You’re all set to join the jamaah prayer for taraweeh this year as this is your first year becoming a Muslim, but the masjids are closed due to Coronavirus and you can’t seem to figure out how to perform this prayer at home.
Taraweeh (تراويح) is the additional prayer performed after the Isha’ prayer during the month of Ramadan. Taraweeh is the only prayer that can’t be performed other than in the month of Ramadan. That’s how special it is.
Men are usually encouraged to perform this prayer in the masjid, although for this year – that seems quite impossible, isn’t it?
But don’t be surprised, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH would sometimes (some nights) perform taraweeh at home, as he feared people would take it that the prayer was only to be performed in the masjid.
“After these nights (23,25 & 27th) the congregation grew to a very large number on the 29th night. The Masjid of the Prophet (PBUH) had become filled to capacity. On this night, the Prophet (PBUH) only came out to lead the people for the Fajr prayer. After the Fajr prayer, the Prophet (PBUH) stated: ‘I knew that you had gathered for the night prayer (Taraweeh) but I feared that this prayer would become compulsory (fard) upon you and you would find it difficult to fulfill”
(Bukhari).
“One night, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) offered the prayer in the Mosque and the people followed him. The next night he also offered the prayer and too many people gathered. On the third and the fourth nights more people gathered, but Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) did not come out to them. In the morning he said, “I saw what you were doing and nothing but the fear that it (i.e. the prayer) might be enjoined on you, stopped me from coming to you.” And that happened in the month of Ramadan.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1129)
Here’s proof that it is absolutely okay to perform taraweeh at home. Let’s do this!
