Salam,
With Ramadan fast approaching, and the duration of the fasts once again increasing in length, we need to explore some issues regarding our practices within this holy month. Tarawih can because of its length be quite tough for a lot of us, coupled with the fact that unfortunately in a number of pakistani masjids the poor hafiz recites so fast disregarding all rules of tajwid that infact we have ‘ritualised’ this act of worship.
I found the following which may be of use to followers of the hanafi school:
With regards to the tarawih prayer, from the level 2 text taught currently in al-Ahsa by the hanafis: Minhaj al-Raghib Sharh Ithaf al-Talib p181 authored by Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Mulla (d.1270 AH):
“It is a sunnah to complete the Quran once In it meaning the tarawih, there is a difference (of opinion) regarding whether the complete recital of the Quran should be left due to the laziness of the people or not? In al-Ikhtiyar it is mentioned that in our time an amount should be recited which will not be burdensome upon them.”
I asked Sh. Yahya al-Mulla about this, he mentioned that in tarawih he has lead the prayer and read the whole Quran only twice, he currently in tarawih recites from surah al-Duha onward each night for tarawih. Basically there is leeway in the madhab for this, it should be noted that the author of al-Ikhtiyar died in the year 683 AH!