بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم.
To those who follow the Guidance sent by Allah, through his last prophet and messenger Muhammad (ﷺ); Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu.

Praise be to Allah.

Praying Taraweh in congregation in the mosque is better than praying at home.

This is indicated by the Sunnah and the actions of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them).

1 – al-Bukhaari (1129) and Muslim (761) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (ra) that the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) prayed one night in the mosque, and the people followed him in prayer. Then he prayed the next night, and many people came. Then they gathered on the third or fourth night, and the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) did not come out to them. The next morning he said: “I saw what you did, and nothing kept me from coming out to you except the fact that I feared that it would be made obligatory for you.” And that was in Ramadaan.

From this hadith, it is clear from the reasons given by the prophet (ﷺ) himself, that praying Taraweeh in congregation is prescribed according to his Sunnah (ﷺ)j but he refrained from doing it because he feared that it would be made obligatory for the ummah. When the Prophet (ﷺ) died, this reservation was no longer required, because the sharee’ah was established, and what was not obligatory before his death, could not be made obligatory after.

2 – al-Tirmidhi (806) narrated that Abu Dharr (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever prays qiyaam – i.e., Taraweeh – with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded as if he spent the whole night in prayer.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

3 – al-Bukhaari (2010) narrated that ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Abd al-Qaari said: I went out with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (ra) to the mosque one night in Ramadaan, and the people were scattered, each man praying by himself. Some men would pray and have groups of people behind them following them. ‘Umar said: “I think that if I unite all these people with one reader, it will be better. Then he resolved to gather them behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b.

al-Haafiz said:

Ibn al-Teen and others said that ‘Umar based this decision on the Prophet’s approval of those who prayed with him on those nights, although he (ﷺ) later stopped doing it, that was based on the fear that it might be made obligatory for them. When the Prophet (ﷺ) died, there was no longer any fear of that happening, and ‘Umar revived the Sunnah, because of the potential division that might arise from people praying separately, and because uniting them behind one reader is more motivating for many people. The majority agreed with ‘Umar’s decision.
End quote from Fath al-Baari.


Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’, 3/526:

Praying Taraweeh is Sunnah according to scholarly consensus… It is permissible to offer this prayer alone or in congregation, but which is better? There are two well-known opinions on this matter. The correct view according to the consensus of our companions is that praying it in congregation is better. The second view is that it is better to pray it individually.

Our companions said: The difference of opinion has to do with one who has memorized the Qur’aan; there is no fear that he may become lazy and neglect it if he prays on his own, and the congregation in the mosque is not going to be affected if he stays away. But if one of these factors is absent, then praying in congregation is better, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point.

The author of al-Shaamil said: Abu’l-‘Abbaas and Abu Ishaaq said that praying Taraweeh in congregation is better than praying it individually, because of the consensus of the Sahaabah and the consensus of the scholars of the regions on this point.
End quote.

Ibn al-Mubaarak, Ahmad and Ishaaq favoured praying with the imam during the month of Ramadaan.
It says in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi:

In the book on night prayer (qiyaam): it was said to Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Do you prefer a man to pray with the people in Ramadaan or on his own? He said: He should pray with the people. He said: And I prefer that he should pray with the imam and pray Witr with him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “If a man prays qiyaam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded as if he spent the rest of the night (in prayer).” Imam Ahmad (ra) said: “He should pray with the people until he prays Witr with them, and he should not leave until the imam leaves. Abu Dawood said: I saw him (Imam Ahmad) – in the month of Ramadaan, praying Witr with his imam, except on one night when I did not attend. Ishaaq (ra) said: I said to Ahmad: Is praying qiyaam in Ramadaan in congregation dearer to you or praying on one’s own? He said: I prefer that this prayer should be offered in congregation, so as to revive the Sunnah. And Ishaaq said the same. End quote.
See al-Mughni, 1/457.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan, p. 22:

At first the Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray Taraweeh in congregation in the mosque, then he stopped because he feared that it might be made obligatory upon his ummah…

Then he quoted the two ahaadeeth quoted above. Then he said:

No man should keep away from Taraweeh prayer lest he misses out on the reward for it. And he should not leave until the imam finishes Taraweeh and Witr, so that he may attain the reward of spending the whole night in prayer.
End quote.

Al-Albaani said in Qiyaam Ramadaan: Rather it (praying Taraweeh in congregation) is better than praying it alone, because the Prophet (ﷺ) did it himself and explained its virtue. Rather he did not lead them in praying it in congregation for the rest of the month because he feared that praying at night during Ramadaan might be made obligatory for them, and they would be unable to do that, as it says in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah which is narrated in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere. This concern no longer applied after the Prophet (ﷺ) died and Allaah had completed Islam. Hence the reason for not praying in congregation when offering night prayers in Ramadaan was no longer present, and the previous ruling remained in effect, which is that it is prescribed to offer this prayer in congregation. Hence ‘Umar (ra) revived it, as it says in Saheeh al-Bukhaari and elsewhere.
End quote.


Asad ibn ‘Amr ibn Abi Yoosuf said: I asked Abu Haneefah about Taraweeh and what ‘Umar did. He said: Taraweeh is a confirmed Sunnah, and ‘Umar did not base his decision on speculation and he was not introducing bid’ah (an innovation). He did not enjoin it except because of what he knew from the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ). ‘Umar reintroduced this and gathered the people behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b and he offered this prayer in congregation, at the time when the Sahaabah – the Muhaajireen and Ansaar – were still alive, and no one among them objected to that, rather they helped him and agreed with him, and also enjoined it.
End quote.

And Allaah knows best

Culled from an explanation by Sheikh Saleh al Munnajjid on...
www.islam-qa.info

From the above authentic ahadith and scholarly explanations, it is clear that the prophet (ﷺ) was the first to introduce the taraweeh prayer in congregation. Therefore it is his Sunnah, while a bidaa is properly that act meant to be one of ibaadah which was not based on an action or command of the prophet (ﷺ), and it is clear that this was. Furthermore, in the khilafah of Umar (ra), it is clear that people were still praying in congregation, for as AbdulRahman bin abdAlQari narrated in the hadith above, "some men would pray alone, while some would pray and have groups behind them follow them". This shows that there were already established congregational prayers, and Umar (ra) merely joined them into one single group in line with the way they briefly prayed it when the prophet (ﷺ) was alive.

We pray that Allah makes this Ramadhan a means of attaining His Mercy and Forgiveness, and pray that He gives us the strength to stand shoulder to shoulder in the taraweeh prayer, taking place in mosques all over the world, with our brothers and our sisters in Islam, listening to the recitation of the incorruptible Quran, and seeking the Pleasure of our Lord... no matter how the chained shaytan and his roaming servants of the kuffar hate it.

Ma sha Allah, Jazakumullahu khayran brother, may Allah increase you in knowledge, wisdom and understanding ameen.

JazakAllah khairan Brother, its so sad you will still some group of people trying to prove that its bid'ah, they don't understand the deen.

lexiconkabir:
JazakAllah khairan Brother, its so sad you will still some group of people trying to prove that its bid'ah, they don't understand the deen.

Twelver shias, or more properly Rafida, are the only sect claiming to be Muslims who declare Taraweeh to be bidaa. Perhaps they are seeking to de-emphasize it since they have a paucity of Quran reciters. It would be torture praying Taraweeh behind such reciters as these...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7f_vn3GMDg

But basically, we should understand that twelver shiism was specifically set up by Abdullah bin Saba to destroy the outstanding characteristics of Islam, and his principle perfected slowly over 14 centuries...

- Grave worship and idolatory, instead of the pure Tawheed.
- Specially favored individuals with godly powers and attributes, loved and supplicated to in place of Allah, instead of the unity taught by the prophet (ﷺ).
-Destructions of all the pillars of Islam; Congregations of hysterical weeping, flagellation and head knocking, instead of Salaat. 3 times daily prayer is the actual practice, rather than 5. Taraweeh is 'bidaa', Jumat is voluntary, even some say forbidden until the return of the fictitious 'Imam'. You dont feel like fasting? Just get into your car and drive for a few miles and you are exempt. Zakat? Dont even let me go there. Hajj? A political tool to get media attention. Head banging rituals at Karbala are the in thing. It keeps the masses with suitably addled brains, a fertile ground for planting fantasy stories of 1250 year old men hidden underground waiting to emerge and kill Sunnis.
- Recitation of fabricated lamentations instead of the Quran (ever see their reciters before?)
- Cursing and slandering the companions and wives of the prophet (ﷺ) instead of keeping their tongues moist in adhkar.
- Promiscuity and prostitution among the youth and their lecherous leaders, where even suckling babies are not safe from their lusts (accordingvto a fatwa from their supreme leader) instead of the chastity and shyness taught to us by the prophet (ﷺ).
- Lies, falsehoods, dishonesty, tadlees as exhibited by them shamelessly, until all Muslims are being associated with their despicable taqiyyah, instead of the integrity, honesty and truth with which the prophet (ﷺ) came.

And all to keep control of their hold over the poverty stricken masses from whom they extort one fifth of their incomes in a manner that pentecostal pastors can only envy.

And Allah guides whom He Wills.

Farmerforlife:

Twelver shias, or more properly Rafida, are the only sect claiming to be Muslims who declare Taraweeh to be bidaa. Perhaps they are seeking to de-emphasize it since they have a paucity of Quran reciters. It would be torture praying Taraweeh behind such reciters as these...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7f_vn3GMDg
But basically, we should understand that twelver shiism was specifically set up by Abdullah bin Saba to destroy the outstanding characteristics of Islam, and his principle perfected slowly over 14 centuries...
- Grave worship and idolatory, instead of the pure Tawheed.
- Specially favored individuals with godly powers and attributes, loved and supplicated to in place of Allah, instead of the unity taught by the prophet (ﷺ).
-Destructions of all the pillars of Islam; Congregations of hysterical weeping, flagellation and head knocking, instead of Salaat. 3 times daily prayer is the actual practice, rather than 5. Taraweeh is 'bidaa', Jumat is voluntary, even some say forbidden until the return of the fictitious 'Imam'. You dont feel like fasting? Just get into your car and drive for a few miles and you are exempt. Zakat? Dont even let me go there. Hajj? A political tool to get media attention. Head banging rituals at Karbala are the in thing. It keeps the masses with suitably addled brains, a fertile ground for planting fantasy stories of 1250 year old men hidden underground waiting to emerge and kill Sunnis.
- Recitation of fabricated lamentations instead of the Quran (ever see their reciters before?)
- Cursing and slandering the companions and wives of the prophet (ﷺ) instead of keeping their tongues moist in adhkar.
- Promiscuity and prostitution among the youth and their lecherous leaders, where even suckling babies are not safe from their lusts (accordingvto a fatwa from their supreme leader) instead of the chastity and shyness taught to us by the prophet (ﷺ).
- Lies, falsehoods, dishonesty, tadlees as exhibited by them shamelessly, until all Muslims are being associated with their despicable taqiyyah, instead of the integrity, honesty and truth with which the prophet (ﷺ) came.
And all to keep control of their hold over the poverty stricken masses from whom they extort one fifth of their incomes in a manner that pentecostal pastors can only envy.
And Allah guides whom He Wills.

Jazakallahu khaeran for all your contributions to save muslims from the fitnah of the shia! Shukran!

Our Shia brothers dont get it. It would have been bid'ah (of bad influence) if Umar (ra) had made it OBLIGATORY on muslims. I dont know why it is difficult for them to grasp.

This is very simple physics.

Quran records in Surah At-Tawba 128


لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ


"There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful."

I quoted this verse to refresh their memory but unfortunately, they hold on to a solitary hadith of Umar of "good bid'aa" to proof it wrong.

This thread will be needed this Ramadan....