JABATA: TARAWIH IS BID'AH (Part I)

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

CLAIMS

Shaykh Muḥammad ‘Alī Jabata in his taped lecture entitled Aqeedah as-Sufiyyah (Oyo, Oyo State) – part, from 01:35:38 mins – 01:40:10 mins, states:
https://voiceofthesalaf.files./2014/08/jbt-aqqsuufis1.mp3


"Firstly, what is called tahajjud is qiyām al-layl. The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to pray this qiyām al-layl, in his home. Qiyām al-layl is performed at home. What is called qiyām is: after praying al-‘Ishā, you sleep. Then you wake up at midnight, maybe 3:00 am or 2:30 am or 3:30 am. You have to wake up at midnight. Then, you do the wuḍū (ablution), and start praying that nāfilah. The Prophet used to pray eleven rak’ahs only, whether in Ramaḍān or at other times. He would pray two rak’ahs, then do the taslīm, then another two rak’ahs, then another taslīm; then another two rak’ahs, then another taslīm; then another two rak’ahs, then another taslīm; then another two rak’ahs – which you call al-shaf’ – and then another taslīm; and then a single ra’kah – which you call al-witr. Then he would end the prayer. When you are in prostration, you should make any supplication you like, as directed by the Prophet. After the taḥiyyat, before the taslīm, you are free to make any du’ā you like. This is what is called tahajjud. If it is not in Ramaḍān, it is prayed individually. In Ramaḍān, it is that same prayer which you call tarāwīḥ. It is it.

That prayer which is called tarāwīḥ is that same tahajjud and qiyām al-layl. In Ramaḍān, you have to pray it exactly as described. After finishing the ‘Ishā prayer in Ramaḍān, you go home to sleep. Then, you return to the mosque at midnight. I am telling you how the Prophet used to pray it. Then, the Imām leads the prayer. He prays two rak’ahs, followed by taslīm, four times. Then, he prays two rak’ahs, which you call al-shaf’, followed with taslīm. Then, he prays one ra’kah and does the taslīm. This is what is called tarāwīḥ. The Prophet used to pray it at midnight, not after al-‘Ishā. After al-‘Ishā, if the Imām wants to pray tarāwīḥ, do not join him. Go home. Leave the Imām to pray it alone. Go home and sleep well. Then, wake up at midnight and pray it in congregation. The Imām should come to the mosque at midnight to lead it. It is his job. Why is it that they only go to naming and marriage ceremonies, and do not come to lead you in prayer? They should be coming to pray that one. This is what has evidence.

In Ramaḍān, it is performed in congregation, and one has to go out of the house to pray it. And it is for men only. Women are excluded. This is because there is a verse which commands women, saying: “You women, stay at home! And do not come out except if there is an important reason.” [sic] Also, a woman came to the Prophet and said, “O Prophet! I wish to be praying behind you in your mosque.” Meanwhile, it is far more rewarding to pray in the Prophet’s Mosque in al-Madīnah than to do so anywhere else. Despite that, the Prophet said: “No. Go back to your house. If you pray in your house, it is more rewarding than if you pray in my mosque.” He said it to a woman. The men used to pray with the Prophet in the mosque. So, in Ramaḍān, a woman must never join the congregational prayer in the mosque. She must stay in her house and perform the nāfilah prayers there."


OUR INVESTIGATIONS

We agree with Shaykh Jabata that what our Sunnī brothers call tarāwīḥ is exactly the same thing as tahajjud and qiyām al-layl. All three terms refer to the same nāfilah prayer. We also agree with him that tahajjud is not limited to the nights of Ramaḍān only. Rather, it runs continuously throughout the year. We further agree with him that the correct starting period of tarāwīḥ – in Ramaḍān or at any other time – is between 2:30 am and 3:30 am, at midnight, and not between 8:30 pm and 9:00 pm (as it is currently practised in Nigeria). Therefore, the prayer which Nigerian Sunnī Muslims perform immediately after al-‘Ishā, during the nights of Ramaḍān, is DIFFERENT from tarāwīḥ, tahajjud and qiyām al-layl. In Islam, you cannot perform any prayer before its time – whether it is obligatory or voluntary. As such, that prayer after al-‘Ishā is NOT tarāwīḥ (even though Nigerian Sunnīs wrongly call it that), and it has absolutely no evidence from Allāh and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family). It is a clear bid’ah. Whosoever disagrees, we challenge him to:


(i) present any Sunnī ḥadīth – whether authentic or ḍa’īf – which proves that the Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him and his family) ever led the Ṣaḥābah in tarāwīḥ immediately after al-‘Ishā for 29 or 30 nights of Ramaḍān; or

(ii) quote any Sunnī ḥadīth – whether reliable or not – which shows that the Prophet ever recommended or approved any such prayers.


No creature throughout the seven heavens or the earth can meet this simple challenge. This is where the Shaykh himself runs into trouble. We challenge him and his followers – and any Sunnī in any part of the cosmos – to show us any reliable or ḍa’īf Sunnī report which establishes that the Messenger ever performed tarāwīḥ, tahajjud or qiyām al-layl – whatever you wish to call it – in congregation, at any period of the night, for 29 or 30 nights of any Ramaḍān! There is simply no such report in any book on this planet, or in any other planet, or throughout the seven heavens! The Prophet of Allāh never did that, and you will never be able to quote even a single ḍa’īf or fabricated ḥadīth which claims that he did (2:24):

"And if you cannot do this; and you will not be able to do this; then beware the Fire whose fuel is people and stones, it has been prepared for the rejecters."

Interestingly, Shaykh Jabata himself performs tarāwīḥ in congregation for 29 or 30 nights of Ramaḍān – something that the Prophet never did, recommended or approved!

So, if we look at some Sunnī aḥādīth, the Ahl al-Sunnah can only pray tarāwīḥ in some nights of Ramaḍān, at midnight. But, even those tarāwīḥ prayers which the Messenger of Allāh performed – in congregation – in some nights of Ramaḍān were later abrogated by him. Imām al-Bukhārī has recorded in his Ṣaḥīḥ (English translation), vol. 9, Book 92, Ḥadīth 393:
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/96/21

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) prayed in it FOR A FEW NIGHTS till the people gathered (to pray the night prayer (Tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not hear his voice and they thought he had slept, so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, "You continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (Tarawih prayer) might be enjoined on you, and if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, O people! Perform your prayers AT YOUR HOMES, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer."


Al-Bukhārī further records in his Ṣaḥīḥ (English translation), vol. 1, Book 11, Ḥadīth 698:
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/10/125

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) made a small room in the month of Ramadan (Sa`id said, "I think that Zaid bin Thabit said that it was made of a mat" and he prayed there for A FEW NIGHTS, and so some of his companions prayed behind him. When he came to know about it, he kept on sitting. In the morning, he went out to them and said, "I have seen and understood what you did. You should pray IN YOUR HOUSES, for the best prayer of a person is that which he prays in his house except the compulsory prayers."


We know from these two reports that the Prophet led tarāwīḥ for only three nights. Then, he abrogated it, and commanded his Ṣaḥābah to perform it only at home. So, why do our Sunnī brothers perform it continuously for 29 or 30 nights in the mosque? What is your evidence for that? Rather, why pray it at all, since the Messenger of Allāh had already abrogated its congregational form before his death?

By Ansorul Mahdi Research Team
http://jabatacheck..com.ng/2016/05/jabata-tarawih-is-bidah-part-i.html

So, La jamah has found dia way to NL.
Jabata is a confused human bein. Today is another day of his confusing lecture at garage oja

lekan008:
So, La jamah has found dia way to NL.
Jabata is a confused human bein. Today is another day of his confusing lecture at garage oja

Kindly read the article well. Jabata make some senses in certain areas but wrong as usual in his conclusion. Jabata aside, Tarawih is Bid'ah.

AlBaqir:


Kindly read the article well. Jabata make some senses in certain areas but wrong as usual in his conclusion. Jabata aside, Tarawih is Bid'ah.

Pls, what is your blog really about?

lekan008:

Pls, what is your blog really about?

Exposing lies and fabrications of Sheik Jabata and his cohorts against the followers of Ahlulbayt (household of Prophet).

AlBaqir:


Tarawih is Bid'ah.

In what sense exactly?. That rosululah didnt make congregation of it or that taraweeh and timing (after ishai) is bid'a, which one?

Empiree:
In what sense exactly?. That rosululah didnt make congregation of it or that taraweeh and timing (after ishai) is bid'a, which one?

The op is self explanatory bro.

AlBaqir:


Exposing lies and fabrications of Sheik Jabata and his cohorts against the followers of Ahlulbayt (household of Prophet).

Then, we are on same track

lekan008:

Then, we are on same track

Don't let him deceive you!

Check his profile and posts! You will understand who he is!

MrOlai:


Don't let him deceive you!

Check his profile and posts! You will understand who he is!

There's no need to publicize Jabata's criticism. Opening a blog in jabata's name and posting on nl means u are hus advocate. Its better u back out and repent

AlBaqir:


Exposing lies and fabrications of Sheik Jabata and his cohorts against the followers of Ahlulbayt (household of Prophet).

There's no need to publicize Jabata's criticism. Opening a blog in jabata's name and posting on nl means u are his advocate. Its better u back out and repent

@AlBaqir, I do know that the reason for this continuous antagonism for taraweeh in jama’ah immediately after ishai as well as 20 raka’aat is just because of Umar (ra), there is absolutely no tangible reason aside from this, so I would like to bring to fore, the following narrations found in your books,

From al-Istibsar:

1792 – 5: Muhammad b. Ya`qub from `Ali b. Ibrahim from Muhammad b. `Isa b. `Ubayd from Yunus b. `Abd ar-Rahman from Abu 'l-`Abbas al-Baqbaq and `Ubayd b. Zurara from Abu `Abdillah . He said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله would increase his salat in the month of Ramadan when he had prayed the `atama(isha), he prayed after it. The people stood behind him so he went inside and left them. Then he went out again and they came and stood behind him, so he went inside and left them. Then he went out again and they came and stood behind him, so he went inside and left them several times. And he said: Do not pray after the `atama(Isha) in other than the month of Ramadan.

8 – 1795: `Ali b. al-Hasan b. Faddal from Isma`il b. Mihran from al-Husayn b. al-Hasan al-Maruzi from Yunus b. `Abd ar-Rahman from Muhammad b. Yahya. He said: I was with Abu `Abdillah and he was asked whether the salat of nawafil are increased in the month of Ramadan? So he said: Yes, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله would pray after the `atama(Isha) in his place of prayer. So he did takbir and the people would gather behind him to pray by his salat. So when they did takbir behind him, he left them and went inside his house. So when the people dispersed he went back to his place of prayer and he prayed as he had prayed. So when the people did takbir behind him, he left them and went inside, and he would do that several times.

Abu Abdillah -AS - said: The Prophet would increase his Salaat during Ramadan after he prays ishaa so people will stand behind him to pray .......he added: do not pray after ishaa except in the month of Ramadan [Al-Kafi: 4/154]

Abu Abdillah said: The Prophet used to increase his Salaah in Ramadan and i am increasing it too so increase it as well. [ al-tahtheeb: 3/60]

Well what can I say, interesting narrations indeed…

Now the reason the Prophet (SAW) discontinued the congregation for the taraweeh prayer was explicitly explained by him (SAW), there is nothing stopping us from praying taraweeh in Jama’ah now, because the reason given by the Prophet (SAW) does not apply on us, the nawafil cannot be made compulsory on us anymore, it was a form of mercy from the Prophet (SAW) to discontinue with the congregation, so I ask, what stops us from praying it in Jama’ah after the demise of the Prophet (SAW)? Do you shi’as have a narration that specifically and explicitly prohibit nawafil in Jama’ah?! Please provide evidences….

"Do you have a narration that specifically and explicitly prohibit nawafil in Jama’ah?! Please provide evidences…."


^


Thank you. I have asked them to provide evidence where taraweeh in congregation is prohibited by the prophet(saw).

^How Shi'a perform Nawafil is NEVER a justification for Sunni BID'AH of Tarawih. That's desperation.

# Do you, Sino, EVER believe in any of Shi'i hadith? And to my surprise, how does Umar ibn al-Khattab came into the fold? The OP has NEVER talked about him yet. Deal with the chakkenges you have at the op first.

# The OP is clear in its presentation. According to Sunni cited traditions, Prophet NEVER perform Tarawih in congregation for 29/30 days in his entire Ramadan life.

# He never performed the "Tarawih" after Isha.

# He abrogated the practice of "Tarawih" in congregation and ruled that the BEST of your Nawafil is the one you pray at HOME furada (individually and singly).

If you are truly "Ahlu Sunnah", you should stick to that.

^^ Firstly youve been told and given different ahadith as to why the prophet did not complete the whole Ramadan night prayer in congregation, whether you agree or not is not anybody's problem'

Secondly, you claimed praying tahajjud immediately after isha'i like the Nigerian sunnis do is wrong, well here are two hadithain to that effect:

The first


"Verily, Allaah has added a prayer for you, and it is Witr.so pray it between the 'Ishaa Prayer up to the Fajr Prayer."

The above hadith is an authentic hadeeth reported by Ahmad and others from Abu Basrah. graded Saheeh by Albanee in As-Saheehah (108).

I hope you know witr is part of tahajjud?


Here is the second:


Whoever fears that he will not be able to get up for the Night Prayer in the last part of the night, then let him pray in the first part of it. And whoever desires to pray in the last part of it, then let him perform the Witr in the last part of the night, for indeed praying in the last part of the night is witnessed (by the angels), and that is better.

This was also classed as saheeh by Albanee in As-Saheeha(2610), it was narrated by muslim and others.

I hope you know when the first part of the Night starts?

And Lastly, to your claim that taraweeh is bid'ah, i guess you dont know the shari'u definition of bid'ah

^ If you have eyes, that's a command to pray SINGLY AND INDIVIDUALLY. And the saying is clearly stated that praying at LATER PART OF THE NIGHT IS BETTER as against first parts of the night probably for the weak ones. Again, your congregational Tarawih for 29/30 nights of Ramadan is Bid'ah. Prophet ONLY prayed it for 3 days and abrogated it. Observe, he never established it. Those sahabah joined UNINVITED and he not only stopped them but gave what is BETTER. No one is allowed to revoke the order of Nabi.

Even the Khalifah you all seem to advocate for blew you up with his c4 explosive when he says:
"..."....WHAT A GOOD BID'AH (i.e. innovation in religion) THIS IS; BUT THE PRAYER WHICH THEY DO NOT PERFORM BUT SLEEP AT ITS TIME IS BETTER THAN THE ONE THEY ARE OFFERING.’ He meant the prayer in the last part of the night (Tahajjud)."
~Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 32, Number 227

# please try again later.

^^ So do you still see the Nigerian sunnis wrong for praying tahajjud immediately after isha'i?

You will have to bring an hadith from the prophet that prohibited Congregational night prayers.

The hadiths suggests general terms and not individual terms, it all depends on how you choose to look at it.

AlBaqir:
^How Shi'a perform Nawafil is NEVER a justification for Sunni BID'AH of Tarawih. That's desperation.

What desperations? Are you afraid to explain your antagonism for nawafil in congregation (as exhibited here) isn’t based on your irrational hatred for Umar (ra)?! Now remind us how Imam Ali (as) banned congregational tarawih during his caliphate, since you claim it’s a bid’ah …

AlBaqir:

# Do you, Sino, EVER believe in any of Shi'i hadith? And to my surprise, how does Umar ibn al-Khattab came into the fold? The OP has NEVER talked about him yet. Deal with the chakkenges you have at the op first.

Your antics are well known and documented on this section, and haven’t you mentioned Umar (ra) eventually?! You guys are easily predictable…And I see no challenges in the OP…

AlBaqir:

# The OP is clear in its presentation. According to Sunni cited traditions, Prophet NEVER perform Tarawih in congregation for 29/30 days in his entire Ramadan life.

I guess this is one of the challenges right?! The narrations are clear, and most importantly, there are evidences that the Prophet (SAW) indeed prayed tarawih in the month of Ramadan in congregation. The number of days he did so becomes irrelevant, when the same hadith stated clearly the reason for discontinuing the congregation was out of mercy for it not to become obligatory on us. It is quite clear and simple. When you now raise the question or challenge that the Prophet (SAW) never prayed 29/30 days in congregation, it only makes you look silly…

AlBaqir:

# He never performed the "Tarawih" after Isha.

LOL, the narrations from your books says otherwise bro, I expected the usual defense. They are fabricated right or are they weak?! LOL

The narrations you presented in the OP for the three nights the Prophet observed the tarawih did not indicate the time, in fact unlike the other nights other than ramadhan, which usually indicated the time he would wake up from sleep.

Now let’s have a closer look at one of the narrations in the OP,

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) prayed in it FOR A FEW NIGHTS till the people gathered (to pray the night prayer (Tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not hear his voice and they thought he had slept, so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, "You continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (Tarawih prayer) might be enjoined on you, and if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, O people! Perform your prayers AT YOUR HOMES, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer."

The bold in red indicates that the companions thought he had slept? If we are to go by your claims that the Prophet (SAW) never prayed tarawih/tahajjud/qiyamu layl after isha, wouldn’t the companions thought ought to be that he had not woken up from sleep and hence hum to wake him up?!

Anyway,

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:

O you wrapped in garment (i.e Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

Stand (to pray) all night, except a little

Half of it, or a little less than that

Or a little more, and recite the Qur’an (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style (Q73:1-4)

In the above glorious verse, we read we can observe the tahajjud/tarawih (in Ramadan), for a whole night except a little, or for half of the night, so I ask you, O wise AlBaqir, when does night start from? Is after isha prayer not night?! Is there any narration that prohibits praying tahajjud after isha?!

AlBaqir:

# He abrogated the practice of "Tarawih" in congregation and ruled that the BEST of your Nawafil is the one you pray at HOME furada (individually and singly).

First and foremost, it is well understood amongst the ahlu sunnah that nawafil are best observed at home, but that does not make observing them in the masjid or in congregation a taboo, there is nothing like abrogation here, but I understand you are looking for anything just to prove your point. Anyways a few hadith to give you a good understanding of nawafil in congregation and in the Masjid…I hope you know that tarawih/qiyamu layl/tahajjud is a naflah?!

Narrated Ibn 'Umar, Allah's Apostle said, "Offer some of your prayers in your houses and do not make them graves."

Narrated Abu-Wa il: 'Abdullah said, "One night I offered the Tahajjud prayer with the Prophet and he kept on standing till an ill-thought came to me." We said, "What was the ill-thought?" He said, "It was to sit down and leave the Prophet (standing)."

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: I offered with the Prophet two Rakat before the Zuhr and two Rakat after the Zuhr prayer; two Rakat after Maghrib, Isha' and the Jumua prayers. Those of the Maghrib and 'Isha' were offered in his house. My sister Hafsa told me that the Prophet used to offer two light Rakat after dawn and it was the time when I never went to the Prophet."

Source: Sahih Bukhari

The above clearly establishes the following:

1. The reason or the need to offer some nawafil at home, and this is a sunnah, it is not compulsory to do so, but highly recommended, thus there is no prohibition whatsoever…

2. The Prophet (SAW) observed tahajjud in congregation, and since you agree that tarawih is the same as tahajjud, then we ahlu sunnah have more evidences to support observing tarawih in congregation

3. Evidence that shows the Prophet (SAW) observed some nawafil in the Masjid and some other in his house.

I now ask you, how does observing a nawafil that the Prophet (SAW) himself observed in congregation become a bid’ah?!

AlBaqir:

If you are truly "Ahlu Sunnah", you should stick to that.

Eyah, don't worry, we are the people of Sunnah ma sha Allah!

sino:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) prayed in it FOR A FEW NIGHTS till the people gathered (to pray the night prayer (Tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not hear his voice and they thought he had slept, so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, "You continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (Tarawih prayer) might be enjoined on you, and if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, [size=15pt]O people! Perform your prayers AT YOUR HOMES, for the BEST prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer[/size]."

!

^That enlarged/bold statement buried your stories. Does that statement of our Prophet restricted and confined to that time/incident? And if you care to listen, Quran says:

"and whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back {[sura Hashr:7]}

# On Khalifah Umar ibn al-Khattab, you just exercise patience. His case deserves a page.
And I can see you've grown very well in insult and abusive languages. Keep it up brother.

This filthy shia guy is here again this year to rant his shia misguidance of calling tarawih an innovation.

Like sino said, the only reason why d shia call it innovation is because it was revived by Umar bn Khattaab.
So, we say to these filthy rawafidh: Ali bn Abi Talib -that you falsely claim to follow- didn't change it during his khilafah! is he also an innovator?!

Its obvious that you grave worshippers (shia) are nothing but deviants who base their worship on double standards and sheer self desired.

may Allah soften your heart and make you repent before death. if not I fear for you a severe torment!!!

[size=15pt]JABATA: TARAWIH IS BID'AH (Part II)[/size]

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful


Is tarāwīḥ a sunnah or a bid’ah? It surely cannot be both of them. If it is a sunnah, it cannot be a bid’ah; and if it is a bid’ah, it cannot be a sunnah. So, which one is it? Is it a sunnah? Or, is it a bid’ah?


For the purpose of clarity, the average Nigerian Sunnī Muslim defines tarāwīḥ in these terms:

1. It is performed in congregation in the mosque.

2. It is performed immediately after al-‘Ishā, before sleep, during the nights of Ramaḍān.

3. It is performed continually for 29 or 30 nights.

4. It is only eight rak’ahs.

However, a few Nigerian Salafīs – like Shaykh al-Muḥadith Muḥammad ‘Alī Jabata – also have some significantly different ideas about it. To them:


i. it is performed in congregation in the mosque;

ii. it is performed at midnight, after sleep, during the nights of Ramaḍān;

iii. it is performed continually for 29 or 30 nights; and

iv. it is eight rak’ahs.


Saudi Salafīs, of course, have a third definition for tarāwīḥ:


a. It is performed in congregation in the mosque.

b. It is performed immediately after al-‘Ishā, before sleep, during the nights of Ramaḍān.

c. It is performed continually for 29 or 30 nights.

d. It is twenty rak’ahs.


Meanwhile, we must not forget that tiny group of Sunnī men who have equally appointed a woman as their Imām in their tarāwīḥ prayers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gPqXPH_doU&feature=youtu.be

We must note that mainstream Sunnī Muslims do not agree with this.

So, our brothers from the Ahl al-Sunnah do not have a uniform definition for tarāwīḥ. Is it before sleep? Or, is it after sleep? Is it eight rak’ahs? Or, is it twenty rak’ahs? Is it immediately after al-‘Ishā? Or, is it at midnight? Can the Imām for the tarāwīḥ prayers be a woman or not? They all agree, however, that it runs continually, in congregation in the mosque, for 29 or 30 nights, in Ramaḍān.


Now, we get back to our original question: is tarāwīḥ a sunnah or a bid’ah? Well, what is a sunnah? Imām al-Shawkānī, in his Irshād al-Fuḥūl, vol. 1, p. 131, tells us the technical meaning of the word “sunnah”:
http://library.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?idfrom=33&idto=33&bk_no=100&ID=41

وأما معناها شرعا : أي في اصطلاح أهل الشرع، فهي: قول النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وفعله وتقريره

"Its meaning in the Sharī’ah – that is, in the technical usage of the scholars of the Sharī’ah – is: the statements of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, and his actions and his affirmations."


In simpler words, a sunnah is something (i) which the Messenger of Allāh (peace be upon him) explicitly commanded or recommended, or (ii) which he did, or (iii) which he affirmed. So, whoever – among the Ahl al-Sunnah in Nigeria – wishes to prove that tarāwīḥ is a sunnah must show us an authentic Sunnī ḥadīth which establishes that the Prophet commanded or encouraged his Ummah to pray eight rak’ahs immediately after al-‘Ishā, in congregation in the mosque, continually for 29 or 30 nights in Ramaḍān. If our Sunnī brother cannot do that, he must instead provide a reliable Sunnī ḥadīth which shows that the Messenger practised all that, or that he saw some people doing it and did not discourage them. If he cannot do any of these, then he must agree that tarāwīḥ is not a sunnah. There is no other way to this. Well, the good news is: no creature can find that ḥadīth in any book on this planet! The inescapable conclusion then is: tarāwīḥ is not a sunnah.


But, a Sunnī brother might argue: there is no ḥadīth in which the Prophet has forbidden tarāwīḥ; therefore, it is a sunnah. Thus, to Sunnī brothers like that, a sunnah is only what the Messenger of Allāh has not forbidden. This unconventional definition of the sunnah is actually followed by a section of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā’ah, as we have witnessed. To them, if there is no ḥadīth in which the Prophet has explicitly forbidden something, then that thing is a sunnah. We are afraid that this section of Sunnīs have confused ‘ibādah with culture. In Islām, every act of ‘ibādah is a bid’ah unless there is a Qur’ānic verse or authentic ḥadīth which commands or recommends it. By contrast, every cultural practice is ḥalāl until there is a verse or reliable ḥadīth that prohibits it. So, is tarāwīḥ an act of ‘ibādah or merely a cultural practice? If it is the latter, then it is allowed unless there is a verse or ḥadīth which forbids it. Thus, we ask: is tarāwīḥ only a cultural practice? Or, is it an act of ‘ibādah?


Imām Muslim records in his Ṣaḥīḥ, vol. 3, p. 1343, # 1718 (18):
http://islamport.com/d/1/mtn/1/78/2901.html


Narrated ‘Āishah:

The Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him, said: “Whosoever does any (good) deed which we have not commanded, will have it rejected (by Allāh).”


The matter is very clear here. Any good deed which the Prophet did not command is a bid’ah. So, to know whether a certain deed is a sunnah or bid’ah, the question to ask is: did the Messenger command it? If he did not, then the action is a bid’ah. This is the correct methodology in matters of al-‘ibādah – not what some of the Ahl al-Sunnah say. What we should ask, then, is: did the Prophet really command tarāwīḥ? Whoever says “yes” must provide the authentic Sunnī ḥadīth where he has commanded – by word or deed, conditionally or unconditionally – that eight rak’ahs of ṣalāt should be performed, in the mosque (or anywhere else), immediately after al-‘Ishā for 29 or 30 nights in Ramaḍān. Of course, as we have indicated in the first part, no creature in the seven heavens, on the earth, or throughout the entire cosmos, can show us any such riwāyah. It simply does not exist; and tarāwīḥ is therefore a bid’ah without a doubt.


By Ansorul Mahdi Research Team
http://jabatacheck..com.ng/2016/05/jabata-tarawih-is-bidah-part-ii.html

^ Sorry no offences meant, but I'm beginning to see you as being shameless, why are you being ignorant deliberately? Anyway Alhamdulillah, brothers here are doing their best to call people to the right part, so you can try harder!!

"THE CURSE OF ALLAH BE UPON THE LIARS".

^^long, boring, tasteless and most importantly its based on shia self-contradictory principles.

And you even call Jabata a muhaddith, its one of two things you are suffering from , no third to it:

# Ignorance of what it takes to be given that noble title
or
# Your characteristic shia deception and double standard has made you give him the title just to make yourself look like a big scholar by refuting a 'muhadith'

Newnas:
^^long, boring, tasteless and most importantly its based on shia self-contradictory principles.

And you even call Jabata a muhaddith, its one of two things you are suffering from , no third to it:

# Ignorance of what it takes to be given that noble title
or
# Your characteristic shia deception and double standard has made you give him the title just to make yourself look like a Big scholar by refuting a 'muhadith'

Lol, actually jabata is being referred to as Muhadith in his radio program, the first day i heard that he was called muhadith, i just laughed.

lexiconkabir:
^ Sorry no offences meant, but I'm beginning to see you as being shameless, why are you being ignorant deliberately? Anyway Alhamdulillah, brothers here are doing their best to call people to the right part, so you can try harder!!
"THE CURSE OF ALLAH BE UPON THE LIARS".

He is not only shameless! He is obviously under a spell!

[size=15pt]JABATA: TARAWIH IS BID'AH (Part III)[/size]

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The Verse of Tahajjud was revealed during the Makkan part of the Messenger’s (peace be upon him and his family) prophetic mission (17:79):
"And perform tahajjud during part of the night as a supererogatory action for yourself. It may well be that your Lord will raise you to a Praiseworthy Station."

MEANING OF TAHAJJUD
Imām Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī explains what this āyah means in his Tafsīr, vol. 17, p. 523:

"The Most High says to His Prophet, Muḥammad, peace be upon him: “Keep awake after sleeping, during part of the night, to recite the Qur’ān, as a supererogatory action, for you only and not for your Ummah.” Tahajjud means waking up and keeping awake after sleeping, during part of the night."

Then, he reports these exegeses from the Salaf in his Tafsīr, vol. 17, 524:

Narrated Muḥammad b. ‘Abd al-Raḥman: ‘Alqamah and al-Aswad said: “Tahajjud is after sleeping.”

Narrated Abū Isḥāq: ‘Abd al-Raḥman b. al-Aswad said: “Tahajjud is after sleeping.”

Narrated Ibrāhīm: Alqamah said: “Tahajjud is after sleeping.”

Narrated Hishām: Al-Ḥasan said: “Tahajjud is what is after the last ‘Ishā.”


Narrated Kathīr b. al-‘Abbās: Al-Ḥajjāj b. ‘Amr (al-Anṣārī) said: “Tahajjud is only after sleeping.”


It is clear from the above that tahajjud is impossible without first sleeping. After all, the word “tahajjud” itself means to wake up after sleeping! Meanwhile, its period starts immediately after al-‘Ishā. Its only condition is that you must sleep first before you embark upon it. So, if a Muslim sleeps for 10 minutes after al-‘Ishā, and then wakes up for tahajjud, he is on course.


To further buttress these points, let us quote this ḥadīth of al-Ḥajjāj b. ‘Amr al-Anṣārī, one of the Ṣaḥābah. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī documents in his Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr, vol. 2, p. 35, # 525:

Ibn Abī Khaythamah narrated it through the route of al-A’raj, from Kathīr b. al-‘Abbās that al-Ḥajjāj b. ‘Amr said:

“One of you thinks that if he stands at night and prays until morning comes that he has done tahajjud. Tahajjud is nothing but praying after sleeping, then praying after sleeping. That was how the Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him, prayed.”

Then, Al-‘Asqalānī comments: Its chain is ḥasan.


He has quoted this riwāyah under the heading:

His statement: “Tahajjud refers to the prayer after sleeping. As for the prayer before sleeping, it is NOT called tahajjud.”


This ḥadīth of al-Ḥajjāj b. ‘Amr removes any confusions that might lurk anywhere in the mind. If anyone prays throughout the night till morning, without first sleeping before he begins, he is not performing tahajjud. Sleeping before the prayer is essential in the case of tahajjud: so, no sleep before the prayer, no tahajjud.


From these evidences, it is readily obvious that tarāwīḥ - as it is generally performed in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia – is NOT tahajjud. No one sleeps before tarāwīḥ. It is rushed immediately after al-‘Ishā. Besides, as al-Ḥajjāj made clear, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allāh was only to perform tahajjud after sleeping. This establishes absolutely that he never performed tarāwīḥ – whether alone or in congregation – because he never prayed in the night except after sleeping. In fact, he disliked speaking after the ‘Ishā prayer, as IslamQA, the authoritative Salafī fatwā website, confirms:

"It is makrooh to speak after ‘Isha’ prayer unless that is for a reason, or speaking about some good topic, because it was narrated in al-Saheehayn from Abi Barzah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to dislike sleeping before ‘Isha’ and speaking afterwards. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 568; Muslim, 647.

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary:

The scholars said: The reason for it being makrooh to sleep beforehand is that one risks missing the prayer by sleeping too deeply, or one risks missing the preferred and best time for the prayer, and lest the people take this matter lightly and sleep and miss the prayer in congregation.

The reason why it is makrooh to speak afterwards is because that leads to people staying up late at night and there is the fear that sleep may then prevent them from praying qiyaam al-layl and making dhikr, or from praying Fajr during the permissible time or the best and preferred time. And because staying up late at night is a cause of laziness during the day with regard to religious duties, acts of worship and worldly interests. The scholars said: the kind of speech that is makrooh after ‘Isha’ is that which serves no interest. As for speech which serves a good interest, it is not makrooh, such as studying, telling stories of the righteous, speaking to a guest or to a bride to put them at their ease, a man speaking kindly to his wife and children or for a reason, speaking to travellers about protecting them or their luggage, speaking to reconcile people and intercede with them for a good purpose, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, guiding people to do good, etc. All of these are not makrooh. There are saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of some of the things we have mentioned, and the rest come under the same heading. What is meant by it being makrooh to speak after ‘Isha’ is speaking after praying ‘Isha’, not after the time for ‘Isha’ begins. The scholars are agreed that it is makrooh to speak after the prayer except speech in which there is goodness, as we have mentioned above.
https://islamqa.info/en/20811


The Prophet preferred that his followers should sleep immediately after praying al-‘Ishā, so that they could wake up for tahajjud later. This was his Sunnah. But, tarāwīḥ has changed all that.


Imām al-Bukhārī, in his Ṣaḥīḥ (English translation), Volume 2, Book 21, Ḥadīth 247, also records this ḥadīth of Umm al-Mūminīn ‘Āishah:

Narrated Al-Aswad:

I asked `Aisha "How is the night prayer of the Prophet?" She replied, "He used to sleep early at night, and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed. When the Mu'adh-dhin pronounced the Adhan, he would get up. If he was in need of a bath he would take it; otherwise he would perform ablution and then go out (for the prayer)."
http://www.sunnah.com/bukhari/19/27


This shows that our dear Prophet used to sleep at the time of tarāwīḥ. Apparently, he never prayed it.

These clarifications are necessary. We regularly witness our Sunnī brothers quoting aḥādīth about tahajjud as evidences for tarāwīḥ. Actually, there is not a single report about tarāwīḥ from the Messenger of Allāh. So, all of the aḥādīth which our people try to use to legitimize tarāwīḥ are in reality about tahajjud – all of them! Shaykh Muḥammad ‘Alī Jabata is aware of this fact. Thus, to make things easier for himself and his followers, he declared that tarāwīḥ is the same as tahajjud, and that its correct time is midnight, after sleep. If the Shaykh is correct, then the “tarāwīḥ” of the mainstream Sunnī Muslims is actually not tarāwīḥ at all, but a completely unknown, nameless and traceless “invented” ṣalāt. But, Shaykh Jabata is himself still not completely free. If truly tarāwīḥ is one with tahajjud, why do you not pray it in congregation, at midnight, after Ramaḍān also? After all, tahajjud runs throughout the year. If the Shaykh wants to claim that tahajjud is performed in congregation only in Ramaḍān, then he must show us the authentic or even ḍa’īf ḥadīth in which the Prophet of Allāh has ordered, encouraged or led his Ummah to perform tahajjud in congregation, in the mosques, at midnight, for 29 or 30 nights in Ramadan. Of course, he will never be able to provide any such ḥadīth, even if he tries for one billion years! From whichever angle we look at it, tarāwīḥ is a bid’ah. Even its name is a bid’ah! It is not present in any āyah of the Qur’ān or ḥadīth of the Messenger of Allāh. The Prophet never heard or used it till his death.


This takes us to one of the “translations” which some Muslims misuse in favour of tarāwīḥ:

"Whoever fears that he will not be able to get up for the Night Prayer in the last part of the night, then let him pray in the first part of it. And whoever desires to pray in the last part of it, then let him perform the Witr in the last part of the night, for indeed praying in the last part of the night is witnessed (by the angels), and that is better."


Sadly, however, there is a lot of distortions in this translation. This is the actual ḥadīth, with its correct translation, from Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, English translation, Book 4, “Book of Travellers,” Ḥadīth 1650:

Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying:

If anyone is afraid that he may not get up in the latter part of the night, he should observe Witr in the first part of it; and if anyone is eager to get up in the last part of it, he should observe Witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is preferable.
http://www.sunnah.com/muslim/6/195

Please compare the actual ḥadīth and its accurate translation with the distorted translation earlier quoted. This shows how desperate some Muslims can get in their defence of the bid’ah of tarāwīḥ.


A similar attempt is this logic of some Muslims:

1. Nawāfil are not fixed. Anyone can forge any nāfilah prayer anytime and worship Allāh with it. It is only the five obligatory prayers that are fixed.

2. Tarāwīḥ is a nāfilah prayer. Therefore, it can never be a bid’ah, even if the Prophet never performed or recommended it. A nāfilah can be legitimately invented or modified by anyone at any time.

3. Therefore, tarāwīḥ can never be a bid’ah.


Alas, the matter is not as they say. No one is allowed to worship Allāh with anything – nāfilah or otherwise – which was not commanded by Allāh and His Messenger, as Imām Muslim records in his Ṣaḥīḥ, vol. 3, p. 1343, # 1718 (18):

Narrated ‘Āishah:

The Messenger of Allāh, peace be upon him, said: “Whosoever does any (good) deed which we have not commanded, will have it rejected (by Allāh).” http://islamport.com/d/1/mtn/1/78/2901.html


Imām Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī explains this ḥadīth in his Jāmi’ al-‘Ulūm wa al-Ḥikam, vol. 1, p. 176:

This ḥadīth is a fundamental principle among the principles of Islām, and it is like the criterion to judge the outer aspects of the (good) deeds, just as the ḥadīth “The deeds are by the intentions” is the criterion to judge the inner aspects of the (good) deeds. So, just as any (good) deed – which is not done for the sake of Allāh the Most High Alone – earns no reward for its doer, every (good) deed which is not commanded by Allāh and His Messenger is returned to its doer; and whosoever innovates in the religion what Allāh and His Messenger have not permitted, such a person is not in anything in the religion. "
http://library.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?flag=1&bk_no=81&ID=22


The bottom-line? Only Allāh can create or modify nawāfil also. The way some Nigerian Muslims innovate various nawāfil – for January 1, Hijrah, al-Mi’rāj, Laylat al-Qadr, birthday of a certain Shaykh, house warming, and so on – is simply very wrong.


By Ansorul Mahdi Research Team
http://jabatacheck..com.ng/2016/06/jabata-tarawih-is-bidah-part-iii.html

Shaykh al-Fasi on one of Saudi Television, "Tarawih is Bid'ah"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5267fz6RZWY

Can't help but laugh at this level of ignorance. Will you disregard the hadeeth that says the prophet (SalaLlaahu 'alayhi wa salam ) prayed taraweeh?


In fact if you're truthful, provide a saheeh narration or athar from any of the salaf-us-saleeh that cites that taraweeh is bid'ah.

^ The onus lies on you to provide us daleel that Nabi, salallahu alayhi wa ahli ever prayed "Tarawih" immediately after Salatul Ishai and for 29 or 30days in Jama'a. His ruling stands for all times when he dissolved the uninvited congregation at his back saying, "O people! Perform your prayers AT YOUR HOMES, for the BEST prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer."

# We have equally provide clear proves where your Salaf unanimously explain the meaning of Tahajjud/Tarawih. You are free to provide sahih evidence that says otherwise.