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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 taraweeh salah as a means of the forgiveness of sins. He has
said:
"The one who observes the taraweeh 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 taraweeh salah as a
compulsory sunnah having the kifiyah status. According to consensus of the
Companions, the taraweeh 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 taraweeh 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
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The intention is to observe two rak'ahs of the taraweeh salah, and thus to
complete 20 rak'ahs with 10 salutations.
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It is preferable to offer the witr salah after completion of the
taraweeh
salah, but if the witr salah is offered before the taraweeh salah, or after
offering some of the rak'ahs of the taraweeh salah, there is no harm.
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If a late comer for the taraweeh salah finds that the Imam has stood up for
witr salah when he has yet to complete some of his taraweeh rak'ahs he should
join in witr congregation, and should complete his remaining rak'ahs of
taraweeh later in his own time.
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It is desirable to observe the pause of rest after each four rak'ahs for as
long as the time taken for observing the four rak'ahs; however, if the
followers find it hard and inconvenient they may observe a shorter pause.
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It is not valid to join in the taraweeh congregation before first observing
the fard salah of 'Isha, for the taraweeh salah has to start after the 'Isha
salah.
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If a person has observed his fard salah in 'Isha in congregation, but has
not observed the taraweeh salah in congregation, he is permitted to offer his
witr salah in congregation.
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