The Defenders of Tarawih often use this excuse to prove its legitimacy, namely that Khalifa Ali bin Abi Talib never stopped his subjects from offering Tarawih prayers. This is a blatant lie. Mawla Ali (as) sought to stop people from perpetuating this Biddah but the people had become so indoctrinated by the ‘Sunnah Shaikhain’ i.e. Sunnah of first two Caliphs, that it was impossible to show them the right path.
There originally existed only two Divine Sources of Islamic Sharia
Tragically the people Innovated and added a third Sourceof Islamic Sharia the “Seerat-e-Sheikhain” (i.e. Following the Sunnah(/Biddahs) of first 2 Caliphs).
For them, following the practices of first two Caliphs was on par with adhering to the Quran and Sunnah.
Mawla Ali (as) became the first victim of the misguided innovation, when following the death of Umar Ibn Khattab, the Caliphate was offered to him (as) on the caveat that he adhere to the “Sunnat-e-Sheikhain”.
This misguided innovation is of major historical significance, those wishing to learn more are invited to read our article:
Bidah (Innovation)
Now let us return to our original topic of Tarawih. Now let us return to our original topic of “Tarawih”. The following extract is from one of the Sermons of Mawla Ali (as) that clarifies many hidden / distorted historical facts
“The Caliphs before me intentionally practiced such acts in which they went against Rasool Allah (saww). They broke the promises (which they made with Rasool) and changed the Sunnah of Rasool Allah (saww). If (today) I ask people to leave all these things (innovations) and restore things back to the way they were at the time of Rasulullah (s), my army shall rebel and abandon me, and I shall be left alone. All that shall remain turning to me shall be those Shi’a who recognise my virtues and rank.
He then elaborate with examples:
“If I return Fadak to the heirs of Fatima and if I order to restore the “SA’a” (a unit for measuring wheat) of Rasool Allah (s). And if I return the properties, which were given by Rasool (s) to their original owners, and deny the decisions which were based on injustice (and tyranny), and snatch the women who were illegally taken by some people and return them to their husbands, and if I deny the (unjust) distribution of Fadak, and start giving the shares to every one equally (as were originally given by Rasool (s), but earlier caliphs started giving according to status), …. and restore the condition of Khums of Rasool (saww), and restore the mosque of the Prophet (s) to its original position, and make “Masah alal Khaffin” haram, and issue the punishment (“Had”) for drinking “Nabeedh” (alcohol made out of barley), and give the fatwa for Mut’ah being Halaal, and start saying 5 Takbirs at funeral, and make it obligatory upon people to recite “Bismillah” loudly during Salat …… and ask people to follow the Quranic and Sunnah way of giving Talaq, and ask people to give all the Sadaqat, and to restore the way of ablution, bathing and prayer to it’s original form and time, and give back the fidya (which was unjustly taken) to people of Najran, and return the slave girls of people of Persia, and ask people to return to Qur’an and Sunnah of Rasool (s), then all people will abandon me (and I will be left alone). I ordered people that they should only gather for Fardh (obligatory) prayers during Ramadhan, and told them that congregation (Jamah) in Nafal (i.e. Tarawih) is a Bidah (innovation) then all of these people started shouting that Sunnah of Hadhrat Umar has been changed.
Rudhutul Kafi, Sermon of Al-Fatan wa Al-Bidah, page 59, published in Iran.
Majlesi said: ‘According to me it is authentic’(Miraat al-Uqool, v25 p130).
Hadi Najafi said: ‘The chain is Sahih’ (Maowsouat Ahadith Ahlulbayt, v4 p286).
Ali Koorani said: ‘The chain is Sahih’ (Alf Sooal wa Ishkal, v2 p84).
Yusuf Bahrani said: ‘Sahih’ (Al-Hadaeq al-Nadhera, v8 p168).
Tarawih continued amongst the people the entire blame should be apportioned to the “Sunnah of Sheikhain” and not Mawla Ali (as).
Also Shaykh Abu Jafar Tusi (Died 460 AH) narrtes like this
علي بن الحسن بن فضال ، عن أحمد بن الحسن ، عن عمرو ابن سعد المدايني ، عن مصدق بن صدقة ، عن عمار ، عن أبي عبدالله ( عليه السلام ) ، قال : سألته عن الصلاة في رمضان في المساجد ؟ فقال : لما قدم أمير المؤمنين ( عليه السلام ) الكوفة أمر الحسن بن علي أن ينادي في الناس : لا صلاة في شهر رمضان في المساجد جماعة ، فنادى في الناس الحسن بن علي ( عليه السلام ) بما أمره به أمير المؤمنين ( عليه السلام ) فلما سمع الناس مقالة الحسن بن علي ( عليه السلام ) صاحوا : واعمراه ، واعمراه ، فلما رجع الحسن إلى أمير المؤمنين ( عليه السلام ) قال له : ما هذا الصوت ؟ قال : يا أمير المؤمنين ، الناس يصيحون : واعمراه ، واعمراه ، فقال أمير المؤمنين ( عليه السلام ) : قل لهم صلوا .
Ammar from Abu Abdillah (as). He said: I asked him about salat during the month of Ramadan in the masjids. So he said:
When Amir alMu’mineen (as) came to Kufa, he commanded alHasan bin Ali to call to the people: There is no Salat during the month of Ramadan in the masjids in Congregation [Jama’h]. So alHasan bin Ali (as) called to the people by what Amir alMu’mineen (as) had commanded him to. So when the people heard the saying of alHasan bin Ali (as) They shouted: O `Umar! O `Umar! So when alHasan returned to Amir alMu’mineen (as) he said to him: What is this sound? He said: O Amir alMu’mineen, the people are shouting: O `Umar! O `Umar! So Amir al-Mu’mineen (as) said: Say to them: Pray.
Shaykh Ali Akbar Giffari has declared this narration to be Mawathiq (Reliable)
Imam al-Baqir (as) and Imam al-Sadiq (as) were also asked about the permissibility of praying optional prayers in congregation during the nights of Ramadan, they both narrated a tradition of the Prophet (s) where he said:
“Verily, the offering of nafila (recommended prayers) in congregation during the nights of Ramadan is an INNOVATION… O people! do not say nafila prayers of Ramadan in congregation…. Without doubt, performing a minor act of worship which is according to the sunnah is better than performing a major act of worship which is an innovation.”
al-Hurr al-Amili, Wasa’il al-Shia, volume 8 page 45
In brief, there exist many more such narrations from Ahlulbayt Imams (as), where they severely criticized Tarawih.
Such an approach further evidences their rejection of ‘Thaqlayn’, whilst the Shias narrated from them. This is their fate and no one can guide them except Allah (swt).
Nevertheless, Nawasib still have to answer the following questions to us:
If you accept this approach then rather than incorporating Tarawih into Islamic Shariah you would have to deem your fourth rightly guided Khalifa to be an innovator just like the second one!
Nawasib should avoid altering their standards as a mechanism for proving the legitimacy of Tarawih. Unlike fourth rightly guided Khalifa as depicted by the Nawasib, our Mawla Ali (as) severely criticized Tarawih and dissociated himself from it.
Note:Even Sunni scholar Shokani accepted this that Imams of Ahlulbayt (as) deemed Tarawih to be misguided innovation.
“The progeny of the Prophet (s) say that congregation in Tarawih is an INNOVATION”.
Nayl al-Awtar, volume 3, page 50
May Allah send his blessings upon Muhammad and Aale-Muhammad. Amin.
