The Tarawih Prayer
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Question: Is the Tarawih prayer a recommended practice or obligatory? How did the Companions perform it? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: The Tarawih prayer is a confirmed recommended practice, not obligatory. If a person leaves it, he commits no sin, but if he performs it, he attains much good and a great reward, provided his intention is sound and his sincerity is pure for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is because the Tarawih prayer is among the most important prescribed deeds in the nights of Ramadan. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed it with his Companions for several nights in the last part of Ramadan, then he delayed and did not come out to them for the remaining nights. The Companions gathered until the mosque became crowded with them, and then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to them that he had not stayed away from them except that he feared it would become obligatory upon them and they would not be able to keep up with it.
After the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Companions continued to pray the Tarawih prayer in groups in the mosque: a man would pray alone, a man would pray with two men, and a man would pray with a group of people, and so on. They remained in this state for a period of time after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When it was the time of the caliphate of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and he saw that the Companions were praying the Tarawih prayer in this manner, divided into groups, he decided to gather them under a single imam. So he gathered them under Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him). From that time until this day, the Tarawih prayer has been performed as a single congregation in the mosque, and praise and grace belong to Allah.
It is a confirmed recommended practice. Performing it in the mosques, and performing it in congregation, is better. If one prays it alone, or prays it in his house, there is nothing wrong with that. However, performing it in the mosque with the imam and the congregation in the mosque is better, more complete, and more excellent.
Answer: The Tarawih prayer is a confirmed recommended practice, not obligatory. If a person leaves it, he commits no sin, but if he performs it, he attains much good and a great reward, provided his intention is sound and his sincerity is pure for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is because the Tarawih prayer is among the most important prescribed deeds in the nights of Ramadan. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed it with his Companions for several nights in the last part of Ramadan, then he delayed and did not come out to them for the remaining nights. The Companions gathered until the mosque became crowded with them, and then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to them that he had not stayed away from them except that he feared it would become obligatory upon them and they would not be able to keep up with it.
After the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Companions continued to pray the Tarawih prayer in groups in the mosque: a man would pray alone, a man would pray with two men, and a man would pray with a group of people, and so on. They remained in this state for a period of time after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When it was the time of the caliphate of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and he saw that the Companions were praying the Tarawih prayer in this manner, divided into groups, he decided to gather them under a single imam. So he gathered them under Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him). From that time until this day, the Tarawih prayer has been performed as a single congregation in the mosque, and praise and grace belong to Allah.
It is a confirmed recommended practice. Performing it in the mosques, and performing it in congregation, is better. If one prays it alone, or prays it in his house, there is nothing wrong with that. However, performing it in the mosque with the imam and the congregation in the mosque is better, more complete, and more excellent.