Uthaimeen on the Innovation of Giving Reminders Without a Need During Taraweeh and Imprisoning People by Doing So
May 27, 2018 § Leave a comment
Questioner: What is the ruling on always giving reminders between the Taraweeh prayer or at the middle of praying them?
Uthaimeen: As for reminders, then no, because this is not from the Salaf’s guidance, but he can admonish them if there is a need for it or after the Taraweeh, and if his intention in doing that is that it is an act of worship then it is an innovation, and the sign which shows whether it is an act of worship is that he does it every night. Additionally, I say, why, my brother, are you giving the people a reminder?
Maybe some people have something they need to do, and they are eager to finish the Taraweeh along with the Imaam and then depart with him so that they will have implemented the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, ‘Whoever stands in prayer with the Imaam until he leaves then it is recorded for him that he prayed the whole night.’
And if it is the case that you love reminders and half the people do too, or even three quarters of the people do, then don’t imprison the other quarter due to the love those three quarters have for it. Didn’t the Prophet ﷺ say, “When any one of you leads the people in prayer, he should be brief for behind him are the young, the aged, the weak and the sick,” or words to that effect ﷺ, i.e., don’t gauge the people according to yourself or to other people who love talks and reminders, [rather] gauge them according to what will give them relief—lead them in Taraweeh and then when you’ve finished and have ended your prayer and the people have too, then say what you want.
Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh, no. 118.
Also see Shaikh al-Albaani’s answers here and here, and another of Shaikh Uthaimeen’s answers here.
Gifts of Knowledge 
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