Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
In this answer, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani clarifies that the tarawih prayers are an emphasized sunna for both men and women, consisting of twenty units (rak’a). While congregation is recommended for men, it is by no means a requirement. Similarly, completing or reciting long portions of the Qur‘an, while meritorious, is not necessary for the tarawih prayer.
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a scholar and researcher of Islamic law and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance Global After ten years overseas, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he founded SeekersGuidance Global to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge—both online and on the ground—in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He has been repeatedly listed as one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims (The Muslim500).