Tarawih----- Obligation, Compulsion or Innovation ?????

The Holy Month of Ramzan has arrived and has almost reached its half mark. Devotees  and faithful all over the world are busy engrossed in prayers and worship, and should be  because this is the month in which Allah (s.w.t.) showers his blessing and has guaranteed multiple rewards for even  small acts of worship.

The Tarawih prayers are considered as one of the most important prayers conducted in the month of Ramzan. These prayers are considered so important that even those who do not pray throughout the year make it a point no to miss them. These prayers are so important that those who donot attend them are considered to be lowly people who do not pay importance to religion.

The question over here is that are these prayers which are given so much importance really a part of Islam ?

Were such prayers offered during the life time of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w).??? or were they added later on.

If I quote something from myself the patrons of tarawih would brand my words as the  words of a rafazi, the word of a kafir and the word of the one who is doomed to goto hell.

So without quoting anything from myself I take the help of the so called 'most authentic' book of the Ahlul Sunna, the Bukhari, I am sorry, the Sahi Bukhari. ??????

The 'Sahi Bukhari' ??? tells us: Volume 8, Book 73, Number 134

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:

Allah's Apostle made a small room (with a palm leaf mat). Allah's Apostle came out (of his house) and prayed in it. Some men came and joined him in his prayer. Then again the next  night they came for the prayer, but Allah's Apostle delayed and did not come out to them. 

So they raised their voices and knocked the door with small stones (to draw his attention). 

He came out to them in a state of ANGER, saying, "You are still insisting (on your deed, i.e. Tarawih prayer in the mosque) that I thought that this prayer (Tarawih) might become obligatory on you. So you people, offer this prayer at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home, except the compulsory (congregational) prayer." 

The above narration clearly states that:

1. The Holy Prophet (s) was offering prayers at his home.

2. When people insisted on joining him on the second day he became angry and prohibited them from joining him in prayers.

3.The best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home, excep the compulsary, ie all sunnat and nawafil prayers should be offered at home.

I quote below another narration from the 'Saheeeeee Bukhari' ???? Volume 3, Book 32, Number 229

Narrated 'Urwa: 

That he was informed by 'Aisha, "Allah's Apostle went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, the people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). 

In the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the mosque was full with a large number of people. Allah's Apostle came out and the people prayed behind him. 

On the fourth night the Mosque was overwhelmed with people and could not accommodate them, but the Prophet came out (only) for the Morning Prayer. 

When the Morning Prayer was finished he recited Tashah-hud and (addressing the people) 

said, "Amma ba'du, your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer (Qiyam) should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on." 

So, Allah's Apostle died and the situation remained like that (i.e. people prayed individually)."

The above naration clearly states that:

1. The Holy Prophet (s) knew of the peoples presence in the Masjid, but diliberately did not come out for prayers because he feared that the people would make it a practice.

2.During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (s) and after that the situation remained like that and people prayed at their homes and not in the masjid in congression.

Now, the Bukhari has been very kind to quote the origin of the tarawih prayers, infact I feel that he has quoted the below narration by mistake, had he known that this narration 

would blow off the lid from this great scam of tarawih he would have refrained from quoting it, but things happen as Allah (s.w.t.) the Almighty wishes. As we find the name of the Holy Prophet (s) in the books of the Christans and the Vedas of the Hindus, so we find the root of Tarawih Prayers and its beginning in the devils book itself.

The 'Galat' Bukhari states: Volume 3, Book 32, Number 227

Narrated Abu Huraira: 

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever prayed at night the whole month of Ramadan out of sincere  Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." 

Ibn  Shihab (a sub-narrator) said, "Allah's Apostle died and the people continued observing  that (i.e. Nawafil offered individually, not in congregation), and it remained as it was 

during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and in the early days of 'Umar's Caliphate." 'Abdur  Rahman bin 'Abdul Qari said, "I went out in the company of 'Umar bin Al-Khattab one  night in Ramadan to the mosque and found the people praying in different groups. 

A man  praying alone or a man praying with a little group behind him. So, 'Umar said, 'in my opinion I would better collect these (people) under the leadership of one Qari (Reciter)  (i.e. let them pray in congregation!)'. So, he made up his mind to congregate them behind  Ubai bin Ka'b.

Then on another night I went again in his company and the people were  praying behind their reciter. On that, 'Umar remarked, 'what an excellent Bid'a (i.e. innovation in religion) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its  time is better than the one they are offering.' He meant the prayer in the last part of the  night(Tahajjut). (In those days) people used to pray in the early part of the night." 

Now analysing the above narration we come to know that:

1. The people used to pray individually in their homes, during the lifetime of the Holy  Prophet (s) and even after that.

2. Even during a part of Umar's rule people prayed individually.

3.It was Umar who collected people to pray in congression.

4. Offering Tahajjut prayers at home was better.

5. Umar him self accepts it as an innovation.

6. Though Umar started the tarawih prayers he himself did not join the jaamat.

An unbiased analysis of the above narrations would clearly lead us to the conclusion that  Tarawih prayers was never offered by the Holy Prophet (s), who even scolded the people  for trying such type of practices. It was never a practice during the time of the Holy  Prophet (s.a.w.w.) and even during the life time of the first caliph.  

Its an innovation by  Umar.

My Question:

1. If Tarawih prayes was so important then why did the Holy Prophet (s) not introduce it.

2. Do we find any ayat of the Holy Quran supporting this comedy of Tarawih.

3. Is their any narration of the Holy Prophet (s) wherein he had recommended or enjoined  people to offer tarawih prayers.

4.Is there any Sahaba or any Hafiz who claims to have led the Tarawih prayers in any of  the masjids at the time of the Holy Prophet (s).

5. Did the prominent Sahabs Umar and Abubakar lead the tarawih prayers in any of  the masjids.

6. Are their and narrations of the Holy Prophet (s) telling us about the benifits of the  tarawih prayers.

7. On my personal level I feel that people offer Tarawih prayers because of a practice and feel it as a burden rather than in obedience to the order of the Almighty.

The answer to all the above questions is a big No!!!!!!!!!

Thus the conclusion is that tarawih is neither an obligation or a compulsion but it is a pure  innovation  by non other than  ________________ (Post the word to come in the blank as 

your comment.)   !!!!!!!!!