4 – ʿUmar’s Revival of the Sunnah of Praying Tarawih in Congregation and His Instruction to Keep It at (11) Rakaʿahs

We have already mentioned that after the Prophet’s ﷺ passing, the people went on performing Tarawih in the mosque as scattered groups behind several imams. This situation lasted throughout the caliphate of Abu Bakr and for part of ʿUmar’s, may Allah be pleased with them both, until ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, gathered them behind a single imam. ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn ʿAbd al-Qariʾ said:

– 15 (sound report)

I went out with ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab one night in Ramadan to the mosque, and the people were in separate groups: one man praying by himself, another praying while a small company—between three and ten—followed his prayer. ʿUmar said, “[By Allah,] I think that if I were to bring these people together behind one reciter it would be better.” He then resolved to do so and united them behind Ubayy ibn Kaʿb. [The narrator added:] I went out with him on another night, and the people were praying behind their reciter. ʿUmar remarked, “What a good innovation this is! Yet the part of the night they are sleeping through is better than the one in which they are now praying,” meaning the last portion of the night, for the people were praying in its early portion.

It was related by Mālik in the Muwaṭṭaʾ, and through him by al-Bukhārī and al-Faryānī. Ibn Abī Shaybah transmitted something similar but without the words “What a good innovation this is.” Ibn Saʿd and al-Faryābī have another chain that reads: “Indeed, this is surely a blessed innovation.” All its transmitters are trustworthy except Nufal ibn Iyās; al-Ḥāfiẓ said in al-Taqrīb: “Acceptable when supported, otherwise his narration is soft.” ⦗49⦘