Tarawih - to pray or not to pray in congregation

[ShiaMan14]

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) made a small room (with a palm leaf mat). Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out (of his house) and prayed in it. Some men came and joined him in his prayer. Then again the next night they came for the prayer, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) delayed and did not come out to them. So they raised their voices and knocked the door with small stones (to draw his attention). He came out to them in a state of anger, saying, "You are still insisting (on your deed, i.e. Tarawih prayer in the mosque) that I thought that this prayer (Tarawih) might become obligatory on you. So you people, offer this prayer at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home, except the compulsory (congregational) prayer."
Sahih al-Bukhari
Book 78, Hadith 140
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/78/140

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:
The Prophet (ﷺ) took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed in it for a few nights till the people gathered (to pray the night prayer (Tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not hear his voice and they thought he had slept, so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "You continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (Tarawih prayer) might be enjoined on you, and if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, O people! Perform your prayers at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer." (See Hadith No. 229,Vol. 3) (See Hadith No. 134, Vol. 8)
Sahih al-Bukhari
Book 96, Hadith 21
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/96/21

So the question is, whose sunnah is being followed when tarawih is prayed in congregation at mosques?

[zainabamy]

11 minutes ago, shiaman14 said:

So the question is, whose sunnah is being followed when tarawih is prayed in congregation at mosques?

Sadly the Sunnah of Umar ibn al Khattab and yet people defend it! Its mad! 

[sunnilove2hussain]

Well I am not praying it in the congregation this year. I however, am following salat al layl found on al Islam . Org . Is this alone enough to compensate the Sunni tarawih or do shias have more? If there is please tell me.

Edited June 8, 2016 by sunnilove2hussain

[ShiaMan14]

21 minutes ago, sunnilove2hussain said:

Well I am not praying it in the congregation this year. I however, am following salat al layl found on al Islam . Org . Is this alone enough to compensate the Sunni tarawih or do shias have more? If there is please tell me.

Shias are recommended to pray 51 rakats per day.

17 wajib rakats of course (fajr, zuhr, asr, maghrib, isha). Then:

The Mustahab (recommended) prayers are as follows: 
1. 8 rakats nafilah for Zuhr 
2. 8 rakats nafilah for Asr 
3. 4 rakats nafilah for Maghrib 
4. 2 rakats nafilah for Isha 
5. 11 rakats nafilah for Salaat-ul-Layt (Night Prayers / Tahajjud) 
6. 2 rakats nafilah for fajr 

As an obligatory precaution, the Nafilah for Isha prayers should be offered while sitting, and therefore its 2 Rak'ats are counted as one. But on Friday, 4 Rak'ats are added to the 16 Rak'ats of the Zuhr and the Asr Nafilah, and it is preferable that all these 20 Rak'ats are offered before the Zuhr sets in.

[Muslim2010]

1 hour ago, shiaman14 said:

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) made a small room (with a palm leaf mat). Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out (of his house) and prayed in it. Some men came and joined him in his prayer. Then again the next night they came for the prayer, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) delayed and did not come out to them. So they raised their voices and knocked the door with small stones (to draw his attention). He came out to them in a state of anger, saying, "You are still insisting (on your deed, i.e. Tarawih prayer in the mosque) that I thought that this prayer (Tarawih) might become obligatory on you. So you people, offer this prayer at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home, except the compulsory (congregational) prayer."
Sahih al-Bukhari
Book 78, Hadith 140
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/78/140

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:
The Prophet (ﷺ) took a room made of date palm leaves mats in the mosque. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed in it for a few nights till the people gathered (to pray the night prayer (Tarawih) (behind him.) Then on the 4th night the people did not hear his voice and they thought he had slept, so some of them started humming in order that he might come out. The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "You continued doing what I saw you doing till I was afraid that this (Tarawih prayer) might be enjoined on you, and if it were enjoined on you, you would not continue performing it. Therefore, O people! Perform your prayers at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is what is performed at his home except the compulsory congregational) prayer." (See Hadith No. 229,Vol. 3) (See Hadith No. 134, Vol. 8)
Sahih al-Bukhari
Book 96, Hadith 21
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/96/21

So the question is, whose sunnah is being followed when tarawih is prayed in congregation at mosques?

These hadith mention the night prayer which is not Traweeh but Tahajud prayer which are offered individually and not in congregation. The sunnah of the prophet Muhammad is not followed but the sunnah of pseudo prophet Umar bin khatab is followed. (Umar would be the prophet after Muhammad,  I remember it).

1 hour ago, shiaman14 said:

Shias are recommended to pray 51 rakats per day.

17 wajib rakats of course (fajr, zuhr, asr, maghrib, isha). Then:

The Mustahab (recommended) prayers are as follows: 
1. 8 rakats nafilah for Zuhr 
2. 8 rakats nafilah for Asr 
3. 4 rakats nafilah for Maghrib 
4. 2 rakats nafilah for Isha 
5. 11 rakats nafilah for Salaat-ul-Layt (Night Prayers / Tahajjud) 
6. 2 rakats nafilah for fajr 

As an obligatory precaution, the Nafilah for Isha prayers should be offered while sitting, and therefore its 2 Rak'ats are counted as one. But on Friday, 4 Rak'ats are added to the 16 Rak'ats of the Zuhr and the Asr Nafilah, and it is preferable that all these 20 Rak'ats are offered before the Zuhr sets in.

 Narrated Abu Salma bin ‘Abdur Rahman:
I asked ‘Aisha, “How is the prayer of Allah’s Apostle during the month of Ramadan.” She said, “Allah’s Apostle never exceeded eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in other months; [i.e. throughout whole year] he used to offer four Rakat– do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four Rakat, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three Rakat.” Aisha further said, “I said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Do you sleep before offering the Witr prayer?’ He replied, ‘O ‘Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake’!” 
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 21, Number 248

“Abdullah Ibn Umar (the son of Umar Ibn Khattab) did not pray Tarawih with people in the Mosque, but he used to offer them individually at home”.
Encyclopedia of Fiqhs, Volume 7, Under the topic of ‘Fiqh of Abdullah Ibn Umar’

Edited June 8, 2016 by skamran110

[Sirius_Bright]

1 hour ago, sunnilove2hussain said:

Well I am not praying it in the congregation this year. I however, am following salat al layl found on al Islam . Org . Is this alone enough to compensate the Sunni tarawih or do shias have more? If there is please tell me.

Good bhai. We have exclusive salaat for every night in the month of Ramadhan. Please refer to Mafatih ul Jinan. Its Mustahab prayers. 

[ShiaMan14]

43 minutes ago, skamran110 said:

These hadith mention the night prayer which is not Traweeh but Tahajud prayer which are offered individually and not in congregation. The sunnah of the prophet Muhammad is not followed but the sunnah of pseudo prophet Umar bin khatab is followed. (Umar would be the prophet after Muhammad,  I remember it).

You are 100% correct. The word tarawih did not exist during the time of the Prophet and the hadith actually refers to tahajud prayers.