- Many people get excited during Ramadhan...
- Most muslims welcome this month with full of spirit to enhance their quality and quantity of worship...
- Alhamdulillah...
- I am very happy too...but one thing that makes me worry is some people tend to stigmatize others who are not doing several "encouraged practices" (amalan-amalan sunat)...
- One person comes to me complained about his friend that stigmatized him for not going for Tarawih congregational prayer (i.e.: performing it at room only)...I really pity him and also his friend...
- I feel sorry for him because he was stigmatized as bad person, while I pity his friend because he was too eager to practice something good but he made it without hikmah and he also jumped into wrong conclusion regarding Tarawih prayer...
- Let us check on history of prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. pertaining to Tarawih prayer, even though several times he performed it congregationally, but most of the time he performed it alone...
- If you don't believe me, clarify it by reading Shahih Bukhari and Muslim...Then you will find that most of the narration of Tarawih-related hadith were narrated by Ummul Mukminin Aisyah r.a....since she was the prophet's wife, the hadith signify that the events happen at home, when the Prophet performed it alone...
- Even though I mentioned like that, is does not mean there was restriction from the Prophet to conduct it congregationally...as an evidence, it is reported that Umar al-Khattab r.a. had implemented it during his caliph period...
- Besides, when Ramadhan comes, some other people are ceaseless arguing that 20 rakaat is the best method to perform Tarawih...sometimes they even claim others who make it less as lazy or not sincere enough in doing it...Again, this perception occur due to lack of knowledge...
- It is narrated in many authentic hadith, especially narrated by Aisyah r.a., indicated that the Prophet performed it regularly, with not more than 11 or 13 rakaat in total (including Witr prayer)...The Prophet had given us the example, so why don't we follow it? Is it wrong do immitate the act of our beloved Prophet? If you have that kind of perception before reading this facts, make sure you reframe your mind...
- Hence, why should we criticize others for not performing it congregationally? Even the Prophet did it...For people out there who like to criticize others, please ensure you have thorough knowledge before saying something...Furthermore, we ought to make it in a diplomatic way...not by blindly assuming that person is wrong, we can say anything towards him or her...
- May Allah guide us to the right path and may all Muslims take advantage of Ramadhan accordingly, not too extreme, and also not just take for granted...
- Good Luck Everyone!
- Assalamualaikum
