Section: The preferred position according to Abu Abd Allah is to perform it (Tarawih) in congregation. He said, in a narration by Yusuf ibn Musa: The congregation in Tarawih is better; and if there is a man whom others follow, and he prays it in his house, I fear that people might follow his example. It has been narrated from the Prophet -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him-: "Follow those after me" (13). It has also been narrated from Umar that he used to pray in congregation. This is the view of al-Muzani, Ibn Abd al-Hakam, and a group of the companions of Abu Hanifah. Ahmad said: Jabir, Ali, and Abdullah used to pray it in congregation. Al-Tahawi said: Everyone who chooses to pray individually should do so in a way that does not cause the congregational prayer to be discontinued in the mosques; as for the individual prayer that leads to the discontinuation of the prayer in the mosques, that is not appropriate. A similar view has been narrated (14) from al-Layth ibn Sa'd. Malik and al-Shafi'i said: Standing in prayer during Ramadan, for those who are strong, is more beloved to us if done in the house, based on what Zayd ibn Thabit narrated, who said: The Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- made a small enclosure with a mat or a reed mat (15), and the Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- went out to pray (16) in it. He said (16): Men followed him and came to pray with his prayer. He said: Then they came one night and gathered, but the Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- was slow to come out to them, so he did not go out to them. They raised their voices and pelted the door with pebbles, so the Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- went out to them while angry, and said to them (17): "Your behavior persisted until I thought it would be made obligatory upon you. So, upon you is the prayer in your houses, for the best of a person's prayer is in his house, except for the obligatory prayer." Recorded by Muslim (18). Our argument is the consensus of the Companions upon that, and the Prophet -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- gathered his Companions and his family in
(13) Recorded by al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter on the Merits of Abu Bakr and Umar, from the Book of Virtues. Aridat al-Ahwadhi 13/129. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on the Virtue of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings of Allah be upon him-, from the Introduction. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/137. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 5/382, 385, 399, 402. In all of them: "Follow those after me." (14) In M: "And it is narrated." (15) Meaning: He enclosed an area of the mosque with a mat to seclude himself to pray in it. (16) Omitted from A and M. (17) Omitted from M. (18) Its recording preceded on page 565.
