What is the meaning of the Arabic word Taraweeh?
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim – meaning of the Arabic word Taraweeh: Qiyam in Ramadan is called Salatut Tarabeeh or Tarabi prayers. Taraweeh means to relax. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray 4 Rakats and take a break and rest a little, then he would pray 4 rak’ahs again, so his name became Taraweeh prayer. And the proof of resting 4 Rakats in a row is the hadith of mother Ayesha.
Narrated by Abu Salamah Ibn Abdur Rahman
He asked Aisha, “How was the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the month of Ramadan?” Aisha (RA) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not pray more than eleven rak’ahs in the month of Ramadan and at other times (at night). He used to pray four Rak’ats. Don’t ask me about the beauty and length of that prayer. Then he would pray four Rakats, do not ask me about its beauty and length. Then he would pray three Rakats (witr). Aisha (R) said, (Once) I asked, O Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before Vitr? He said: My eyes sleep, but my heart does not sleep.
Sahih Bukhari Hadith No. 1148
This hadith means that he recited the first 4 Rakats of prayer at a time. That is, after praying 2 Rakats, he would immediately perform 2 Rakats again. Then he would sit and take a break. Then he would get up and perform 2 Rakats of prayer again and then immediately perform 2 Rakats again. And then he would sit down again and take a little break and at the end, he would recite 3 Rakats of Vitr. From here, the Salaf have adopted this method in the case of 11 Rakat prayers, and so they first take 4 Rakat prayers in 2 salam and relax a little. Then he prayed 4 rak’ats in 2 salam and finally 3 rak’ats of Vitr.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the tawfiq to properly understand the issues and perform the Taraweeh prayers correctly. Allahumma Amin.