Yep - it's that time of the year again - the month of Ramadan when you see hordes of people leaving the mosque after having prayed 8 Taraweehs in Jamat and then the few hard-core Hanafi Desis sticking it out praying 20 i.e. in those masajid where there is still an option of 20 available such as the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) in Plano, Texas.
One has to wonder - why this Great Divide??? How did it come to be that a Hadith narrated by Ayesha (ra) came to abrogate a publicly practiced Sunnah still practiced in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah?
In case, you are really wondering about the above question, please read this article:
Jazakum Allahu Khayr to the Sheikh who invested the energy to write this article since for people like me, I have a dearth of time (and energy) to write any scholarly article.
For me, a Pathan growing up in Charsadda, Pakistan, my ancestors passed on this Sunnah of 20 Taraweeh passed on to me for generations. My husband's ancestors were from Mansehra, Pakistan and their generations passed on the same Sunnah.
I am not going to invest much energy in finding out how a Hadith about the Tahajjud prayer - prayed towards the later part of the night - all throughout the year by our great beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) - started to get used to dictating Taraweeh which is to be prayed in congregation after Isha (even to be called Taraweeh) in the first part of the night - in Ramadan only.
However, for me one thing is sure. My ancestors and my husband's ancestors kept relaying the Sunnah from one generation to the next. For those reading it, remember that if you are following a Sunnah relayed to you from your ancestors - which is still being followed to this day in Makkah and Madinah - then invest some energy in reflecting on what happened instead of following any new trend that may arise.
Stick to the Sunnah - passed on to us by the Sahabah including Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) - that is what our Prophet (pbuh) wanted us to do when in doubt.
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