Islam over custom: Taraweeh

بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

It is with some trepidation and hesitation that I begin this series of articles. I fear that my own shortcomings may be exposed through these articles, but at the same time, these matters are hardly chronicled and documenting them is something I consider worthwhile.

The primary goal of this series is not to discuss jurisprudence, but to highlight how certain Islamic practices have evolved, their status elevated and the resulting effects on the South African Muslim community.

The primary audience for this series is fellow Muslims. Where possible, I will do my best to educate non-Muslims about certain terms.

Background

I made it a point this Ramadan to visit various Masaajid in my locality for Taraweeh. I wanted to experience the manner of praying and to also observe how full/empty the Masaajid are; without detracting from the primary goal: praying for Allah's Pleasure.

Taraweeh - an important Sunnah (Muakkadah) of Ramadan

Taraweeh is an extra optional prayer performed in the month of Ramadan after the obligatory Esha prayer. Taraweeh is considered Sunnah Muakkadah according to the Hanafi madhab.

A Sunnah Muakkadah action is highly encouraged to perform, but it is not obligatory. Some scholars have cautioned against needlessly leaving out a Sunnah Muakkadah, but I will leave this is an exercise for the reader to find out why.

Therein lies the problem, as the importance of Taraweeh has been elevated to a level where it is (culturally) considered obligatory.

Elevation of Taraweeh

In Islam, we have five daily obligatory prayers. For men, we are strongly encouraged to pray in the Masjid. The following fatwa explains the importance of praying in the Masjid.

This is where the disconnect happens in what is considered important throughout one's life (praying the obligatory prayers in the Masjid) versus what happens in the month of Ramadan. The Masaajid have gradually emptied (and remain empty during most of the five daily prayers, especially Fajr) and this continues in Ramadan too with the Masaajid being only slightly less empty for the obligatory prayers.

This cultural elevation can be highlighted no better than the following example:

If a man were to miss his Taraweeh prayer (even with a valid excuse), he would be ostracized by family and friends and his actions would be considered a major sin. The same man will ensure that under no circumstances can he miss his Taraweeh prayer. At the same time, he may not even attend a single Fajr (morning) prayer in the Masjid during the entire month of Ramadan. He may even sleep through Fajr prayer!

A similar scenario plays out every Friday during the Jumu'ah (congregational) prayer, with this prayer requiring men to come to the Masjid (but the same rule does not apply for the other prayers).

Who is to blame?

It is never easy to apportion blame to any group. Each would defend their position and feel that their own role in this issue is negligible.

The first group to blame would be the Islamic scholars. Perhaps some of them are genuinely sincere and want people to fill up the Masaajid. However, through their petty politics and rigidity, they have lived through a history where the Masaajid have emptied out, with blatant disregard shown to even the things they emphasize, Taraweeh being one of them (as discussed towards the end).

The second group would be the men themselves. Through social pressure and the desire to socialize, the men will make sure they attend the Taraweeh prayers wherever their friends are praying.

The third group would be the womenfolk. As the women see all the other men gather at the various places of prayer (I do not say Masaajid here because this innovation requires discussing too), it becomes important to pressure the men of the household to go to these same places of prayer.

8 or 20 and other excuses

The scholars once again play a critical role in the jurisprudence of Taraweeh. The established principle of 20 Rakats comes from Umar(RA) and is not something that should be challenged. However, a series of other questions are not being asked:

1. How were the 20 Rakats performed 1400 years ago?

The Taraweeh has become a culturally/socially-elevated obligation, but the manner of its completion remains at the discretion and whims of the various congregations. So in a society where the bulk of people can read Arabic but do not understand a word, it becomes a game of who can read the fastest without devolving into absolute gibberish (this is not a point of snobbery, as the Quran should be shown due respect whether it is understood or not).

Not much care is shown for the recitation, and even less is shown for the other postures. We are warned against this in the following:

Chapter: The Prayer Of One Whose Back Does Not Come To A Complete Rest During Ruku' And Prostration

Narrated AbdurRahman ibn Shibl: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited to peck like a crow, and to spread (the forearms) like a wild beast, and to fix a place in the mosque like a camel which fixes its place. These are the wordings of Qutaybah.

The situation can get so bad that even the Tashahud of some musallees (one who prays salah behind the Imam) at the end of every 2nd Rakat remains incomplete.

1. Why is the request for 8 even being made?

A simple but profound question which nobody asks, why are men specifically looking for a Fiqh/Hadith answer to this problem?

It isn't just because "these people are lazy and don't want to pray". An answer derived from the Hadith gives men a 'weapon' to rebuke their friends and womenfolk when they are eventually chastised for not praying all 20.

1. What about the Bid'ah (innovation) of non-Masjid venues?

This mostly South African Deobandi (with some of the Barelwis partaking too) innovation has resulted in people taking excessive liberties about where they pray and how many nights they pray to "complete their Quran in Taraweeh" (we won't even discuss the manner in which they pray). While the Deobandis were 'fighting' the scourge of Salafism and its "8 Rakat Bid'ah", they inadvertently permitted their own (but of course everything they do would be considered "bid'ah hasana" or "good innovation").

This scenario has resulted in a secondary Bid'ah where "after completing their khatam/Quran", the Taraweeh continues with short Rakats being prayed at these non-Masjid venues indefinitely.

Now consider this situation:

A person chooses to pray at a non-Masjid venue for 15 nights of Taraweeh. Once he "completes his Quran", he continues to pray at this venue. He may opt to pray during the odd nights of the last 10 nights of Ramadan in the Masjid. If these last 10 nights did not hold an auspiciousness, this person may only see the Masjid 4-5 times for the Jumu'ah prayer during the entire month of Ramadan!

The lack of wisdom and hindsight in permitting this innovation will leave a stain on those who claim to uphold the Hadith and Fiqh with great fervor.

Where are the (young) men?

The recent lockdowns just hastened what was already transpiring pre-lockdown. Fewer and fewer men are coming to pray the Taraweeh each year. Even though Taraweeh became culturally-elevated, the opposite is now happening: it is being blatantly disregarded.

I did a bit of investigation and from the off-hand accounts of a few people, I have learned that the social hotspots where food, hot drinks, fuel and cigarettes are purchased are now the venues of choice to loiter each night during the month of Ramadan.

These social hotspots have also acted as venues where a growing consumption of marijuana is occurring. Other vices have also surfaced, like: drag-racing, freemixing between males/females and other modern vices done outside of Ramadan.

I also shudder to think what the outcome of children growing up in these lockdowns will be. How will they view Taraweeh and other social Islamic events?

The next article in this series will discuss: Ramadan