It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed in the mosque one night, so people also prayed behind him. Then on the second night, he prayed in the same way, and more people came. Then on the third or fourth night, a large number of people gathered, but the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not come out. When morning came, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I saw what you did, but nothing prevented me from coming out except that I feared that this (prayer) might become obligatory upon you." And this incident took place in Ramadan.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to encourage people to perform Tarawih prayers at night, but did not command it as an obligation. He, peace and blessings be upon him, used to say: "Whoever performs Tarawih in Ramadan, considering it a right and purely for the sake of Allah, his previous sins will be forgiven." Ibn Shihab says that thus the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away and this remained the situation, and it continued in the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, and in the early period of the caliphate of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, as well.