Islam Question and Answer - He cannot pray Taraaweeh in the mosque because he is busy looking after his daughter

Sat 4/12/1430 - 21/11/2009

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» The best kinds of animals for udhiyah.

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» The age that the animal should have reached for hadiy and udhiyah.

» He hastened and did the farewell tawaaf then he was forced to go back to Mina and stay there overnight.

» Conditions of udhiyah.

» It is mustahabb to fast the first eight days of Dhu’l-Hijjah for pilgrims and others.

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Principles of Fiqh » Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings » Acts of Worship » Fasting » Taraaweeh prayers and Laylat al-Qadar

He cannot pray Taraaweeh in the mosque because he is busy looking after his daughter

I come back from job at 6.30pm & then take care of my child which is eight years old. My wife & younger son went back home to see her mother which is in life & death sitaution. In this case i cannot go mosque for taravee. Pls guide me about this taravee. I never go for taravee but this ramadan i had plan. But unforunately my wife went back for two months.

Praise be to Allaah.

Taraaweeh prayer is Sunnah for which the one who does it will be rewarded, but the one who does not do it will not be punished. So there is nothing wrong with your not praying Taraaweeh with the congregation. Allaah knows the soundness of your intention and you may be rewarded even though you do not attend these naafil prayers, especially since you are not being negligent by not praying it. Indeed sometimes a person may be kept busy with something that is more important, such as one who takes care of an elderly mother or orphan children who need to be looked after at such times. A person may be rewarded more if he is distracted from it by a good deed that needs to be done at that time.

There is nothing wrong with praying Taraaweeh at home if you are unable to go to the mosque.

It is not necessary to pray a specific number of rak’ahs, rather you should pray as many as you can manage. The Sunnah is to pray eleven rak’ahs – see Question no. 9036. If you pray two rak’ahs that is better than not praying. We ask Allaah to compensate you with good for what you have missed and to record for you a reward that is greater than your praying Taraaweeh.

Your letting your wife go and visit her mother and your taking care of your daughter are two great deeds for which you will be rewarded in sha Allaah. See the answer to question no. 37742.

But we would like to draw your attention to two important matters:

1 – It is haraam for your wife to travel on her own to your country without a mahram. See the answer to question no, 316 and 9370.

2 – The ruling on staying in a kaafir country.

See the answer to question no, 11793 and 14235.

And Allaah knows best.

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid