We are in the settlement of Rawdhan al-Salim, and we pray the tarawih during the nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. Among us are people who do not pray the tarawih at all, and between them and
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The questioner : From Salih Sa'd al-Shahrani of Khamis Mushait, via the Rawdhan al-Salim post office, he says: We are in the settlement of Rawdhan al-Salim, and we pray the tarawih during the nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. Among us are people who do not pray the tarawih at all, and between them and the mosque is five hundred meters. What is required of them? I ask you to please answer and respond. Also, are means of comfort available to them?
The Shaykh : The prayer of tarawih is the standing of Ramadan, but it was given this name because the Salaf, when they prayed four rak'ahs, meaning with two taslims, would sit to rest and take a break, because they used to lengthen the rak'ahs in the past. The standing of Ramadan is not obligatory, so the tarawih is not obligatory, because none of the daily prayers are obligatory except the five prayers, which are Fajr, Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, and 'Isha', and Jumu'ah in place of Zuhr.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So these people whom you mentioned are close to the mosque and do not pray the tarawih; they are not sinful for leaving the prayer of tarawih, because it is not obligatory.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But we say that they have missed much good, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saidSahih al-Bukhari 37 So our advice to our brothers is to seize the opportunity of their lives and to take their share of obedience, because they will wish that they had added a rak'ah or two, or a tasbih or two, to their good deeds, as Allah the Exalted said [Al-Mu'minun 23:99-100] .
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And He the Exalted said[Al-Munafiqun 63:10] And in the authentic hadith .
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : The prayer of tarawih is the standing of Ramadan, but it was given this name because the Salaf, when they prayed four rak'ahs, meaning with two taslims, would sit to rest and take a break, because they used to lengthen the rak'ahs in the past. The standing of Ramadan is not obligatory, so the tarawih is not obligatory, because none of the daily prayers are obligatory except the five prayers, which are Fajr, Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, and 'Isha', and Jumu'ah in place of Zuhr.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So these people whom you mentioned are close to the mosque and do not pray the tarawih; they are not sinful for leaving the prayer of tarawih, because it is not obligatory.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : But we say that they have missed much good, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said
Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven.
من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفِر له ما تقدّم من ذنبهuntil, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back (100) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind."
حتى إذا جاء أحدهم الموت قال رب ارجعون لعلي أعمل صالحا فيما تركتThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And He the Exalted said
And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, "My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous."
وأنفقوا مما رزقناكم من قبل أن يأتي أحدكم الموت فيقول رب لولا أخرتني إلى أجل قريب فأصدق وأكن من الصالحينNo one dies but that he regrets; if he was a doer of good, he regrets that he did not increase in it, and if he was a doer of evil, he regrets that he did not seek forgiveness.
ما من ميت يموت إلا ندم إن كان محسنا ندم ألا يكون ازداد وإن كان مسيئا ندم ألا يكون استعتبThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.