Tarawih Prayer: Rak'ahs, Home or Mosque, Witr
How tarawih is prayed in Ramadan: its origin, 8 or 20 rak'ahs, praying at home or in the mosque, completing the Qur'an in tarawih, and ending with witr.
This guide explains common views and sources. It is not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a scholar or imam you trust.
Tarawih is the night prayer of Ramadan, prayed after Isha, usually in congregation and usually with long recitation from the Qur'an. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that whoever stands in prayer in Ramadan with faith and hope of reward has his past sins forgiven (Sahih al-Bukhari 37). The name comes from tarwihah, a rest: after every four rak'ahs the congregation pauses, and those pauses gave the prayer its name.
Where it comes from
The Prophet (peace be upon him) led the night prayer in the mosque on three nights of Ramadan. Each night more people came. On the fourth night the mosque could not hold them, but he did not come out, and in the morning explained that he feared the prayer would be made obligatory on them (Sahih al-Bukhari 2012). After that, people prayed it in their homes or in small groups in the mosque.
In the caliphate of Umar, he found the people praying in scattered groups and gathered them behind one reciter, Ubayy ibn Ka'b (Sahih al-Bukhari 2010). From then on, tarawih in one congregation has been the practice of the mosques, and it is from that period that the number twenty is reported.
8 or 20 rak'ahs
Both numbers have a basis and both are practised across the Muslim world.
| Practice | Basis | Where common |
|---|---|---|
| 20 rak'ahs + 3 witr | Practice of the companions in Madinah under Umar; the stated position of the Hanafi, Shafi'i, Hanbali and most Maliki texts (Malikis also report 36) | The two Holy Mosques, Turkey, South Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, most of the Arab world |
| 8 rak'ahs + 3 witr | Aisha's report that the Prophet did not pray more than eleven rak'ahs in Ramadan or outside it (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim) | Many mosques in the UK, North America and elsewhere, especially those that pray long rak'ahs |
The night prayer has no fixed upper limit; the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the night prayer is two by two (reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). A mosque that prays eight long rak'ahs with reflection and a mosque that prays twenty shorter ones are both following the sunnah. Pray whichever your mosque prays, finish with the imam, and do not argue about it in Ramadan. For your own practice ask a scholar or imam you trust.
How it is prayed
- Pray Isha (four rak'ahs fard, two sunnah).
- Tarawih in sets of two rak'ahs, with salam after each pair. After four rak'ahs, a short rest; many congregations recite dhikr or a short dua in the pause.
- Continue to 8 or 20 rak'ahs.
- Witr: three rak'ahs, prayed as one unit with one salam (Hanafi), or two plus one (majority). The imam often recites the qunut dua in witr during the second half of Ramadan.
In congregation the imam recites aloud. Alone, you may recite aloud or quietly. Each pair is a normal two-rak'ah prayer: intention for the night prayer, al-Fatiha and a portion of Qur'an in each rak'ah, bowing and prostration with calm. See how to pray for the positions.
Khatm: completing the Qur'an in tarawih
In many mosques the imam recites one juz' (a thirtieth) each night, so the whole Qur'an is completed by the 29th or 30th night. In 2027 that means roughly:
| Night | Expected evening | Juz' |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sunday 7 February 2027 | 1 |
| 10th | Tuesday 16 February | 10 |
| 20th | Friday 26 February | 20 |
| 27th | Friday 5 March | 27 |
| 29th | Sunday 7 March | 29 to 30 (khatm) |
Some mosques complete the khatm on the 27th night and recite from the shorter surahs afterwards. The khatm dua is a local tradition, not a required part of the prayer. If you follow the recitation with a translation in the day, the prayer at night means more; see a Ramadan Qur'an plan.
Home or mosque
Mosque. Congregation carries greater reward (Sahih al-Bukhari 645; Sahih Muslim 650), you hear the whole Qur'an, and whoever stands with the imam until he finishes is written as having prayed the whole night (reported by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi). It also keeps you consistent. Read praying in congregation.
Home. Valid and sunnah in its own right. It suits parents of small children, people with early shifts, the elderly, and anyone far from a mosque. Pray with your family and let one person recite, or pray alone from the surahs you know. Eight rak'ahs at home with full attention is better than twenty rushed anywhere.
Women are welcome in the mosque for tarawih where facilities exist, and praying at home is equally rewarded; most mosques that run tarawih now have a women's section.
Witr: the last prayer of the night
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: make witr the last of your prayer at night (Sahih al-Bukhari 998). In Ramadan the congregation prays it immediately after tarawih, so for most people it is the end of the night's prayer.
If you intend to pray tahajjud in the last third of the night, you have two options, both held by scholars: pray witr with the imam and later pray tahajjud in pairs without a second witr; or pray tarawih with the imam, leave before witr, and pray witr yourself after tahajjud. Details and the qunut dua are in witr prayer.
Times in 2027
Tarawih starts after Isha. In the northern hemisphere in February the nights are long, so Isha is early and tarawih ends by about 21:30 in most European cities. Example for Istanbul on 8 February 2027: Isha 19:57; tarawih from about 20:15 to 21:30. In London on 15 February: Isha 18:40, tarawih from about 19:00. The first tarawih of the month is on the evening of Sunday 7 February 2027, expected. Find Isha for your city on the Ramadan timetable, and the full month's outline on Ramadan 2027.
Dates are expected; the actual first night in your country depends on moon sighting or the local authority and may differ by a day.
Useful tools
Questions and answers
Is tarawih obligatory?
No. It is a confirmed sunnah (sunnah mu'akkadah) for men and women. The obligatory night prayer is Isha; tarawih is the voluntary night prayer of Ramadan, prayed after Isha.
How many rak'ahs is tarawih: 8 or 20?
Both are practised. Twenty rak'ahs with three witr has been the practice in the mosques since the time of Umar and is the position of the four schools. Eight rak'ahs with three witr follows the report that the Prophet did not pray more than eleven rak'ahs at night. Neither is wrong; pray with your mosque.
Can I pray tarawih at home?
Yes. The Prophet himself prayed it at home on most nights after leading it three times in the mosque, fearing it would be made obligatory. Praying in congregation at the mosque is encouraged and is how most people hear the whole Qur'an, but tarawih at home, alone or with family, is valid and rewarded.
When is the first tarawih of 2027?
On the evening of Sunday 7 February 2027, after Isha, if 1 Ramadan 1448 falls on Monday 8 February as expected. The last tarawih is on the night before Eid is announced.
Should I pray witr with the mosque if I plan to pray tahajjud later?
Scholars differ. Many say pray witr with the imam to get the reward of the full night in congregation, and pray tahajjud later without repeating witr. Others prefer to leave witr until after tahajjud, since witr is the last prayer of the night (Sahih al-Bukhari 998). Both are accepted; choose one and ask a scholar if unsure.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 37 (whoever stands in Ramadan with faith and hope)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 2012 (the Prophet led the night prayer in the mosque, then stayed away fearing it be made obligatory)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 2010 (Umar gathers the people behind Ubayy ibn Ka'b)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 998 (make witr the last of your night prayer)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 645; Sahih Muslim 650 (congregation)