The months in the Islamic Calendar start after sunset on the last day of the previous month. So, InshaAllhah, the blessed month of Ramadan will start after sunset (Maghrib)

today.

This means that Taraweeh prayers should start today after Ishaa prayer.

Taraweeh prayer is not Fard (obligatory), but nafle, and each brother can perform it with his family Jamaa at home. It is not mandatory to perform Taraweeh in twenty rakaas and each brother can perform it in the number that he sees suitable for him and for his family.

The Prophet (PBUH) used to perform the night prayer in just eight rakaas plus three as Witre, meaning the total of rakaas will be eleven. Any brother can do the same, especially if he has little children who wouldn’t be able to perform many rakaas.

Each brother can also lead his family in Taraweeh prayer even if he is not memorizing many surahs by reciting directly from Quran itself.

Of course, if any brother has a son who is attending Hifz classes, either on a daily basis or only during the weekend, he can let him lead Taraweeh prayer even if he’s as little as seven years old. It is recommended that the father leads the Fard prayers and let the son leads only Taraweeh prayer.

The reason is that they’re different opinions among the scholars concerning letting children who haven’t reached puberty to lead Fard prayers. So it is safer to let the little children lead only Taraweeh prayer.

There was an incident that happened during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) in which people of a neighborhood in Mdinah came to him saying that they don’t have any hafiz except a seven years old boy. The Prophet (PBUH) gave them permission to let the boy leads the prayer for them.

We pray to Allah SWT to bestow, during the blessed month of Ramadan, His Mercy, and Forgiveness upon us, our families, and all the Muslims and to accept our fasting and prayers.

Sayed Abutaleb.