Part Two: Umar started the Biddah of Taraweeh
Part Three: The son of Umar opposed Taraweeh
Part Four: Those from the Companions, Tabiun and Ullamah who did not pray Taraweeh
Part Five: The Hadith of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari
Welcome to our Blog! In this Article, We will prove that the congregation for Taraweeh was something which was innovated on the command of Umar Ibn al-Khattab and the Prophet ﷺ did not approve it. Allah the Most High, says in the Qu’ran :
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَيِ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٞ
O you who have believed, do not go beyond Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing and Knowing.
~Surah al-Hujurat 49:1
Part One: The Prophet ﷺ forbade the congregation and the disrespect of the Prophet ﷺ for that.
1) Imam Muslim Ibn al-Hajjaj mentioned :
عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ… فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي فِيهَا قَالَ فَتَتَبَّعَ إِلَيْهِ رِجَالٌ وَجَاءُوا يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَتِهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ جَاءُوا لَيْلَةً فَحَضَرُوا وَأَبْطَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْهُمْ قَالَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَرَفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَهُمْ وَحَصَبُوا الْبَابَ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُغْضَبًا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ “ مَا زَالَ بِكُمْ صَنِيعُكُمْ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُكْتَبُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ صَلاَةِ الْمَرْءِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ ” .
Zaid Ibn Thabit reported: Rasul-Allah ﷺ went out to pray. The People followed him and came to pray with him. Then they came again one night and waited, but Rasul-Allah ﷺ delayed coming out to them. And when he did not come out, they SHOUTED ALOUD (أَصْوَاتَهُمْ) and THREW PEBBLES AT THE DOOR. Rasul-Allah ﷺ came out in anger and said to them: By what you have been doing, I was inclined to think that IT could get prescribed upon you. So you must observe prayer in your houses, for the prayer observed by a man in the house is better except an obligatory prayer.
~Sahih Muslim 781 a
https://sunnah.com/muslim:781a
• The Prophet ﷺ didn’t ask them to make a congregation behind him and when he found out they were adamant about it, Rasul-Allah ﷺ drove them to their houses and asked them not to make a congregation for the night prayers.
• The “IT” here could mean a couple of things, as the Sunni says it could mean that the prayer could become wajib upon them, but we have never seen an example of a good deed becoming wajib just because people were constant in it? And how could a prayer get wajib when the Prophet ﷺ is present amongst them? We say rather it means, the Prophet feared punishment becoming wajib upon them for their disrespect for the Prophet ﷺ by shouting at his door and throwing stones at it, as Allah ﷻ says in the Qu’ran
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَرْفَعُوٓا۟ أَصْوَٰتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا۟ لَهُۥ بِٱلْقَوْلِ
O you who have believed, do not raise your voices (أَصْوَٰتَكُمْ ) above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech.
~Surah al-Hujurat 49:2
2) Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal mentioned :
، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ.. وَلَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَمَعَ النَّاسَ عَلَى الْقِيَامِ.
Abu Hurairah said : “Rasul-Allah ﷺ did not gather people for the congregation during the nights of Ramadan.”
~Musnad Ahmad 7881
• Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arn’aut, The Muhaqqiq of Musnad Ahmad said : The Sanad is Sahih upon the condition of Sahih Muslim.
3) Allamah Ibn Abd al-Barr mentioned :
قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَأَنَا أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ وَمَا قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَّا فِي بَيْتِهِ
Imam Malik said : “I pray at home because Rasul-Allah ﷺ never prayed (the night prayer of Ramadan) except at his home.”
~al-Istidhkar vol 2:70
4) Allamah Ala ad-Deen al-Kasani wrote :
ﻭﺃﻣﺎ اﻟﺬﻱ ﻫﻮ ﺳﻨﻦ اﻟﺼﺤﺎﺑﺔ ﻓﺼﻼﺓ اﻟﺘﺮاﻭﻳﺢ ﻓﻲ ﻟﻴﺎﻟﻲ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ…اﻟﺘﺮاﻭﻳﺢ ﺳﻨﺔ ﺇﻻ ﺃﻧﻬﺎ ﻟﻴﺴﺖ ﺑﺴﻨﺔ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ اﻟﻠﻪ ﷺ
As for what is the Sunnah of the Companions, it is the Tarawih prayer on the nights of Ramadan… Tarawih is a Sunnah, but it is not the Sunnah of Rasul-Allah ﷺ
~Bada’i al-Sana’i fee Tartib ash-Shara’i vol 2:274
5) al-Qadhi Abd al-Nabi Ibn Abd al-Rasool said :
ﻭﺃﻣﺎ اﻟﺘﺮاﻭﻳﺢ ﻓﻲ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ ﻓﺈﻧﻪ ﺳﻨﺔ اﻟﺼﺤﺎﺑﺔ….ﻓﺄﻣﺎ اﻟﻔﻌﻞ اﻟﺬﻱ ﻭاﻇﺐ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ اﻟﺼﺤﺎﺑﺔ ﻓﻠﻴﺲ ﺑﺴﻨﺔ ﻭﻫﻮ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺃﺻﻠﻬﻢ ﻣﺴﺘﻘﻴﻢ ﻓﺈﻧﻬﻢ ﻻ ﻳﺮﻭﻥ ﺃﻗﻮاﻟﻬﻢ ﺣﺠﺔ ﻓﻼ ﻳﺮﻭﻥ ﺃﻓﻌﺎﻟﻬﻢ ﺳﻨﺔ ﺃﻳﻀﺎ. ﻭﻋﻨﺪﻧﺎ ﺃﻗﻮاﻟﻬﻢ ﺣﺠﺔ ﻓﺘﻜﻮﻥ ﺃﻓﻌﺎﻟﻬﻢ ﺳﻨﺔ
As for Taraweeh in Ramadan, it is the Sunnah of the Sahabah. As for the actions of the companions, they (the companions) did not see their sayings or actions as evidence, but we (Sunnis) take their sayings and actions as Sunnah.
~Dastoor al-Ullama vol 2:134
• Nobody but Allah ﷻ has the right to introduce the way of worship through His Messenger ﷺ, Sahabah are not allowed to innovate a way of worship for the Ummah as Allamah Ibn Taymiyyah rightly mentioned :
فليس لأحد أن يعبد الله إلا بما شرعه رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم من واجب، ومستحب لا يعبده بالأمور المبتدعة؛
“It is not right for anyone to worship Allah ﷻ except what is taught by His Messenger ﷺ be it obligatory or voluntary, He ﷻ shouldn’t be worshipped by the innovated manners.”
~Majmoo’ Fatawa vol 1:80
6) Imam at-Tirmidhi mentioned :
عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ، قَالاَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي.. كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلُ بَيْتِي وَلَنْ يَتَفَرَّقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَىَّ الْحَوْضَ
Zayd Ibn Arqam narrated that Rasul-Allah ﷺ said : ‘I am leaving behind that which if you hold fast to shall never be misguided, The Book of Allah and my progeny, The Ahlul Bait, they shall never be separated until they meet me at the Hawdh.
~Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3788
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:3788
• The Prophet ﷺ left behind him, the Imam from his progeny as authority over us and the Aimmah Ahlul Bait considered the prayer of Taraweeh as Biddah as Qadhi al-Shawkani mentioned :
ﻭﻗﺎﻟﺖ اﻟﻌﺘﺮﺓ: ﺇﻥ اﻟﺘﺠﻤﻴﻊ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﺑﺪﻋﺔ،
The Itrah (progeny) of the Prophet ﷺ said : ‘The congregation in Taraweeh is a Biddat.‘
~Nayl al-Awtar vol 3:62
Part Two: Umar started the Biddah of Taraweeh
1) Imam al-Bukhari mentioned :
قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ كَانَ الأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فِي خِلاَفَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَصَدْرًا مِنْ خِلاَفَةِ عُمَرَ
al-Zuhri said : Rasul-Allah ﷺ passed away and the people continued observing the Nawafil individually and it remained that way during the reign of Abu Bakr and in the early days of Umar’s reign.
~Sahih al-Bukhari, 2009
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2009
2) Allamah al-Qurtubi wrote :
لم يزل أمر قيام رمضان معلوم الفضيلة يقومونه لكن متفرقين وفي بيوتهم؛ ولم يجمعوه على قارئٍ واحد؛ حتى كان مِن جَمعِ عمر لهم على أُبَيٍّ في المسجد
The prayers of Ramadan was being performed by them individually at their house until Umar gathered them behind Ubayy Ibn Ka’ab in the Masjid.
~al-Mufhim lima Ishkal min Talkhis Kitab Muslim vol 2:389
3) Imam al-Bukhari mentioned :
عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ مَعَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ لَيْلَةً فِي رَمَضَانَ، إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ، فَإِذَا النَّاسُ أَوْزَاعٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ يُصَلِّي الرَّجُلُ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَيُصَلِّي الرَّجُلُ فَيُصَلِّي بِصَلاَتِهِ الرَّهْطُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي أَرَى لَوْ جَمَعْتُ هَؤُلاَءِ عَلَى قَارِئٍ وَاحِدٍ لَكَانَ أَمْثَلَ. ثُمَّ عَزَمَ فَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ مَعَهُ لَيْلَةً أُخْرَى، وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ قَارِئِهِمْ، قَالَ عُمَرُ نِعْمَ الْبِدْعَةُ هَذِهِ، وَالَّتِي يَنَامُونَ عَنْهَا أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الَّتِي يَقُومُونَ.
Abd al-Rahman Ibn Abd al-Qari said : “On a night of Ramadan I went with Umar Ibn al-Khattab to the masjid and found people praying separately. So, Umar said ‘In my opinion I would better gather them under one Qari’ Hence he congregated them behind Ubayy Ibn Ka’ab and then Umar said ‘What a good biddat this is but those who sleep at this time and do not gather behind are better than the one offering it.'”
~Sahih al-Bukhari 2010
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2010
• Umar called this an innovation, something which never happened at the time of Rasul-Allah ﷺ and even tho Umar gathered people behind Ubayy Ibn Ka’ab, he himself did not pray behind Ubayy rather preferred praying at home alone.
4) Allamah Jalal ad-Deen al-Suyuti wrote :
أنه قد ثبت في صحيح البخاري عن عمر أنه قال في التراويح : نعمت البدعة هذه ، والتي ينامون عنها أفضل ، فسماها بدعة ، يعني بدعة حسنة ، وذلك صريح في أنها لم تكن في عهد رسول الله ﷺ
It is proven in Sahih al-Bukhari that Umar said about Taraweeh : ‘How good this Biddat is’ and it is better to sleep than to pray it and he called it an innovation, a good Biddat and this makes it clear that Taraweeh was not performed during the time of Rasul-Allah ﷺ
~al-Hawi lil-Fatawi vol 1:335
5) Allamah al-Qastalani wrote :
قال عمر: لا رآهم نعم البدعة هذه، سماها بدعة لأنه ﷺ لم يسن لهم الاجتماع لها ولا كانت في زمن الصديق
Umar said ‘This is a good Biddat.’ He called it Biddah because The Prophet ﷺ never made it on a congregation nor was it done at the time of Abu Bakr.
• Similar statement was said by Allamah al-Zurqani in his Sharah of Muwatta vol 10:577
6) Imam al-Khattabi wrote :
وقوله: (نعم البدعة هذه) إنما دعاها بدعة لأن رسول الله ﷺ لم يسنها لهم، ولا كانت في زمان أبي بكر
Umar’s saying : ‘What a good Biddat this is’, He only said that because Rasul-Allah ﷺ never did it nor did Abu Bakr.
~A’lam al-Hadith Sharah Sahih al-Bukhari vol 1:984
7) Muhammad Ibn Ismail al-Emir al-Sanani wrote :
ﺃﻥ ﻋﻤﺮ ﻫﻮ اﻟﺬﻱ ﺟﻌﻠﻬﺎ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻌﻴﻦ ﻭﺳﻤﺎﻫﺎ ﺑﺪﻋﺔ ﻭﺃﻣﺎ ﻗﻮﻟﻪ ” ﻧﻌﻢ اﻟﺒﺪﻋﺔ ” ﻓﻠﻴﺲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺒﺪﻋﺔ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻤﺪﺡ ﺑﻞ ﻛﻞ ﺑﺪﻋﺔ ﺿﻼﻟﺔ
Umar was the one who made a congregation and called it an innovation, as for his saying ‘What a good innovation this is’ There is nothing praiseworthy about an innovation, rather, every innovation is misguidance.
~Sabul al-Islam Sharah Bulugh al-Maram vol 1:344
8) Allamah Jalal ad-Deen al-Suyuti wrote :
وأخرج البيهقي وغيره من طريق هشام بن عروة عن أبيه قال : إن عمر بن الخطاب أول من جمع الناس على قيام شهر رمضان
al-Bayhaqi and others narrated from Hisham Ibn Urwah who narrated from Urwah Ibn al-Zubayr who said :
Umar Ibn al-Khattab was the first to congregate people for the prayer (Taraweeh) in the month of Ramadan.
~al-Hawi lil-Fatawi vol 1:336-337
9) Imam al-Bayhaqi wrote :
قَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فِي قِيَامِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ: نِعْمَتِ الْبِدْعَةُ هَذِهِ يَعْنِي: أَنَّهَا مُحْدَثَةٌ لَمْ تَكُنْ
Umar said about the congregation in the month of Ramadan ‘What a good Biddat this is’ which means it is something which didn’t happen before.
~Ma’arifat al-Sunan wa al-Athar vol 4:408
10) Although Umar made Ubayy Ibn Ka’ab an Imam for the people, Ubayy abandoned them and did not lead them as Allamah Ibn Kathir mentioned :
عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، جَمَعَ النَّاسَ عَلَى أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي لَهُمْ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً وَلاَ يَقْنُتُ بِهِمْ إِلاَّ فِي النِّصْفِ الْبَاقِي فَإِذَا كَانَتِ الْعَشْرُ الأَوَاخِرُ تَخَلَّفَ فَصَلَّى فِي بَيْتِهِ فَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ أَبَقَ أُبَىٌّ .
al-Hasan reported : ‘Umar gathered people behind Ubayy Ibn Ka’ab for Taraweeh who lead them for twenty nights and then when the last ten night of Ramadan remained, Ubayy stayed away from the congregation and prayed in his house and the people used to say “Ubayy has ran away.”‘
• The Muhaqiq of the book, Bahjat Yusuf Hamad Abu al-Tayeb wrote :
قلت: ورواته ثقات، لكنه مرسل وله شواهد تدل على ثبوته.
I say: Its narrators are trustworthy and it is a mursal report, but there are evidences that indicates its authenticity.
~Irshad al-Faqih vol 1:146
Part Three: The son of Umar opposed Taraweeh
1) Hafidh Ibn Battah mentioned :
عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: «كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ، وَإِنْ رَآهَا النَّاسُ حَسَنَةً
Abd-Allah Ibn Umar said : ‘Every Biddat is Misguidance even if people think it’s good.’
~al-Ibanah al-Kubra vol 1:339
• This is Abd-Allah Ibn Umar’s refutation to Umar for his saying ‘How good a biddat this is (نعم البدعة هذه)
2) Imam Abd al-Razzaq al-Sinani narrated :
ﻋﻦ اﻟﺜﻮﺭﻱ، ﻋﻦ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺭ، ﻋﻦ ﻣﺠﺎﻫﺪ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺟﺎء ﺭﺟﻞ ﺇﻟﻰ اﺑﻦ ﻋﻤﺮ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺃﺻﻠﻲ ﺧﻠﻒ اﻹﻣﺎﻡ ﻓﻲ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ؟ ﻗﺎﻝ: «ﺃﺗﻘﺮﺃ اﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ؟ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﻧﻌﻢ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺃﻓﺘﻨﺼﺖ ﻛﺄﻧﻚ ﺣﻤﺎﺭ؟ ﺻﻞ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﺘﻚ
Mujahid said a man asked Abd-Allah Ibn Umar : ‘Shall I stand behind the Imam during the month of Ramadan?’ He replied : ‘Can you read the Qu’ran?’ The man affirmed, so Abd-Allah Ibn Umar replied : ‘Do you want to stand like a donkey? Go pray in your house.’
~Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq al-Sinani 7742.
3) Imam Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :
، ﻋﻦ ﻧﺎﻓﻊ، ﻋﻦ اﺑﻦ ﻋﻤﺮ: ﺃﻧﻪ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻻ ﻳﻘﻮﻡ ﻣﻊ اﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻓﻲ ﺷﻬﺮ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ» ﻗﺎﻝ: ﻭﻛﺎﻥ ﺳﺎﻟﻢ، ﻭاﻟﻘﺎﺳﻢ ﻻ ﻳﻘﻮﻣﻮﻥ ﻣﻊ اﻟﻨﺎﺱ
an-Nafee’ said : ‘Abd-Allah Ibn Umar wouldn’t pray (taraweeh) with the people.’ And neither would al-Qasim (grandson of Abu Bakr) nor Salim (grandson of Umar/son of Abd-Allah)
~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 7714
• ِAllamah adh-Dhahbhi mentioned :
قال ابن المبارك: كان فقهاء أهل المدينة الذين كانوا يصدرون عن رأيهم سبعة: ابن المسيب، وسليمان بن يسار، وسالم، والقاسم، وعروة، وعبيد الله بن عبد الله، وخارجة بن زيد
Abd-Allah Ibn al-Mubarak said : The Fuqaha of Medina are seven – Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib, Sulayman Ibn Yasar, Salim Ibn Abd-Allah, al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad, Urwah Ibn al-Zubayr, Ubayd-Allah Ibn Abd-Allah and Kharijah Ibn Zayd
~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 4:461
Part Four: Those from the Companions, Tabiun and Ullamah who did not pray Taraweeh
1) Allamah Abu Ja’far at-Tabari mentioned :
عن ﺯﻛﺮﻳﺎ ﺑﻦ ﺃﺑﻲ ﻣﺮﻳﻢ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺳﻤﻌﺖ ﺃﺑﺎ ﺃﻣﺎﻣﺔ اﻟﺒﺎﻫﻠﻲ ﻳﻘﻮﻝ: ﺇﻥ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻛﺘﺐ ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ﺻﻴﺎﻡ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ، ﻭﻟﻢ ﻳﻛﺘﺐ ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ﻗﻴﺎﻣﻪ، ﻭﺇﻧﻤﺎ اﻟﻘﻴﺎﻡ ﺷﻲء اﺑﺘﺪﻋﺘﻤﻮﻩ،
Zakariyyah Ibn Abi Maryam said I heard Abu Umamah al-Bahili (Companion of Rasul-Allah ﷺ) said : ‘Allah has prescribed upon you the fasting of Ramadan and not the night prayers of it, that is something you have innovated for yourself.’
~Tafsir al-Tabari vol 22:433
2) Allamah Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :
ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﺃﺑﻮ ﺧﺎﻟﺪ اﻷﺣﻤﺮ، ﻋﻦ اﻷﻋﻤﺶ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﻛﺎﻥ ﺇﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ، ﻭﻋﻠﻘﻤﺔ ﻻ ﻳﻘﻮﻣﻮﻥ ﻣﻊ اﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻓﻲ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ
al-Am’ash said : ‘Ibrahim an-Nakhai’i & Alqama Ibn Qays would not pray with the people during the night prayer of Ramadan.’
~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 7718.
• Allamah adh-Dhabhi mentioned:
إبراهيم النخعي…الإمام ، الحافظ ، فقيه العراق …وكان بصيرا بعلم ابن مسعود ، واسع الرواية ، فقيه النفس ، كبير الشأن ، كثير المحاسن ، رحمه الله تعالى .
Ibrahim al-Nakhai’i – The Imam, The preserver of Hadith, The jurist of Iraq. He was aware of Ibn Masoud’s knowledge, a narrator of many narrations, a jurist, a man of great stature, with many virtues, may Allah have mercy on him.
~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 4:520-521
3) Allamah Abu Ja’far at-Tahavi mentioned :
ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﺃﺑﻮ ﺑﻜﺮﺓ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺛﻨﺎ ﺃﺑﻮ ﺩاﻭﺩ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺛﻨﺎ ﺃﺑﻮ ﻋﻮاﻧﺔ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﻻ ﺃﻋﻠﻤﻪ ﺇﻻ ﻋﻦ ﺃﺑﻲ ﺑﺸﺮ، ﺃﻥ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺟﺒﻴﺮ، ﻛﺎﻥ ﻳﺼﻠﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺴﺠﺪ ﻭﺣﺪﻩ , ﻭاﻹﻣﺎﻡ ﻳﺼﻠﻲ ﺑﻬﻢ ﻓﻴﻪ
Abu Bashr said : ‘I saw Sa’eed Ibn Jubayr praying alone during Ramadan in the masjid even tho there was an Imam leading people.’
~Sharah Ma’ani al-Athar 2067
• Allamah adh-Dhabhi mentioned :
عن جعفر بن أبي المغيرة : كان ابن عباس إذا أتاه أهل الكوفة يستفتونه ، يقول : أليس فيكم ابن أم الدهماء ؟ يعني سعيد بن جبير .
Ja’far Ibn Abi al-Mugheerah narrated People from Kufah went to Abd-Allah Ibn Abbas to ask him questions, Ibn Abbas replied ‘Why come to me when Sa’eed Ibn Jubayr is amongst you.?’
~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 4:325
4) Allamah al-Qurtubi mentioned :
ﻭﻗﺎﻝ اﻟﻠﻴﺚ: ﻟﻮ ﻗﺎﻡ اﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﻮﺗﻬﻢ ﻭﻟﻢ ﻳﻘﻢ ﺃﺣﺪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺴﺠﺪ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا إِلَيْهِ
al-Layth Ibn Sa’ad would say If all the people pray in their homes, and the mosques became empty, even then they shouldn’t go out.
~Tafsir al-Qurtubi 8:372
• It is said al-Layth Ibn Sa’ad was a greater Imam than Malik and I quote Ahmad Ibn Wahb who said :
أحمد بن عبد الرحمن بن وهب : سمعت الشافعي يقول : الليث أفقه من مالك
Imam al-Shafi’i said : ‘al-Layth was more learned than Malik.’
~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 8:156
5) Allamah Abu Ja’far at-Tahavi mentioned :
ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ اﺑﻦ ﻣﺮﺯﻭﻕ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺛﻨﺎ ﺃﺑﻮ ﺩاﻭﺩ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺛﻨﺎ ﺷﻌﺒﺔ، ﻋﻦ اﻷﺷﻌﺚ ﺑﻦ ﺳﻠﻴﻢ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺃﺗﻴﺖ ﻣﻜﺔ , ﻭﺫﻟﻚ ﻓﻲ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ , ﻓﻲ ﺯﻣﻦ اﺑﻦ اﻟﺰﺑﻴﺮ , ﻓﻜﺎﻥ اﻹﻣﺎﻡ ﻳﺼﻠﻲ ﺑﺎﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺴﺠﺪ , ﻭﻗﻮﻡ ﻳﺼﻠﻮﻥ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﺪﺓ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺴﺠﺪ
al-Ashath Ibn Sulaym said : ‘I travelled to Mecca during the reign of Ibn al-Zubayr and I saw that few people were playing alone tho there was an Imam in the masjid.”
~Sharah Ma’ani al-Athar 2069
6) Allamah Abu Ja’far at-Tahavi mentioned :
روى الْمُعَلَّى عَن أبي يُوسُف قَالَ من قدر أَن يُصَلِّي فِي بَيته كَمَا يُصَلِّي مَعَ الإِمَام فِي رَمَضَان فَأحب إِلَيّ أَن يُصَلِّي فِي الْبَيْت
al-Mu’alla narrated that Abu Yusuf said : Whoever can pray at home like how he prays with the Imam in Ramadan, it is better that he prays at home.
~Ikhtilaf al-Ullama vol 1:313
• Abu Yusuf was one of the grandest students of Abu Hanifah along with Muhammad Ibn Hasan al-Shaybani.
7) Allamah Abu Ja’far at-Tahavi mentioned :
وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِي صَلَاة الْمُنْفَرد فِي قيام رَمَضَان أحب إِلَيّ
Imam al-Shafi’i said : ‘Praying alone in Ramadan is better for me.’
~Ikhtilaf al-Ullama vol 1:313.
• Allamah Ibn Abd al-Barr mentioned :
وَاحْتَجَّ الشَّافِعِيُّ بِحَدِيثِ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ فِي قِيَامِ رَمَضَانَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ صَلُّوا فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ فَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ صَلَاةِ الْمَرْءِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا الْمَكْتُوبَةُ
al-Shafi’i cited as evidence the hadith of Zayd Ibn Thabit, in which the Prophet ﷺ, said regarding the night prayers of Ramadan, “O people, pray in your homes, for the best prayer of a person is in His house except the obligatory one.”
~al-Istidhkar vol 2:70
Part Five: The Hadith of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari
Those who practice the Biddah of Taraweeh, commonly post this Hadith in their favour, however anyone who has slight understanding would know this hadith is an absolute cover-up :
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفُضَيْلِ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْجُرَشِيِّ، عَنْ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ….فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ مَنْ قَامَ مَعَ الإِمَامِ حَتَّى يَنْصَرِفَ كُتِبَ لَهُ قِيَامُ لَيْلَةٍ
Muhammad Ibn Fudayl narrated from Dawood Ibn Abi Hind on the authority of al-Walid Ibn Abd al-Rahman who narrated from Jubayr Ibn Nufayr on the authority of Abu Dharr that Rasul-Allah ﷺ said :
‘Indeed, whoever stands (praying) with the Imam until he finishes, then it is recorded for him that he prayed the whole night.’
~Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 806
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:806
1) We know this Hadith only from this chain as Hafidh al-Bazzar mentioned :
وَلَا نَعْلَمُ لَهُ طَرِيقًا، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ غَيْرَ هَذَا الطَّرِيقِ
‘And we do not know this Hadith from Abu Dharr except this chain.’
~Musnad al-Bazzar vol 9:433-434
2) This Hadith was narrated by al-Walid Ibn Abd al-Rahman who was a Syrian and not a single Syrian or anyone from his students like Younis Ibn Maysara or Muhammad Ibn Muhajir or Abd-Allah Ibn al-Ala’a or Ibrahim Ibn Abi Abla or Khalid Ibn Dahqan narrated this Hadith from him but rather Dawood Ibn Abi Hind did who was a Kufi narrated it from his and Dawood has not narrated anything else from Walid except this narration while it was known Dawood Ibn Abi Hind would make mistake while narrating from his memory as mentioned by Allamah Ibn Hibban :
ﺩاﻭﺩ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻴﺎﺭ ﺃﻫﻞ اﻟﺒﺼﺮﺓ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﺘﻘﻨﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺮﻭاﻳﺎﺕ ﺇﻻ ﺇﻧﻪ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻳﻬﻢ ﺇﺫا ﺣﺪﺙ ﻣﻦ ﺣﻔﻈﻪ
Dawood Ibn Abi Hind was the best from the Basris in narrations, except that he would be mistaken when he narrated from his memory.
~al-Thiqat vol 6:278
3) From Dawood – a few of his Kufi, Basri and Wasti (all Iraqi) students have narrated by all with different wordings and this particular narration by Muhammad Ibn Fudayl al-Kufi, He only heard from Dawood when Dawood was old and at the last stage of his life.
4) This also contradicts the mainstream narrations mentioned above, which tells us about the Prophet’s disapproval on Taraweeh and on how Umar was the first to start it and many from the Sahabah and Tabiun did not pray with the Imam.
Thank you for reading! May Allah ﷻ allow us to worship Him the correct way as taught by His Holy Prophet ﷺ and the Pure Aimmah, the light of guidance and hope.
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