Should they pray Taraweeh in the mosque even though the people there insist on some innovations?

Question: 108506

We have a problem with some of the common folk because when the imam says the salaam at the end of two rak’ahs of qiyaam [Taraweeh], they raise their voices in saying tasbeeh (“Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdihi Subhaan Allaah al-‘Azeem/Glory and praise be to Allah, glory to Allah the Almighty”), and they do this between each two rak’ahs until the imam finishes the prayer, then they all recite a certain du’aa’ and a certain wird. Some of the brothers have tried to inform the people, adhering in that to wisdom and gentleness, and quoting evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah that this action of theirs is contrary to the Sunnah and that it is not the way of the Salaf. But they did not respond to the truth and they persisted in that. What should we do? Should we leave them or should we stay with them and remind them from time to time? Please note that they are insisting on their action and the matter is getting very serious, as many people have stopped praying Taraweeh in the mosques on the grounds that it is Sunnah accompanied by bid’ah and that warding off bad things takes precedence over doing good things. Please advise us, may Allah preserve you.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

In the answer to question number 50718, we stated that what some people do of reciting dhikr in unison after every two rak’ahs of Taraweeh is an innovation which was not done by the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or by any of his Companions.

You have done well to teach the people the Sunnah and denounce innovation. What they should have done is return to the teaching of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which is the best and most perfect of guidance.

You should continue to pray with them and call them to the Sunnah, and you will find, with Allaah’s help, some who accept the truth and are keen to follow it, even if others reject it. “But if these disbelieve therein (the Book, Al‑Hukm and Prophethood), then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people (such as the Companions of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) who are not disbelievers therein” [al-An’aam 6:89].

But if you find that the people in the mosque are stubborn and arrogant and reject the truth, then if you can pray in another mosque where the people are keen to follow the Sunnah and to avoid innovation, that is better. But if that is not possible, then your praying in this mosque is good, and you have done what is required of you and perhaps they will be guided. “(The preachers) said: ‘In order to be free from guilt before your Lord (Allaah), and perhaps they may fear Allaah’” [al-A’raaf 7:164].

If the followers of the Sunnah were to forsake the mosque because of such innovations, that would be a cause of innovation increasing and becoming more widespread, and it would lead to the Sunnah being erased and dying out. So you have to pray in the mosque and explain the Sunnah to the people, adhering in that to the advice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to be kind and gentle to the one who is ignorant.

May Allah help you to do all that is good.

And Allah knows best.

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