Tarawih is an emphasised Sunnah for men and women. Leaving it is not itself sinful, but praying it sincerely for Allah carries great reward.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

Meaning: Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward will have their previous sins forgiven. Al-Bukhari 2009. Faith and seeking reward mean believing Allah's promise and praying for His reward, not for show or merely because others are doing so.

This promise is not permission to persist in sin. Major sins require repentance, and the rights of other people do not disappear merely through night prayer. Other texts concerning expiation are qualified by avoiding major sins, as in Muslim 233.

Tarawih is not a condition of a valid fast. Someone who fasts but does not pray Tarawih has a valid fast if its conditions are met. Missing Tarawih does not require making up that fast or paying an expiation.

The Prophet led people in the mosque on several nights of Ramadan, then did not come out to lead them on the fourth night. He explained:

Meaning: But I feared it would be made obligatory for you and you would be unable to fulfil it. Al-Bukhari 2012, excerpt. He stopped leading it regularly because of that concern, not because congregational prayer was impermissible.

During Umar's caliphate, he gathered people behind Ubayy ibn Kab, after they had been praying separately or in small groups. Al-Bukhari 2010. After the Prophet's death, revelation had ended and the possibility of this prayer becoming obligatory had passed. Umar therefore brought people together for an established Sunnah; he did not invent a new prayer.

His description of this arrangement as a good new practice, using the word bidah, is understood in its linguistic sense, not as introducing worship Allah had not prescribed, as Ibn Baz explained. It cannot be used to justify inventing religious rituals.

Tarawih is prayed after performing Isha and before true dawn. It is not prayed before Isha, and its time does not end at midnight. Aishah described the Prophet's prayer between finishing Isha and dawn, with salam after each two rakahs and a single rakah for Witr. Muslim 736.

Pray the two-rakah Sunnah of Isha after the obligatory prayer's remembrances and before Tarawih, as Ibn Baz recommended. Tarawih remains valid if you miss this Sunnah prayer; it is not a condition of Tarawih.

Tarawih may be prayed early or late at night, and part of the night prayer may be offered after Isha with more offered later. For someone able to attend the mosque congregation, joining it is preferable even if they usually pray at another time.

Tarawih and Tahajjud are both night prayer. What people call the prayer of the last ten nights does not have a different set of pillars. Some scholars use Tahajjud specifically for prayer after sleeping. For more, see Qiyam al-Layl and Tahajjud: Time, Method and Rakahs.

Pray two rakahs at a time, ending each pair with salam. The Prophet said:

Meaning: Night prayer is two by two. If someone fears dawn is approaching, they pray one rakah to make their prayer odd-numbered. Al-Bukhari 990.

If praying alone, make wudu, face the qiblah, cover the required parts of the body and intend the prayer in your heart without a spoken intention formula. Begin with the opening takbir, recite al-Fatihah and what you can from the Quran, and complete the bowing, prostration and sitting properly. Recite the tashahhud and end the pair with salam. Repeat according to your ability, then finish with Witr if you have not already prayed it.

Behind an imam, follow him without moving ahead of him and maintain the prayer's remembrances and tranquillity. Under Ibn Baz's ruling, quietly recite al-Fatihah, then listen to the imam, with the exceptions explained in the questions below. For the details of a rakah and its remembrances, see How to Pray Salah Correctly Step by Step.

Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:

Meaning: The Messenger of Allah did not exceed eleven rakahs in Ramadan or outside it. Al-Bukhari 1147, excerpt. Ibn Abbas also reported that the Prophet prayed thirteen rakahs at night. Muslim 764.

According to Ibn Baz's preferred ruling, eleven or thirteen rakahs including Witr are best, with good recitation and tranquillity. Eleven may be eight followed by three for Witr, or ten followed by one for Witr. It does not mean eleven Tarawih rakahs followed by an additional Witr.

Eleven is not, however, an absolute maximum that may never be exceeded. The Prophet explained that night prayer is two by two without giving the questioner such a limit. Scholars have allowed twenty rakahs followed by Witr and other totals. In his commentary after hadith 806, al-Tirmidhi recorded the practice of scholars who prayed twenty.

Someone praying twenty followed by three for Witr should not be condemned. Someone praying eight followed by Witr follows an established form of the Prophet's practice. Someone able to manage only two followed by Witr should not give up prayer because they think Tarawih needs a large number. The permitted range should not become a reason for quarrelling in the congregation.

Allah says:

Meaning: The believers have succeeded, those who are humble in their prayers. Al-Muminun 23:1-2.

Khushu means a humble, attentive heart before Allah. Tranquillity, or tumaninah, is settling in the physical pillars of prayer, and it is not optional. The Prophet told a man who had not performed the prayer properly to repeat it, then taught him to be settled in bowing, prostrating and sitting. Al-Bukhari 757.

Shorter recitation is permitted. Rushing through bowing and prostration or moving between the pillars without tranquillity is not. The imam should consider the congregation's ability, with clear recitation and correct prayer, rather than aim to complete the rakah count as quickly as possible.

Tarawih is voluntary, but it still has conditions and essential acts. See Conditions, Pillars and Obligatory Acts of Salah for those distinctions.

The Prophet said:

Meaning: Whoever prays with the imam until he finishes has the prayer of a night recorded for them. Al-Tirmidhi 806, which he graded hasan sahih.

Finish the prayer with the imam, including Witr, to seek this promised reward. This means completing his prayer, not waiting until he leaves the mosque. Leaving after some rakahs is permitted because the prayer is voluntary, but the promise quoted here concerns finishing with him.

Someone who wants to pray again later may complete Witr with the imam, then pray in pairs without another Witr. The Prophet said:

Meaning: There are no two Witrs in one night. Abu Dawud 1439, authenticated by al-Albani. Ibn Baz preferred completing Witr with the imam, then praying again later if desired, with the first Witr being sufficient.

For Witr's forms and Qunut, see Rawatib Sunnah Prayers and Witr.

No particular surahs are assigned to each Tarawih rakah. After al-Fatihah, recite what is manageable, including the short surahs you know. Completing the Quran in prayer is recommended by scholars when possible while considering the congregation, but it is not a condition of valid Tarawih. A full juz every night is not required.

Ibn Baz allowed reading from a mushaf when needed in Ramadan night prayer. Limited memorisation need not stop you praying.

Qunut in Witr is supplication within Witr, not a dua required after each pair of Tarawih rakahs. An established supplication taught by the Prophet to Hasan ibn Ali begins with asking Allah to guide him among those He has guided: "Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayt." Abu Dawud 1425. Ibn Baz explained that Qunut may be recited every night or left on some nights; it is not a condition of valid Witr. Followers say amin to the imam's supplication, and the imam should avoid unnecessary length that burdens people.

No assigned remembrance is established after every two or four Tarawih rakahs, and a coordinated group chant between them should not be introduced. During a rest, someone may remember Allah, make dua or recite without assigning a special formula or count as a Tarawih Sunnah.

After the salam of Witr, say:

Meaning: Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy. Al-Nasai 1699 records the three repetitions; the remembrance itself is also in Abu Dawud 1430, authenticated by al-Albani. It belongs after Witr, not as an assigned remembrance between Tarawih rakahs.