What is the ruling on shortening the tarawih prayer so that many people can attend?
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Question:
Yes, may Allah bless you and reward you. This person asks and says: Some imams in the tarawih prayer shorten it by reciting a short surah, and this is in order to finish in the shortest time and gain a number of worshippers. What is the validity of that? And what is your guidance for these imams?
Answer:
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 517Sahih (Al-Albani) It is not permissible for him to deprive those behind him of a complete and beneficial prayer.
He shortens it in a way that is deficient. Yes, he shortens it, but it must not be deficient, due to the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 7159 But it is shortening with completion. Shortening with completion that does not compromise the prayer. And the imam's concern should not be that the people gather around him.
But his concern should be to please Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and to obey Him in what He has prescribed for him. This is the concern of the imam and of other Muslims: to attain the pleasure of Allah and that their worship not be a burden without benefit. Yes.
Yes, may Allah bless you and reward you. This person asks and says: Some imams in the tarawih prayer shorten it by reciting a short surah, and this is in order to finish in the shortest time and gain a number of worshippers. What is the validity of that? And what is your guidance for these imams?
Answer:
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The imam is responsible and the mu'adhdhin is trusted
الإمام ضامن والمؤذن مؤتمنHe shortens it in a way that is deficient. Yes, he shortens it, but it must not be deficient, due to the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
So whoever among you leads the people in prayer, he should shorten it because among them there are the old, the weak and the busy (needy having some jobs to do).
أيكم أم الناس فليخفف فإن فيهم الكبير والضعيف وذا الحاجةBut his concern should be to please Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and to obey Him in what He has prescribed for him. This is the concern of the imam and of other Muslims: to attain the pleasure of Allah and that their worship not be a burden without benefit. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما حكم التخفيف في صلاة التراويح ليحضرها الكثير من الناس؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.