The Tarawih Prayer with Those Who Commit Religious Innovations
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Fatwa No. ( 17249 )
Q: We are a group of Arab students studying in America, and we have some Islamic centers and mosques where we perform the obligatory prayers and the prescribed voluntary prayers, such as the Tarawih prayer.
The question is: In the Tarawih prayer, we pray with some Pakistani brothers who pray twenty-three rak'ahs. Their method of performing the prayer and supplication is as follows: They pray twenty rak'ahs in pairs, then after the taslim from the twentieth rak'ah, they begin the Qunut supplication while sitting, and after finishing the supplication, they stand to perform the Witr prayer with three rak'ahs that resemble the Maghrib prayer, with the addition of a takbir after rising from ruku' and before sujud in the third rak'ah, on the pretext that this prayer does not completely resemble the Maghrib prayer. Is performing the prayer in this manner prescribed? Does it have a basis in the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, or is it an innovation and an addition to the religion of Allah? Is it permissible to pray behind them, or is it better for us to be independent and pray the prescribed Tarawih prayer in our mosque? Please note that this practice exists in a number of Islamic centers in America without knowledge of its Islamic ruling. Please issue a ruling, may Allah reward you. May Allah reward you and reward you with good.
A: Their supplication after the taslim from the twenty completed rak'ahs with the Qunut supplication is a religious innovation, and their performance of the last three rak'ahs like the Maghrib prayer is not prescribed; because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade likening the three rak'ahs with which one prays Witr to the Maghrib prayer. However, if one recites the three rak'ahs consecutively without sitting after the second, there is no harm; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did that on some occasions. Likewise, the addition of the takbir after rising from ruku' in
the third rak'ah of the Witr is a religious innovation with no basis. If they do not accept advice, what is prescribed for you is to pray alone in your mosque eleven or thirteen rak'ahs; this is the best, due to the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And whoever prays twenty-three or more, there is no harm; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 1326Sahih (Al-Albani) , agreed upon for its authenticity, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a certain number. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: We are a group of Arab students studying in America, and we have some Islamic centers and mosques where we perform the obligatory prayers and the prescribed voluntary prayers, such as the Tarawih prayer.
The question is: In the Tarawih prayer, we pray with some Pakistani brothers who pray twenty-three rak'ahs. Their method of performing the prayer and supplication is as follows: They pray twenty rak'ahs in pairs, then after the taslim from the twentieth rak'ah, they begin the Qunut supplication while sitting, and after finishing the supplication, they stand to perform the Witr prayer with three rak'ahs that resemble the Maghrib prayer, with the addition of a takbir after rising from ruku' and before sujud in the third rak'ah, on the pretext that this prayer does not completely resemble the Maghrib prayer. Is performing the prayer in this manner prescribed? Does it have a basis in the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, or is it an innovation and an addition to the religion of Allah? Is it permissible to pray behind them, or is it better for us to be independent and pray the prescribed Tarawih prayer in our mosque? Please note that this practice exists in a number of Islamic centers in America without knowledge of its Islamic ruling. Please issue a ruling, may Allah reward you. May Allah reward you and reward you with good.
A: Their supplication after the taslim from the twenty completed rak'ahs with the Qunut supplication is a religious innovation, and their performance of the last three rak'ahs like the Maghrib prayer is not prescribed; because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade likening the three rak'ahs with which one prays Witr to the Maghrib prayer. However, if one recites the three rak'ahs consecutively without sitting after the second, there is no harm; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did that on some occasions. Likewise, the addition of the takbir after rising from ruku' in
the third rak'ah of the Witr is a religious innovation with no basis. If they do not accept advice, what is prescribed for you is to pray alone in your mosque eleven or thirteen rak'ahs; this is the best, due to the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And whoever prays twenty-three or more, there is no harm; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Prayer during the night should consist of pairs of rak'ahs, but if one of you fears the morning is near he should pray one rak'ah which will make his prayer an odd number for him.
صلاة الليل مثنى مثنى فإذا خشي أحدكم الصبح صلى ركعة واحدة توتر له ما قد صلى
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.