
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
It was narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger ﷺ  said concerning Taraweeh prayer: Whoever prays qiyaam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him as if he spent an entire night in prayer.” Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (806); he said: This is a saheeh hasan hadith. Also narrated by Abu Dawood (1375). Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (2/193).
This virtue is for the one who prays Taraweeh with the imam and finishes with him.
The end of Taraweeh prayer and its completion at which the imam finishes has been defined by Islamic teaching as being Witr prayer, as is narrated in saheeh reports from the instructions and actions of the Prophet ﷺ .
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ  said: “Make the last of your prayers at night Witr.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (998) and Muslim (751).
Whether the prayer is directly after ‘Isha’ or at the end of the night, in order to attain the virtue of praying during the last third of the night, all of that is prescribed.
It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said: “Whoever fears that he will not get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the beginning. Whoever is sure that he will get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the end, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed, and that is better.” Narrated by Muslim (755).
Based on that, whoever prays twenty rak‘ahs with the first congregation after ‘Isha’ prayer, and prays Witr with the imam of that congregation, has completed Taraweeh prayer by praying Witr with the imam, and has fulfilled the condition of attaining the reward of spending the entire night in prayer by finishing with the imam, and he does not have to pray with another imam at the end of the night, because the first prayer is complete.
Whoever wants to pray both prayers, seeking more reward, is doing something good, but he should not pray Witr twice, because the Prophet ﷺ  forbade doing that.
It was narrated from Qays ibn Talq ibn ‘Ali, from his father, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  say: “There should not be two Witrs in one night.” Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (470); classed as hasan by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari (2/481). Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhi (470).
In that case, he has two options, each of which was the view of a group of scholars:
The first option: when he prays with the first imam and prays Witr with him, he may add a rak‘ah so that it will become even-numbered, then at the end of the night if he wants, he may join the other imam in his prayer and join him in Witr too.
The second option: he may pray the first Witr as such, then when the second imam prays Witr at the end of the night, he may either leave and not pray with him, or he may pray with him and add another rak‘ah, intending it to be qiyaam al-layl.
At-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The scholars differed concerning the one who prays Witr at the beginning of the night then prays qiyaam at the end of the night…
Some of the scholars among the companions of the Prophet ﷺ and others said: If he prays Witr at the beginning of the night, then sleeps, then gets up at the end of the night, he may offer whatever prayers he likes, but he should leave his Witr as it was. This is the view of Sufyaan ath-Thawri, Maalik ibn Anas, Ibn al-Mubaarak, ash-Shaafa‘i, the scholars of Kufah, and Ahmad.
This is more correct, because it was narrated via more than one isnaad that the Prophet ﷺ prayed after Witr[11].

Mallam Abba Abana 

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best.  

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[1] Sources: Written and answered by Moulana Muhammad Imad Ali

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

Sources https://islamqa.org/hanafi/daruliftaa-birmingham/136249

[2] Narrated by an-Nasaa’i in his Sunan (1679).

 

[3] It was classed as hasan by the commentators on al-Musnad, and as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood.

[4] End quote from Haashiyat as-Sindi ‘ala Sunan an-Nasaa’i (3/230).

[5] Narrated by al-Mirwazi.

 

[6] End quote from Badaa’i‘ al-Fawaa’id (4/111).

[7] End quote from Jalasaat Ramadaniyyah

[8] End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 11/317. Source: Islam Q&A, 143240

[9] (Sunan-Nasai, Vol 3, Pg 237)

[10] Sources [Muhammad S.I.V Patel [Student Darul Iftaa]

Lusaka, Zambia

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

Sources

https://islamqa.org/hanafi/askimam/125130

 

[11] End quote from Sunan at-Tirmidhi (2/334), Source: Islam Q&A, 232790