Traditionally, in each tarwīhah, the mustahab break between each set of four rak’ahs of the Tarāwīh prayer, the Muslims of different regions, especially in Makkah and Madīnah, observed different acts of worship.  The Muslims in Makkah used to make tawāf of the Ka’bah during each tarwīhah, whereas those in Madīnah, unable to make tawāf, would pray an additional four rak’ahs instead.

However, during the tarwīhah (rest), a person may recite the Qur’ān, tasbīh (Subhān Allāh), tahmīd (Alhamdulillāh), tahlīl (Lā ilāha illallāh), pray nawāfil individually, send durūd (blessings) on the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, or simply remain silent.  This is mentioned by the fuqahā’ and ‘ulamā’ in their books, including al-Mabsūt,[1] al-Muhīt al-Burhānī,[2] Badā’i’ al-Ṣanā’i’,[3]Mukhtārāt al-Nawāzil,[4] al-Fatāwā al-Tātārkhāniyyah,[5] Ghunyat al-Mutamallī,[6] Nihāyat al-Murād,[7]Fath Bāb al-‘Ināyah,[8] Majma’ al-Anhur,[9] Imdād al-Ahkām,[10] and Fatāwā Rahīmiyyah.[11]

Surprisingly, none of the abovementioned books mention any masnūn or mustahabb du‘ā’ for the tarwīhah (rest), including the du‘ā’ commonly read by Muslims in several Masjids, many of which advertise the du‘ā’ on large printed banners.  This du‘ā’, commonly known as the “Tarāwīh Du‘ā’,” is as follows:

سُبْحانَ ذِي الْمُلْكِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ سُبْحانَ ذِي الْعِزَّةِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ وَالْهَيْبَةِ وَالْقُدْرَةِ وَالْكِبْرِياءِ وَالْجَبَرُوْتِ سُبْحانَ الْمَلِكِ الْحَيِّ الَّذِيْ لا يَنامُ وَلا يَمُوتُ سُبُّوْحٌ قُدُّوْسٌ رَبُّنا وَرَبُّ المْلائِكَةِ وَالرُّوْحِ اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنا مِنَ النّارِ يا مُجيرُ يا مُجيرُ يا مُجيرُ

Exalted is the Possessor of the hidden and the manifest dominion.  Exalted is the Possessor of Might, Greatness, Reverence, Power, Pride, and Majesty.  Exalted is the Master, the Living, the one who neither sleeps nor dies.  All-perfect, All-holy, Our Lord, and the Lord of the angels and the souls.  O Allāh, grant us refuge from the Hellfire.  O Granter of refuge, O Granter of refuge, O Granter of refuge.

Unfortunately, a thorough search of the books of ahādīth, tafāsīr, fiqh, etc. did not reveal a single mention of this du‘ā’ anywhere.

Apparently, the basis for any specific du‘ā’ for the tarwīhah stems from Imām Ibn ‘Ābidīn mentioning in Radd al-Muhtār [13] that one should recite the following du‘ā’ three times:

سُبْحانَ ذِي الْمُلْكِ وَالْمَلَكُوْتِ سُبْحانَ ذِي الْعِزَّةِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ وَالْقُدْرَةِ وَالْكِبْرِياءِ وَالْجَبَرُوْتِ سُبْحانَ الْمَلِكِ الحَيِّ الَّذِي لا يَمُوْتُ سُبُّوْحٌ قُدُّوْسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلائِكَةِ وَالرُّوْحِ لا إلَهَ إلاَّ اللهُ نَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَنَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ النّارِ

Exalted is the Possessor of the hidden and the manifest dominion.  Exalted is the Possessor of Might, Greatness, Power, Pride, and Majesty.  Exalted is the Master, the Living, the one who does not die.  All-perfect, All-holy, Our Lord, and the Lord of the angels and the souls.  There is no god except Allāh.  We ask Him for forgiveness, we ask Him for Paradise, and we seek refuge in Him from the fire.

Surprisingly, even Imām Ibn ‘Ābidīn did not quote the (exact) words of the (famous) “Tarāwīh Du‘ā’” (which is printed on banners).  In Ṭawāli’ al-Anwār,[12] Imām ‘Ābid al-Sindhī has also narrated the same words as Imām Ibn ‘Ābidīn. Neither have claimed that the du‘ā’ they quote is sunnah or mustahabb.

Furthermore, both Imām Ibn ‘Ābidīn and Imām ‘Ābid al-Sindhī quote the du‘ā’ from Imām Quhustānī.  Imām Ibn ‘Ābidīn, when quoting Imām Quhustānī, states that the du‘ā’ is mentioned in Manhaj al-‘Ibād.  On the other hand, Imām ‘Ābid al-Sindhī quotes Imām Quhustānī mentioning Mafātīh al-‘Ibād as the source of the du‘ā’.  In Jāmi’ al-Rumūz,[13] Imām Quhustānī mentions the source of the du‘ā’ as Manāhij al-’Ībād.  Regardless of whether the correct name of the book is Manhaj al-‘Ibād, Manāhij al-‘Ibād, or Mafātīh al-‘Ibād, it is not a reliable book in establishing any preference for the recitation of this du‘ā’, let alone in each tarwīhah, nor does Imām Quhustānī, from whom others narrate, attach any special reward to it.

Therefore, it is incorrect to regard the “Tarāwīh Du‘ā” as sunnah or mustahab.

[Shaikh Abrar Mirza]

Hazrat Maulana Marghoob Ahmed Lajpoori (حفظه الله) writes:

“In these times people have exceed the boundaries concerning the “Tarāwīh Du‘ā’,”. Especially in Britain (and Trinidad), in many masaajid the “Tarāwīh Du‘ā’,” is printed on huge posters and hanged up on the wall of the Qiblah. However, the Fuqaha have stated that if people start to grant a mustahab act the status of a wajib act, then it must be abandoned. Here, the situation is that, forget the layman, even the ulama are devoted in reciting this Tasbih. It is also becoming a custom to recite it audibly and people are taking pleasure in it.

Firstly, it is very difficult to prove this Tasbih by hadith. Yes Allamah Shami did mention this Tasbih and then it found its way in our books of Fiqh and Fatwa. However, it is more rewarding to recite the duas and dhikrs that are narrated in the books of Hadith.

This is why, Hazrat Maulana Rashid Ahmed Gangohi’s (رحمة الله عليه) habit was to recite سبحان الله و الحمد لله ولا اله الا الله والله اكبر instead.

The late grand mufti of India, Hazrat Mufti Azizur Rahman has stated: “This humble one says that there are many virtues mentioned of the words سبحان الله و الحمد لله ولا اله الا الله والله اكبر in numerous authentic hadiths. Therefore to repeat these kalimaat (words) would be more virtuous. This was the habit and choice of Hazrat Muhaddith Faqeeh Gangohi (رحمة الله عليه).” [Fatawa Darul Uloom Deoband Vol.4 Pg.186 Question #1761)

Someone asked Hakimul Ummah Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (رحمة الله عليه) what he recites in the tarwihah (the resting between the 4 rakats of Tarawih). He replied: “There is no dhikr that is stipulated in Shari’ah. As for me, I recite Durood Shareef (Salutations on the Messenger) 25 times.” (Tahfa-e-Ramadhan Pg.111)”

[Hashiyah of Marghoobul Fatawa Vol.3 Pg.429]

Further more in many of the posters there is a huge typographical error that changes the meaning of the dua drastically. Instead of وَالْعَظَمَةِ (wal Azamati) with a fatha on the ظَ -which means: “Possessor of Greatness”- the posters have وَالْعَظْمَةِ (wal Azmati) with a sukoon on the ظْ -which, Allah forbid, means “Possessor of Bones”. This is quite a vulgar diacritical gaffe which is totally impermissible to recite.

In conclusion, one should engage in tasbīh, tahmīd, durūd, etc. or simply remain silent.

And Allah Ta’aala knows best.