Completing 20 Rakahs of Taraweeh with the Imaam

28-11-2001 | IslamWeb

Question:

If the Imam is praying 20 (Twenty) Rakah in Taraweeh prayer, can I leave Jamaath after completing 8 (eight) Rakah or do I have to complete 20 (twenty) Rakah with Imam. Could you answer my question as soon as possible, please?

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

It is better for the one who prays with a congregation not to leave before his Imaam, for the Hadeeth narrated by At-Tirmithi from Abu Tharr that the Prophet , said: "Whoever stays with his Imaam until the latter leaves, he is given the reward of a Qiyaam of a (whole) night".
But whoever leaves before that, he does not commit anything bad because theTaraweeh prayer is Sunnah and not obligatory.
Allaah knows best.