Muslim Scholar Approves Remote Tarawih Prayers During Ramadan Lockdown

"Performing the Tarawih prayer by following an imam remotely is not prohibited by Sharia, if we refer to the evidence that supports it. Its acceptance is justified by Muslims who do not master the recitation of the Quran and cannot find an imam to lead the communal prayers. So I have no doubt that their prayers with a remote imam are preferable to renunciation, deprivation or performing this prayer inappropriately," said Ahmed Raissouni, President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (UIOM), in a recent article.

For him, this prayer is even more valid for the one who can perform it and read the Quran alone, or the one who can be led by someone living with him. "In any case, supererogatory prayers with a remote imam remain valid," he argued. To support his argument, Ahmed Raissouni cites the Nawafil prayers and voluntary fasting, which have facilities and authorizations regulated by Sharia to encourage the faithful to practice them frequently.

"Originally, the Tarawih (Ramadan) prayers as well as the other supererogatory prayers were to be performed individually, without an imam or a group. These prayers do not require either gathering, rows, or an imam, as is the case for the communal prayer or Friday prayer," he recalls. This means that there is nothing wrong with the faithful being away from the imam as long as they benefit from his recitation of the Quran.

For the record, the Supreme Council of Ulema (CSO) has suspended supererogatory prayers in mosques during this health crisis period, in order to preserve "human life" which transcends "any other consideration, including communal nawafil prayers and any other act of worship".