What is Taraweeh prayer and why is it special in Ramadan?

Taraweeh transforms the nights of Ramadan into a programme of intensive Quran engagement and communal worship. Understanding it requires context in both its legal status and its spiritual depth.

The Name — Taraweeh

The word Taraweeh is the plural of tarwiha — meaning a rest or interval. It refers to the brief pauses (rests) taken between every four rak'ahs (units of prayer). These pauses have given the prayer its name — the 'resting prayer.'

The Legal Status

Taraweeh is Sunnah Mu'akkadah — a confirmed Sunnah that the Prophet ﷺ strongly recommended and regularly practiced. It is not obligatory (fard) in the same way as the five daily prayers. The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadan out of sincere faith, seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2008; Sahih Muslim 759)

The History

The Prophet ﷺ initially led Taraweeh in congregation for a few nights, then deliberately stopped — fearing it might become obligatory if he continued. After his death, during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab ؓ (around 14 AH), Umar re-established the congregational Taraweeh and appointed Ubayy ibn Ka'b as the leading imam. Umar saw the separate groups praying and said: "If I gather them behind one reciter, it will be better." He called this a 'blessed innovation' (bid'ah hasanah) in that it restored an established Prophetic Sunnah in organisational form.

How Many Rak'ahs?

The scholarly disagreement on the number of Taraweeh rak'ahs is long-standing:

• 8 rak'ahs (plus Witr): This is the position based on authentic hadith describing the Prophet ﷺ never exceeding 11 rak'ahs in night prayers (Sahih al-Bukhari 1147)
• 20 rak'ahs (plus Witr): This is the established practice of Umar's congregational Taraweeh, and the practice of the Companions and the four Madhabs

Both are valid positions. Many mosques today pray 20 rak'ahs (the traditionally established congregational number); some pray 8. The essential thing is performing Taraweeh sincerely.

The Quran Completion (Khatm al-Quran)

The defining feature of Taraweeh in most mosques globally is the gradual recitation of the entire Quran over Ramadan's 30 nights — approximately one Juz (1/30th of the Quran) per night. This practice creates a profound immersion: the Muslim community collectively experiences the entire Quran from Al-Fatihah to An-Nas within a single month. The completion night (typically the 27th night, the likely Night of Power/Laylat al-Qadr) is an emotionally powerful event often marked by du'a, tears, and extended supplication.

The Spiritual Experience

For millions of Muslims, Taraweeh is among the most cherished experiences of the year:

• The extended standing in prayer (each rak'ah during a lengthy recitation can last 5–10 minutes)
• The sound of the Quran recited melodically by a hafiz (one who has memorised the Quran)
• The communal atmosphere in packed mosques at 10–11pm
• The sense of doing something extraordinary — trading sleep for standing before Allah
• The breaking of the prayer for rests (tarawih) where the congregation sits and engages in dhikr between sets

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever prays with the Imam until he finishes, it is written for him that he prayed the whole night." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 806) — So completing Taraweeh with the congregation counts as a full night's worship.

Laylat al-Qadr

Taraweeh intensifies in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, particularly on the odd-numbered nights (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th) in search of Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power):

One night of worship equals over 83 years of continuous worship — the extraordinary bounty that makes Ramadan the pinnacle of the Muslim year.