A view on Tahazzud and Taraweeh prayers

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THIS letter is a humble response to the view expressed by Mr. Habibur Rahman published in your esteemed daily on August 1, 2009. As the view expressed may tend to create confusion among the worshippers, may I take the opportunity of your hospitality to put some clarification on the issue.
Tahazzud prayer was made compulsory by Allah for the Prophet(sm) like many other special extra prayers made compulsory for him. Tahazzud prayer, a voluntary one for others, carry immense benefit for the mankind as well, as mentioned at a number of places in the Holy Quran. Allah promised to bestow His mercy and forgiveness to the human being who performs late night prayers (Tahazzud). Tahazzud prayer is termed as the light of the grave. But it has no relationship with Taraweeh prayer. Therefore, Tahazzud prayer is not a replacement of Taraweeh prayer as expressed, though both are Sunnah te Rasulullah(sm) to his ummat(disciple). Tahazzud prayer can be performed individually throughout the year whereas Taraweeh prayer is performed only in the holy month of Ramadan.
Imam Bukhari writes, Hazrat Umor(may Allah bless him) ordered that congregational Taraweeh prayer should be offered together. When the people started this and Hazrat Umor saw this he said this as a good Bid'ah.(Bukhari Kitab-us Taraweeh). Hazrat Umor Radi Allaho Unho ordered the people to offer congregational prayers of Taraweeh, and called this "Bid'ah Hasana". From this, we can prove two things: 1) After our prophet(sm) any new good thing that was initiated and was not against his Sunnah or the Quran is called "Bid'ah Hasana". 2) To start this something new in Islam, which is not already there and does not affect the Sunnah than this will be the Sunnah of Umor Radi Allaho Unho.
According to authentic Hadiths, the Prophet(sm) discontinued praying Taraweeh prayers in the mosque for fear that it could be construed as obligatory. It was never then offered in the Prophet's mosque in his life time or during Abu Bakr's reign. The Prophet(sm) offered the Taraweeh in his mosque the first night when he was joined by one or two people and on the following night he was joined by a fairly large congregation. On the third night, he looked through his door and found the mosque full of people. Therefore, he did not come out. When asked why, he said that he did not wish that this prayer should become compulsory. This shows how thoughtful of his community the Prophet(sm) was. Even in matters of worship, he always wanted what was easier for them. If he were to offer this prayer in the mosque every night throughout Ramadan, people would over the years elevate it to the obligatory or semi obligatory status. Therefore, he decided to offer it at home to retain its status as voluntary night worship which we can do at any time.
However, it is not true that it was never offered in congregation in the Prophet's mosque until Hazrat Umor did what he did. In fact, it continued to be offered in congregation but without regular arrangements. What Hazrat Umor did was to organize it in a proper way. One night in Ramadan he came into the mosque and found several groups of worshippers offering the Taraweeh prayer in several congregations. He disliked this because it suggested divisions within the Muslim community. Therefore, he told them to form one congregation and appointed Ubayy Ibn Kaab to lead the congregation. Ubayy was one of the best reciters of the Qur'an among the Prophet's companions. Hazrat Umor did not join because, as Caliph, he led the obligatory prayers. Again he was keen not to give this prayer any impression of being obligatory. On the following night he checked what was happening and when he saw that there was one congregation, he made his comment that, it was a 'Bid'ah Hasana", a fine bid'ah. He was not referring to the Taraweeh prayer itself because the prayer was known to all and practiced by many. He was simply referring to the fact that it was offered in one congregation. So the addition is the organization of the prayer, not adding a new prayer.
To-day most people offer Taraweeh in mosques in congregation. This is not obligatory. Any one can offer it at home, with his family or friends or alone. It is all acceptable. However, in congregation it earns a greater reward. Any prayer offered in congregation is rewarded at twenty seven times its normal reward when offered alone. In many countries people prefer to have a long prayer, with the whole of the Qur'an recited in this prayer over the month of Ramadan. Needless to say where Khatme Qur'an is offered, overwhelming benefit in the forms of Allah's mercy and blessings would be forthcoming. This is a great practice and long it may continue. (Source: "The Taraweeh prayer and its origins"; Edited by Adil Salahi.)
Mohammad Ataul Hoque
Dhaka