[
In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful... After mentioning
the Sunnah of praying 11 and 13 rak'ahs for Taraaweeh,
and that it is best, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaymeen
then said: ]
However,
if the people of the masjid prefer that he (the imaam) shortens
the length of the recitation and the length of the bowings
and prostrations, and increases the number of rak'ahs,
saying: "Verily this is easier on us," then
there is no harm if he agrees with them, due to the generality
of the statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam):
"Make
things easy and do not make things difficult."
[1]
And
also due to the generality of his statement (sallallaahu
'alayhe wa sallam):
"When
one of you leads the people (in prayer),
then let him shorten (the length of the prayer)."
[2]
So
long as we do not fall into anything prohibited, then bringing
ease to those under our authority is better and takes precedence.
The imaam is the one responsible for the masjid, having been
put in authority over the praying people, thus he is called
the "imaam." The imaam is the one who has authority
over them in affairs related to the prayer, for example he
orders them to establish their rows and straighten them. So
if the imaam is requested to be easy on them by increasing
the number (of rak'ahs) while shortening the bowings,
prostrations, and recitations, then there is no harm in that.
With
this we must say that it is not befitting for us that we be
excessive or neglectful, as some of the people commit ghuluw
(excessiveness) when they stick to the Sunnah of the number
(of rak'ahs), saying, "It is not permissible
to increase upon the number that comes in the Sunnah,"
and they speak in the sternest way against someone who increases
upon that (by praying more than 11 or 13 rak'ahs),
saying that he is sinful and disobedient. And there is no
doubt that this is a mistake. How could he be sinful or disobedient
when the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was
asked about the night prayer, and he said:
"(It
is) two (rak'ahs)
by two (rak'ahs)."
[3]
And
he did not limit it to any set number. And it is well known
that a person who asks about the night prayer does not know
the number (of its rak'ahs), since the one who does
not know how to pray the night prayer would more rightfully
not know the number (of its rak'ahs). Furthermore,
he (the questioner) was not from the servants of the Messenger
(sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), so we can not say
that he knew about the affairs within his house.
So
since the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) told
him about the manner that the night prayer is to be prayed,
and he did not limit it to any set number, then it is known
that there is leeway in the affair, and that a man may even
pray 100 rak'ahs and then perform Witr with one rak'ah.
As
for his statement (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam):
"Pray
as you have seen me praying." [4]
Then
this hadeeth is not unrestricted, even with those people (who
say that 11 or 13 is the limit). Thus, they themselves do
not say that it is obligatory on the people to perform Witr
by praying five rak'ahs sometimes, seven rak'ahs
other times, and sometimes nine. So if we understood this
hadeeth in a general, unrestricted way, then we would have
to say that it is obligatory to perform Witr by praying
exactly five rak'ahs sometimes, seven other times,
and sometimes nine. Rather, the meaning is, "Pray
in the manner as you have seen me praying."
As for the number of rak'ahs, then no (this is not
understood from the hadeeth), except that which is limited
by a text.
Anyway,
a man must not be harsh on the people in an affair that has
some leeway. We have even seen some of the brothers who are
harsh about this declaring some imaams to be innovators, those
who increase upon 11 (rak'ahs), and they leave the
masjid, thus losing the reward that the Messenger (sallallaahu
'alayhe wa sallam) spoke of:
"Whoever
stands (in prayer) with
the imaam until he leaves, then it will be written for him
that he stood a (complete)
night (in prayer)."
[5]
And
perhaps they may sit out after having prayed ten rak'ahs,
thus causing a gap in the row by sitting there. And perhaps
they may even speak (while sitting out) sometimes, thus disturbing
those who are praying. All of these (scenarios) are wrong.
We have no doubt that they intend good, and that they were
mujtahids (seeking to arrive at what is correct), however
not every mujtahid is correct.
Another
group of people take the opposite stance. They speak very
harshly and sternly against those who restrict themselves
to 11 rak'ahs, saying, "You have gone against
ijmaa' (scholarly concensus) and verily Allaah has said:
"And
whoever contradicts the Messenger after the guidance has been
made clear to him, and he follows a way other than the way
of the believers, then We will turn him to that which he has
turned himself to, and cause him to enter Jahannam,
what an evil abode!" [6]
"All
of those before you did not know anything other than 23 rak'ahs!"
And they speak very harshly against them. This is also wrong…[7]
[
Read part two
of this article... ]
This
article was taken from
BAKKAHnet (www.bakkah.net)
