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Tarawih (تراويح) is an Arabic phrase referring to extra prayers given by Sunnis at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. Tarawih prayers consist of 8 to 20 raka'ah performed after the fard salah of Isha'a. Sunnis believe it is customary to attempt a khatm (complete recitation) of the Qur'an in Ramadan by reciting at least one juz per night in Tarawih. If someone does not know how to read Qur'an or cannot read it very well, he/she may recite Surahs that he/she knows.
Sunnis believe Tarawih is a Sunnah Salah and may be performed at home if one is unable to attend a mosque. Sunni present hadith where Muhammad is reported to have been the first to pray in congregation on Ramadan. However, he discontinued the practice because he did not want to create a burden too large for some people to carry out. It was reinstituted by Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Sunni Caliph, when there was no longer any fear of it being made mandatory on the Muslims. Shi'a Muslims do not perform Tarawih, deeming it a Bid'ah instituted by Umar. Furthermore, Shi'as claim Muhammad never prayed any 8 to 20 raka'ah *.
Tarawih prayers are offered in Sunni Muslim communities worldwide, and in the diaspora (North America, Britain, etc.) they are important congregational events for both men and women. In Sunni Muslim countries where women do not attend mosques regularly, they tend to pray tarawih at home, while in the diaspora it is common for women to attend tarawih prayers at mosques. (Note: women do NOT uniformly refrain from attending mosques all over the Muslim world).
See also
External links
- http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/004.smt.html#004.1663
- http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/032.sbt.html#003.032.227
"Tarawih"