Fatwa ID: 06360

Answered by: Alimah Zainab Nakhuda

Question:

Can one who performed Isha Salaat individually lead the congregation in Taraweeh salah?

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

Answer:

Performing Isha Salah with Jamaa’ah (congregation) is not a condition for leading the Taraaweeh prayer. Rather, the condition is that the person has performed their Isha Salaah (regardless of whether it was alone or with the congregation) and that they have not already prayed their Taraaweeh prayer beforehand (i.e. this is the second time they are praying the Taraaweeh prayer)¹.

Hence, if the person performed their Ishaa Salaah individually and then led the Taraaweeh prayer in the congregation, this would be permissible. Of course, though, this is not encouraged at all and should not be made a habit, as performing Ishaa Salaah with the congregation is highly encouraged for men².

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Zainab Nakhuda

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

References:

¹ Badaai’ Al Sanaai’, page 288-289, volume 1, Maktabah Shamelah

Page 288:

وَقَالَ عَامَّتُهُمْ: وَقْتُهَا مَا بَعْدَ الْعِشَاءِ إلَى طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَا تَجُوزُ قَبْلَ الْعِشَاءِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا تَبَعٌ لِلْعِشَاءِ فَلَا تَجُوزُ قَبْلَهَا كَسُنَّةِ الْعِشَاءِ، وَذَكَرَ النَّاطِفِيُّ فِي إمَامٍ صَلَّى بِقَوْمٍ صَلَاةَ الْعِشَاءِ عَلَى غَيْرِ وُضُوءٍ نَاسِيًا، ثُمَّ صَلَّى بِهِمْ إمَامٌ آخَرُ التَّرَاوِيحَ مُتَوَضِّئًا، ثُمَّ عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْأَوَّلَ كَانَ عَلَى غَيْرِ وُضُوءٍ؟ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُعِيدُوا الْعِشَاءَ وَالتَّرَاوِيحَ جَمِيعًا: أَمَّا الْعِشَاءُ فَلَا شَكَّ فِيهَا.

وَأَمَّا التَّرَاوِيحُ؛ فَلِأَنَّهَا تُصَلَّى إلَى طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ؛ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ وَقْتُهَا.

Page 289:

وَلَا يُصَلِّي إمَامٌ وَاحِدٌ التَّرَاوِيحَ فِي مَسْجِدَيْنِ فِي كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ عَلَى الْكَمَالِ وَلَا لَهُ فِعْلٌ وَلَا يُحْتَسَبُ التَّالِي مِنْ التَّرَاوِيحِ، وَعَلَى الْقَوْمِ أَنْ يُعِيدُوا؛ لِأَنَّ صَلَاةَ إمَامِهِمْ نَافِلَةٌ، وَصَلَاتُهُمْ سُنَّةٌ وَالسُّنَّةُ أَقْوَى فَلَمْ يَصِحَّ الِاقْتِدَاءُ؛ لِأَنَّ السُّنَّةَ لَا تَتَكَرَّرُ فِي وَقْتٍ وَاحِدٍ، وَمَا صَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَوَّلِ مَحْسُوبٌ، وَلَيْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ أَنْ يُعِيدُوا

² Badaai’ Al Sanaai’, page 155, volume 1, Maktabah Shamelah

وَأَمَّا بَيَانُ مَنْ تَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَمَاعَةُ: فَالْجَمَاعَةُ إنَّمَا تَجِبُ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ، الْعَاقِلِينَ، الْأَحْرَارِ، الْقَادِرِينَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ حَرَجٍ