Taraweeh is a voluntary night prayer performed during Ramadan, after the Isha prayer and before the Witr prayer. It is a beautiful Sunnah that the Prophet ﷺ and his companions consistently practiced, and it is one of the most beloved acts of worship in Ramadan.
What Is Taraweeh?
Taraweeh is part of the *Qiyam al-Layl* (night prayer). It is prayed in congregation during Ramadan, though it can also be prayed individually at home. The word "Taraweeh" comes from the Arabic root meaning "to rest," because the early Muslims would rest between every four rak'ahs (units of prayer).
How Many Rak'ahs?
There is a well-known difference of opinion among the schools of jurisprudence:
- The majority view (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Hanbali): 20 rak'ahs, prayed in sets of two, with a short rest after every four rak'ahs.
- The Maliki school and some scholars: 36 rak'ahs in Madinah, or 20 elsewhere, based on the practice of the companions.
- Some scholars: 8 rak'ahs plus Witr, based on the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) describing the Prophet's ﷺ night prayer.
All of these are valid, and the important thing is to pray what you are able to with sincerity and consistency.
The Structure of the Prayer
1. Intention (niyyah): In your heart, intend to pray Taraweeh for the sake of Allah.
2. Pray in sets of two rak'ahs, just like the regular Sunnah prayers. After each two rak'ahs, say the *tasleem* (end the prayer with "As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah" to the right and left).
3. Rest after every four rak'ahs — this is where the name Taraweeh comes from. Many mosques give a short pause here, sometimes with a brief reminder or dua.
4. Finish with Witr: After completing the Taraweeh, conclude with the Witr prayer (an odd number of rak'ahs, usually one or three).
The Witr at the End
The Prophet ﷺ instructed that Witr should be the last prayer of the night:
> "Perform Witr prayer before the morning." [Sahih Muslim, source 11275]
And he ﷺ gave practical guidance on timing:
> "If anyone fears that he will not wake up at the end of the night, let him offer Witr prayer at the beginning of the night; and anyone who expects to wake up at the end of the night, let him offer Witr prayer at the end of the night. Indeed, prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels) and that is better." [Sahih Muslim, source 11278]
This means: if you are praying Taraweeh in congregation and won't wake up later, pray Witr with the congregation. If you plan to wake up in the last third of the night for extra prayer, you may delay your Witr until then.
A Note on the Prophet's ﷺ Practice
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:
> "The Prophet ﷺ used to offer thirteen Rak'ahs in the night prayer including Witr, plus two (voluntary) Rak'ahs of the Fajr prayer." [Sahih Bukhari & Muslim, source 11269]
This shows the Prophet's ﷺ personal practice of long, devoted night prayer — and it reminds us that the spirit of Taraweeh is about drawing closer to Allah with humility and consistency, not just about the number of rak'ahs.
A Dua You Can Recite
After completing Taraweeh, you may recite this beautiful supplication:
> "O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and seek refuge in You from the Fire. O Creator of Paradise and Fire, by Your mercy, O Mighty One, O Forgiver, O Generous One... O Allah, save us from the Fire! O Rescuer! O Rescuer! O Rescuer! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful." [Dua: After completing Taraweeh prayer, source dua_131]
You can find this dua in the Invocations section of your Al Muslim Plus application.
Practical Advice
- Pray what you can with consistency. Even 8 rak'ahs prayed with focus is better than 20 rushed ones.
- Follow your local mosque if you pray in congregation — unity in the community is important.
- Use the Quran feature in your Al Muslim Plus app to follow along with the recitation during Taraweeh, especially if you want to understand what is being recited.
- Check the prayer times in the Horaires/Prayer Times section of your app to know exactly when Isha begins and when Fajr enters, so you know your window for Taraweeh and Witr.
May Allah accept your prayers and grant you a blessed Ramadan.