Can we pray the Tarawih prayer sitting down on a chair?

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

It is Makrūh Tanzīhī to pray Tarāwīh sitting down without a valid excuse, just as ‘Allāmah Shāmī, upon whom be mercy, writes in Radd al-Muhtār,

“قَوْلُهُ وَتُكْرَهُ قَاعِدًا) أَيْ تَنْزِيهًا، لِمَا فِي الْحِلْيَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا مِنْ أَنَّهُمْ اتَّفَقُوا عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يُسْتَحَبُّ ذَلِكَ بِلَا عُذْرٍ لِأَنَّهُ خِلَافُ الْمُتَوَارَثِ عَنْ السَّلَفِ)”

“It is Makrūh to pray Tarāwīh salāh while sitting i.e. it is Makrūh Tanzīhī. This is because it is mentioned in al-Hilyah and other books that the scholars agree that it is not Mustahabb for to pray Tarāwīh salāh while sitting – unless there is a valid excuse – because this is contradictory to what has been reported & passed down from the righteous predecessors.”

[Durr Mukhtār ma’ Radd al-Muhtār, vol 2, pg 45]

Generally speaking, should not sit and pray Tarāwīh salāh at all; if has a valid excuse, then should sit on the floor and pray Tarāwīh. If cannot sit, then can sit on a chair, etc. and pray Tarāwīh, but without leaning, because praying in the Majestic Court of the Lord Almighty whilst leaning is inappropriate. Please feel free to have a read of my detailed legal verdict regarding praying salāh on a chair.

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadiri
Translated by Haider Ali

Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0717] Can we pray the Tarawih prayer sitting down on a chair?

Also see:

[Q-ID0554] What is the ruling on praying Salah on a chair?