Naeem's Blog

I know, I know, Ramadan is over. But my RinR series lives on! Woohoo!

So far I've written on the buildup to Ramadan, the Saudi Shift in the schedule, and the activities during Iftar time.

This last post will be about the Tarawih prayers.

I’m not sure if I’ve said this before or not, but one of the best things about Riyadh is the easy accessibility to Masjids. They’re everywhere.

If the time for prayer has arrived and you don’t see a masjid off the main road, a simple turn into a side street is sure to find you a smaller local masjid.

Guaranteed.

And during Ramadan, almost every single one of these masjids is offering Tarawih prayers. This plethora of praying places provides you with a vast array of styles and settings.

Some recite quickly while others are slower.
Some pray longer while others are shorter.
Some masjids are overflowing while others barely complete the first row.
Some offer water and tea while others have only tissues.
One popular masjid even has space setup on the open rooftop with overhanging pipes spraying cool mist onto the congregation!

But the true highlight of the Tarawih prayers is the abundance of beautiful reciters of the Quran. Riyadh definitely is not lacking in that department. There are the big name Imams, such as Adil Kalbani, Yasir Dossari, and Nasir Qitami. Thousands flock to their massive masjids creating a special aura that only Ramadan can provide.

And then there are the gems found in the smaller community masjids. Many a time I’ve found myself driving around the side streets with my windows rolled down, listening for a recitation that catches my heart.

But I have one true love when it comes to Tarawih prayers. His name is Muhammad Al-Heedan and his recitation goes straight to my core. Here’s his amazing recitation of Sura Muhammad (wait for him to 'hit his note' around a minute into the recitation).

Another nice treat is the Qiyam-ul-Layl (Standing of the night), referring to the prayers made late into the night, an hour or so before Suhoor. In the last ten nights, almost all the masjids offer this special night prayer.

It’s a nice boost, a nice change of pace from the first twenty nights, a nice chance to get extra acts of worship before Ramadan finally leaves us.

And then there is the Witr prayer at the end of the Tarawih, punctuated with its beautiful dua’a. Every night ends with a beautiful supplication. Some Imams get very emotional, squeezing out tears from even the hardest of hearts, giving one a sense of spiritual refreshness and a lighter heart.

I really love the Tarawih prayers in Riyadh.

PS. Unique Muslimah has also a very nice post on Tarawih prayers in Cairo. A nice read.

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Ramadan in Riyadh (RinR) - The Arrival
RinR - The Saudi Schedule Shift
RinR - Iftar Time
RinR - Tarawih prayers