Former Minister Abdul Bari Jahani Calls Tarawih Prayer a 'Bid'ah'

Abdul Bari Jahani, former minister of information and culture during Afghanistan's republic era and known as the poet of the national anthem, stated that the Tarawih prayer is a 'bid'ah' and is not specifically mentioned in the Quran or Hadiths.

In a video clip, Jahani said the Tarawih prayer, referred to as the 'sixth prayer,' was introduced later and attributed to Umar bin Khattab, the second caliph of Muslims. He described performing it as a sin.

Jahani further claimed that during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the caliphate of Abu Bakr Siddiq, the Tarawih prayer was not performed in its current form.

The statements have elicited widespread reactions on social media. Some users and clerics rejected Jahani's view, stating that the Tarawih prayer is performed based on Islamic narrations during Ramadan and that its congregational form became common during Umar bin Khattab's caliphate.

Other users defended raising such topics in public discourse, viewing them as part of religious discussions.