To offer ideas and methods to get the most out of the last ten nights of Ramadan.

What is mustahabb during the nights of Ramadan is to spend them in qiyaam, prayer and worship, and to single out the last ten nights for extra worship and striving, seeking forgiveness and mercy and seeking Laylat al-Qadr which is better than a thousand months. 

Moreover, Taraaweeh prayer is regarded as a kind of Qiyaam al-layl and they call it Taraweeh because people take brief breaks between rak’ahs. Hence the matter is broad in scope, and it is permissible for a person to pray whatever he wants of rak’ahs, at whatever time of the night he wants. 


 


The fuqaha’ said: Taraweeh is the qiyaam (Qiyaam al-layl) of Ramadan. Hence it is best to spend most of the night in it, because it is Qiyaam al-layl. End quote. 

The time for Taraaweeh prayer is from after ‘Isha’ prayer until dawn comes.

There is no specific number of rak’ahs for Taraaweeh prayer, rather it is permissible to do a little or a lot.

🔷The scholars of the Standing Committee said: Taraweeh prayer is eleven or thirteen rak‘ahs, saying the tasleem after each two rak‘ahs, and praying Witr at the end (with one rak‘ah) is referable, following the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But if anyone prays with twenty or more rak‘ahs, there is nothing wrong with that, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The night prayers are two (rak‘ahs) by two, then if one of you fears that dawn is about to break, he should pray one rak‘ah, so as to make what he has prayed odd-numbered.” Agreed upon. So he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not specify a particular number of rak‘ahs.

End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, vol. 1 (7/198) 

Tarweeh itself is not compulsory, but 


one should say it if he/she can.

 

Praying qiyaam is the best act of worship that a person can do on Laylat al-Qadr. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1901; Muslim, 760). 

Staying up at night is not only for prayer, rather it includes all kinds of acts of worship. This is how the scholars interpreted it, such as:  

1️⃣-Reading or reciting Qur’aan. 

2️⃣-Dhikr – such as saying Subhaan-Allaah, La ilaaha illa-Allaah, al-Hamdu Lillaah, etc. She can repeat the words “Subhaan-Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah, wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar (Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god but Allaah and Allaah is Most Great)” and “Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdihi, subhaan Allaah il-‘Azeem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah the Almighty)” etc.

3️⃣-Istighfaar (praying for forgiveness), by repeating the phrase “Astaghfir-Allaah (I ask Allaah for forgiveness).”

4️⃣-Du’aa’ (supplication) – she/he can pray to Allaah and ask Him for what is good in this world and in the Hereafter, for du’aa’ is one of the best acts of worship.