Il significato della preghiera Tarāwīḥ – تراويح

Tarāwīḥ ( o tarwīḥa), in in arabo: تراويح, è una preghiera straordinaria, recitata dai musulmani da un’ora e mezzo dopo il tramonto a poco prima dell’alba, nel corso del mese di Ramadan, in cui è stato rivelato il Corano a Maometto. La parola, spesso traslitterata alla maniera anglo-sassone Taraweeh o Terawih o, in lingua urdu, Taraveeh o Taravih) indica una preghiera supererogatoria, vale a dire non obbligatoria, anche se molti musulmani la recitano regolarmente con grande devozione durante il Ramadan.

La preghiera tarāwīḥ consiste in 10 taslīm, ognuno con 2 rak’a. Ogni quattro rak’a è prevista una pausa e da ciò deriva il nome tarāwīḥ, che significa appunto “pause”.
Le 20 rakʿāt sono prescritte dalle due grandi scuole (hanafita e sciafeita) dell’Islam, mentre alcuni credono che se ne possano effettuare 8, 12 o 20. I Malikiti sostengono invece che si debbano effettuare 36 rak’a (quindi 18 taslīm). A causa della variabilità dei numeri, al fedele è lasciata la più ampia scelta. Questa preghiera viene recitata solo durante il Ramadan del calendario islamico, poco dopo la preghiera islamica (ṣalāt) dell’ʿIshāʾ. I musulmani credono che sia sunna (raccomandabile), in vista di adempiere un khatm (una “recita completa” cioè del Corano nel mese di Ramadan, con la lettura di almeno un suo juzʾ – 1/30° dell’intero testo coranico – per notte).

Lo sciismo indica invece come preferibile effettuare un migliaio di rak’a nel mese di Ramaḍān.

La maggioranza dei sunniti considera le preghiere tarāwīḥ come Sunna muʾakkada (Sunna “insistita”), una ṣalāt recitata regolarmente dal profeta Maometto ma non canonica. I sunniti credono che la tarāwīḥ sia una Sunna salāt (preghiera facoltativa che può essere recitata in quasi ogni ora del giorno) che può essere detta a casa se non si è in grado di partecipare alla preghiera in Moschea. Secondo questa tradizione, Maometto all’inizio pregò la tarāwīḥ in moschea con altri fedeli durante i mesi di Ramadan. Pregò in moschea con altri fedeli per tre notti consecutive, ma interruppe questa pratica per timore che essa fosse considerata obbligatoria da altri musulmani, anziché di sunna (raccomandabile ma non vincolante). Nel periodo in cui Umar ibn al-Khattab fu califfo, ripristinò la preghiera del Tarawih in congregazione, non più attiva dal Profeta Muhammad, in quanto non c’era più alcun timore che potesse essere resa obbligatoria.

The Meaning of the Prayer Tarāwīḥ – تراويح

Tarawih (Arabic: تراويح‎) refers to extra prayers performed by Muslims at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory. However, many Muslims pray these prayers in the evening during Ramadan. Some scholars^[who?] maintain that Tarawih is neither fard or a Sunnah, but is the preponed Tahajjud (night prayer) prayer shifted to post-Isha’ for the ease of believers. But majority of Sunni scholars regard the Tarawih prayers as Sunnat al-Mu’akkadah, a salaat that was performed by the Islamic prophet Muhammad very consistently.

Tarawih prayers are prayed in pairs of two and can be prayed in at least 20 raka‘āt according to two schools, Hanafis and Shafi’i, of Sunni Islam. Some believe that 8, 12 or 20 can be read. A break is taken after every 4 rak’ah – Malik ibn Anas added 4 raka’h in each break (to account for the time spent in Tawaf, although since Tawaf is something which takes place during the Hajj in Mecca, has nothing to do with the subject of this article, let alone the number of raka’at, and reference to it should be replaced with something which makes more sense) thus taking the total number to 36. Due to varying numbers, the number of prayers performed is broad in scope. This prayer is performed only during Ramadan of the Islamic calendar after salat of Isha’. Muslims believe it is customary to attempt a khatm “complete recitation” of the Quran as one of the religious observances of Ramadan by reciting at least one juz’ per night in tarawih. Tarawih prayers are considered optional, not mandatory.

Sunni views

A majority of Sunni Muslims regard the Tarawih prayers as Sunnat Mu’akkadah, a salaat that was performed by the Islamic prophet Muhammad very consistently. Sunni Muslims believe tarawih is a Sunnah salat and may be performed at home if one is unable to attend a mosque. According to this tradition, Muhammad initially prayed the tarawih in congregation during Ramadan which is evident in ahadis . He prayed in congregation for three consecutive nights but discontinued this practice out of fear that it would be made mandatory, rather than sunnah. During the time when Umar was the caliph, he reinstated the praying of Tarawih in congregation since Muhammad fulfilled his deed and brought back to Allah and as such there was no longer any misapprehension of it being made mandatory. However, Malik ibn Anas prefers that Tarawih be prayed at home, if one has a strong intention to do so. Some scholars belonging to Ahle Hadith^[who?] maintain that Tarawih is neither fard or a Sunnah, but is the preponed Tahajjud (night prayer) prayer shifted to post-Isha’ for the ease of believers which according to them is not more than eight.^{[citation needed]}

Shia views

The Shia view differs among the three main schools of thought, Ismaili, Twelvers and Zaydis. However, some Zaydis have been known to regard tarawih as sunnah.

Twelvers believe in the Tahajjud prayer or Salatul layl (night prayer) which Muhammad recommended during nights of Ramadan.

Salatul layl or Tahajjud prayer is made up of eleven rak’ats.

• The first eight rak’ats are prayed as normal in pairs of two rak’ats each with the niyyah of Nawafilatul-Layl (the prayer of the night).
• The next two rak’ats are prayed with the niyyah of Salatul Shaf’a (the prayer of forgiveness).
• The remaining rak’at is prayed with the niyyah of Salatul Witr.

In the last rak’at, Qunut is recited before or after ruku’ and the Salat is completed as usual with Tashahhud and Salaam.

Categorie:E07- Pratiche rituali - Ritual Practices

Tag:Ramadan, Tarāwīḥ, تراويح