Fatwa ID: 06436

Answered by: Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Question:

Can someone follow the Imam in Haram in their 10 rak’ahs tahajjud/qiyamul layl/shabina with the intention of the last 10 rak’ahs of tarawih (since they only pray 10 for actual tarawih)?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

It is not permissible to pray Taraaweeh behind a person who is praying a Nafl prayer (Badai Al Sanai, Vol 2, Pg 274). As Tahajjud is a Nafl prayer, it would not be permissible to pray Taraaweeh behind the Imam who is praying Tahajjud.

A person can follow the Imam if he is praying a prayer which is the same as his (e.g., if both are praying Sunnah) or is on a level above him (he is praying Sunnah and Imam is praying Fardh) (Fatawa Hindiya, Vol 1, Pg 95). As the Tahajjud prayer is Nafl and Taraaweeh is Sunnah, it would not be permissible for a person to pray Taraweeh behind an Imam who is praying Tahajjud.

To summarise, you cannot pray Taraaweeh behind an Imam who is praying Tahajjud.

و لو اقتدي من يصلي التراويح بمن يصلي المكتوبة أو النافلة قيل يصح اقتداؤه و يكون مؤديا التراويح و قيل لا يصح اقتداؤه به و هو الصحيح

و الأصل في هذا المسائل أن حال الإمام إن كان مثل حال المقتدي أو فوقه جازت الصلاة الكل و إن كان دون حال المقتدي صحت صلاة الإمام و لا تصح صلاة المقتدي

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham