The Tarawih Salah

Merit of the tarawih salah

Once the Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, addressed his followers on the last day of Shaban, on the eve of Ramadan, and said:

"There is a night in this month which is greater in excellence than a thousand months; Allah has enjoined an extra salah to be offered in the nights of this month. If a person performs a nafl act, out of his own free choice during this month, he will be entitled to receive the reward of a fard act performed in other months…" (Mishkat)

In an other tradition, Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has regarded the tarawih salah as a means of the forgiveness of sins. He has said:

"The one who observes the tarawih salah at night during Ramadan with complete faith and devotion only for the sake of the recompense of the hearafter, will have all of his previous sins forgiven by Allah." (Bukhari, Muslim)

Scholars have regarded the collective offerings of the tarawih salah as a compulsory sunnah having the kifiyah status. According to consensus of the Companions, the tarawih salah consists of twenty rak'ahs which are to be offered two at a time with one salutation and after every four rak'ahs a short pause of rest has to be observed for the convenience of the people.The worshipper has the option to sit quiet during the pause after each four rak'ahs, or recite the tasbeeh, or offer a voluntary salah.

The witr salah is allowed to be offered collectively only during Ramadan.

It is sunnah of the Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to complete recital of the whole Quran, from the beginning to the end. One must understand that the tarawih salah is a compulsory sunnah of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and has to be observed regularly until the end of the month of Ramadan, no matter whether the Quran has been recited once or more than once in the mosque.

Miscellaneous Regulations