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TARAWEEH OR NAWAFIL?

According to Shia Ithna-Asheri Madhhab Nawafil prayers are not allowed with Jamaat except Salatul-Istisqa [the salatfor praying to Allah to send rain]. But Umar, in defiance of this rule of Shariah, made people pray Nawafil withJamaah [congregational] in the night of the holy month of Ramadhan, and he himself said that it was a good bidah! See

for example the following report of Sahih-al-Bukhari [the chapter of Taraweeh]:

Abdur-Rahman, son of Abd said: I went with Umar to the Masjid in a Ramadhan night; and there were peopledisorganized.... Then Umar said: > I think it would be ideal if I make them pray together with one reciter [i.e. behind anImam of Jamaat]; so he thus decided and gathered them behind Ubay ib Kab...... Then I went there with him anothernight and the people were praying with one Imam. Umar said: A good bidah is this.

Allamah Qastalani writes in Irshad As-Sari [commentary of Sahih al-Bukhari] He called it bidah, because the Messengerof Allah had not prescribed it for them nor was it in the days of the [first caliph] Abu Baker, nor was it for the early partsof night.

Imam as-Suyuti [in Tarikhul Khulafa], Muhammad ibn Sad [in at-Tabaqat] and others have clearly counted theTaraweeh among the things started by Umar.

Umar started it in Ramadhan, 15 A.H., the second year of his caliphate.

According to our traditions, there are 1000 Rakah prayers [i.e. 500 prayers of 2 rakah each] spread over the 30 nights ofthe holy month. The details are as follows:

From 1st to 20th night: 20 rakah every night [8 rakah after Maghrib and 12 after Isha]: Total:400 rakah.From 21st to the end of the month: 30 rakah every night [8 rak= ah after Maghrib and 22 after Isha]: Total: 300rakah.19th, 21st and 23rd nights: 100 rakah each night: Total: 300rakah

It is to be prayed individually and NOT in Jamaat. This was the mistake made by Umar [in Taraweeh] that he madepeople pray Nawafil with Jamaat.

A Unique feature of the Shia Ithna-Asheri School of Thought is that any of the Islamic Fiqh commandment or ruling ofthe Prophet [s.a.w.w.] can never be altered or amended by anyone. The Shia Ithna-Asheris accordingly are following theoriginal Fiqh and Islamic rulings in letter and spirit as stipulated by the Prophet [s.a.w.w.]. Whereas the Fiqh and Islamicrulings followed by other Islamic groups have obviously undergone changes with additions and alterations, becauseotherwise there would not have been four different Fiqhs and that too differing from one another. This is improper andinconsistent because even according to the Quranic verse 3 of chapter 5 ......This day have I perfected for you, yourreligion, and have completed My favor on you, and chosen for you ISLAM [to be] the Religion..... The religion wasalready perfected and, therefore, no room for any change. Hence according to the Shia Ithna-Asheris, everything declaredby Allah through the Prophet [s.a.w.w.] to be unlawful and things similarly made lawful will remain in force as such til

Doomsday. In other words everything declared lawful or unlawful by Allah through the Prophet [s.a.w.w.] can never bealtered or tampered with.

Contributed By:

BILAL MUSLIM MISSION OF AMERICAS1520 BRUNSWICK PLACEELMONT, NY 11003 [U.S.A.]TEL./FAX: 516 358 0327

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