QUESTION:
What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: I read only the Tarawih prayer at home, and not in jama’ah (congregation). Is doing so a sin? Will I be a sinner for doing so?
Questioner: Brother from UK
ANSWER:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Jama’ah for the Tarawih prayer is a sunnah kifayah (collective sunnah). If all the people of the masjid leave the jama’ah, then all of them will be sinners, whereas if a particular individual offers it alone at home, then he is not a sinner for doing so. However, praying at home will deprive the person of the excellence of praying along with the jama’ah in a masjid.
Fatawa Hindiyyah states:
وَالْجَمَاعَةُ فِيهَا سُنَّةٌ عَلَى الْكِفَايَةِ وَلَوْ تَرَكَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ كُلُّهُمْ الْجَمَاعَةَ فَقَدْ أَسَاءُوا وَأَثِمُواوَإِنْ تَخَلَّفَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ النَّاسِ وَصَلَّاهَا فِي بَيْتِهِ فَقَدْ تَرَكَ الْفَضِيلَةَ وَلَا يَكُونُ مُسِيئًا وَلَا تَارِكًا لِلسُّنَّةِ
[al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, vol. 1, pg. 116]
Thus, it is better for you to offer the Tarawih prayer along with the jama’ah in a masjid.
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by the SeekersPath Team
Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0343] Can I pray the Tarawih prayer at home instead of the Masjid?
Also see:
[Q-ID0691] Does not praying the Tarawih prayer make you sinful?
[Q-ID0501] Does the non-Fasting person have to pray the Tarawih prayer?
[Q-ID0483] Can we pray Tarawih prayer in rak’ats of 4 instead of 2?
[Q-ID0476] What are the proofs for 20 rakaat Tarawih prayer?
[Q-ID0345] My local Imam recites too fast & makes mistakes, can I read shorter Tarawih elsewhere?