Sermons During the Taraweeh

 

Al ‘Allaamah Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked:

In Kuwait, we have a sermon after four Rak’ahs of Salaatul Qiyaam, is this permissible? If it is permissible, how should this sermon be given?

He responded:   My opinion is that you should not do it.

Firstly: It is not from the guidance of the Salaf.

Secondly: Some people may want to pray Tahajjud and return home, and doing so may be a hindrance for them because it forces them to listen to the sermon. If a sermon is not accepted, its harm is greater than its benefit, this is why the Prophet - صلى الله عليه وسلم – used to draw the companions he used to give sermons to, he wouldn’t burden them and be repetitive.

So I see that leaving it is better. If the Imaam would like to give a sermon, he should give it at the end, when the prayer is finished.

He was also asked: What is the ruling of constantly giving a sermon in the midst of Salaatul Taraweeh?

 

The Shaykh, may Allaah have mercy upon him, responded:

As for giving a sermon then no, because this is not from the guidance of the Salaf. But the Imaam may give a sermon if needed or if he would like to, after the Taraweeh. If he intends worship by doing so it is an innovation, and the sign that he intends worship by it, is that he continues doing it every night.

Furthermore we say; why my brother, are you giving a sermon to the people? Some people may have work to do and would like to finish the prayer so that they may have implemented the saying of the Messenger:

“Whoever stands in prayer with the Imaam until he finishes would receive the reward of a whole night in prayer.”

If you yourself love to give a sermon, and half of the people in the Masjid also love this, rather three quarters of them do, do not constrain one quarter of the people for the sake of three quarters. Didn’t the Messenger - صلى الله عليه وسلم – say:

“If one of you were to lead the prayer then make it light, for indeed there are weak, ill and people with needs praying behind you.”

Or as was stated by the Messenger - صلى الله عليه وسلم, meaning do not compare the people to yourself or to others who love the sermon, compare the people with what makes them at ease. Pray the Taraweeh with them, and if you finish and the people finish, then say what you wish.

 

We ask Allaah to bless us and you with beneficial knowledge, and righteous actions.

[Liqaa al baab al Maftooh: 118]

Al ‘Allaamah al Albaanee, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked: Is it permissible for the Imaam of the Masjid to give a sermon between Rak’ahs during Salaatul Taraweeh?

He responded: It can be permissible and it can be impermissible. If it is concerning drawing people’s attention to an immediate issue, warning them, ordering with good and forbidding from evil concerning it, then it is an obligation. As for it being taken as a habit that is always practiced, then this is contradictory to the Sunnah.

[Silsilat al Hudaa wan Noor: 656]

He also said: The night prayer during Ramadaan was legislated in order to draw closer to Allaah the Mighty and Majestic with prayer, this is why I do not see that Salaatul Taraweeh should be mixed with knowledge or teaching and so on, Salaatul Qiyaam should be the only worship performed. As for knowledge, then it has its time, and it is not specified to any specific time, rather the best interest of the students should be taken into consideration.

This is the basis, and I intend by is to clarify that whoever makes a habit out of teaching people between every four Rak’ahs during Salaatul Qiyaam for example, then this is a newly innovated matter that contradicts the Sunnah.

[Silsilat al Huda wan Noor: 693]

comment:

This makes it difficult for people especially during the last ten nights when they want to come pray Qiyam al-layl in a few hours. What's really bad is when these masajid hold fund raisers or have a guest speaker raise money for his cause, between the taraweeh prayers.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dawaah/message/2133