“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to serve Me.” In Islam, the sole source of acts of worship is the Quran. In narrations, the reason given for the Prophet's abandonment of leading the Tarawih prayer is expressed as his fear that this prayer might become obligatory. However, from a Quranic perspective, it is inconceivable that a messenger would object to or feel fear regarding Allah's ruling on acts of worship. Because: Allah consults no one when making rulings: "And He shares His governance with no one." (Al-Kahf 18:26) The Messenger submits wholeheartedly to Allah's ruling: "Indeed, Allah commands what He wills." (Al-Ma'idah 5:1) A messenger does not shy away from Allah's command — on the contrary, he is the exemplary person who fulfills it completely. For this reason, the claim that the Prophet acted out of fear or hesitation contradicts both the Quranic verses and the mission of messengers. The Quran explains the act of prayer in detail, yet contains no information regarding Tarawih prayer. The Prophet only conveyed and practiced the acts of worship declared in the Quran:
"I only follow what is revealed to me." (Al-An'am 6:50) "And follow what is revealed to you from your Lord." (Al-Ahzab 33:2) Tarawih prayer is a practice outside the daily prayers specified in the Quran, and since it is not found in the Quran, claims that the Prophet performed it are debatable. Contradictions in the Hadiths The hadiths contain conflicting accounts regarding Tarawih prayer — it is narrated that it was performed as:
- 11 rak'ahs
- 13 rak'ahs
- 23 rak'ahs This situation demonstrates that it was not a standardized practice of worship. Furthermore, differences among the legal schools also open to debate whether this prayer qualifies as Sunnah. According to the Shafi'i school, it is not considered appropriate for a person who owes makeup prayers to perform voluntary prayers, whereas the Hanafi school places emphasis on Tarawih prayer. Inconsistencies in the Diyanet's Practices The practices of the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) have also been subject to criticism. For example:
- Beard: According to the Hanafi school, the length of the beard must be at least four fingers. However, the beard of the President of Diyanet does not conform to this measure.
- Turban and robe: According to the Sunnah, the back of the turban should be five fingers in length and the robe should be plain. However, today expensive garments that do not meet these criteria are preferred. This situation reveals the inconsistencies in the schools' understanding of the Sunnah and the contradictions in their practices. Conclusion The source of Islam is the Quran. The Prophet is the implementer of the Quran and adheres to Allah's revelation. The narrations regarding Tarawih prayer reflect a situation that contradicts the rulings in the Quran and the mission of the Messenger. For this reason:
- In acts of worship, only the commands found in the Quran should be taken into consideration.
- Rather than making rulings based on contradictory narrations filled with inter-school differences, the guidance of the Quran should be taken as the foundation.
"We have not neglected in the Register a single thing." (Al-An'am 6:38) This verse demonstrates that the Quran — the source of Islam — contains all the knowledge necessary for servitude. Revisiting practices outside the Quran is necessary for a return to the essence of Islam.
