Salam alaikum.

Imam Hakim in his “Mustadrak” (1/144) wrote:

عبد الله بن محمد البلخى ببغداد ثنا أبو اسمعيل السلمى ثنا عبد الله بن صالح حدثنى معاوية بن صالح حدثنى أبو طلحة بن زياد الانصاري قال سمعت النعمان بن بشير على منبر حمص يقول قمنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في شهر رمضان ليلة ثلاث وعشرين إلى ثلث الليل ثم قمنا معه ليلة خمس وعشرين إلى نصف الليل ثم قمنا معه ليلة سبع وعشرين إلى نصف الليل ثم قمنا معه ليلة سبع وعشرين حتى ظننا ان لا ندرك الفلاح وكنا نسميها الفلاح وانتم تسمون السحور * هذا حديث صحيح على شرط البخاري ولم يخرجاه * وفيه الدليل الواضح ان صلوة التراويح في مساجد المسلمين سنة مسنونة وقد كان على بن ابى طالب يحث عمر رضى الله عنهما على اقامة هذه السنة إلى ان اقامها

(Chain) from Abu Talha ibn Ziyad al-Ansare: I heard Numan ibn Bashir in the minbar of Hums saying: “We stood (in prayer) with Allah’s messenger (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) on the 23-d night of Ramadan up to the first third of the night; then we stood with him on the 25-th night up to the middle of the night; then he led us on the 27-tn night (for so long) that we fear missing the falah (success)….. We used to call sahur – falah”.

Commenting on this Hakim said:”This carries a clear proof that praying  tarawih in the masjids of Muslims is an established sunnah. Ali ibn Abu Talib continued to urge Umar to revive it, until he finally did it”.

And it was narrated by Beyhaki in his book (2/495) from Thalaba ibn Abu Malik al-Qurazi:

“Allah’s messenger (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) went out (to the masjid) one night during Ramadan, he saw some people in the corner of the Masjid praying. He asked: “What are they doing?”. Someone replied: “O Allah’s messenger, these people don’t know much Quran, Ubay ibn Kab is reciting, and they are behind him following his prayer”. Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) said: “They have done well”, or he said: “They have done right”. And he didn’t object to their action”.

It’s mursal, because Thalaba tabein. But it’s recorded via other chain from Abu Hurayra by Ibn Nasr al-Marwazi in “Qiyamul layl”, Abu Dawud and Beyhaki. The latter is acceptable as a supportive report. (quoted from book of Muhammad al-Jibali)

One of the shia points,  is question whether pray with such name was known during the time of prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) or not. Actually it wasn’t, it was named tarawih because Moslems use to rest  after first 4 rakahs for a while.  So it’s much better to call it simply qiyam (standing), as it was said by Muhammad Shaqrah.

Shias claiming that praying qiyam in the Ramadan in congregation is innovation.

But, we should notice that sayidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) use to pray in the congregation during Ramadan.

Ibn Abu Shayba narrated in his “Musannaf” (7700, also see “Kitabu Fadhail Ramadan” ibn Abu Dunya, #43):

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ فُضَيْلٍ ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَانِ ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ، أَنَّهُ قَامَ بِهِمْ فِي رَمَضَانَ.

Narrated to us ibn Fudayl, from Ata ibn as-Saib, from Abu Abdurrahman (as-Sulami) from Ali, that he use to stand (imam) for them in the Ramadan.

Chain of this athar is hasan inshAllah.

1) Abu Abdurrahman Sulami. That’s Abdullah ibn Hubayb ibn Rabea. Nasai, Ijle said he was thiqat. Shabe confirmed that he heard from Ali ibn Abe Taleeb. And it was narrated from Ata ibn Sayeeb (next narrator in chain), that they entered Abu Abdurrahman when he was ill. So chain is connected. (Tahzeeb al-kamal Mizzi #3222)

2) Ata ibn Saeeb. Saduq that get confused in the end of his life (taqreeb). Imam Ahmad said about him: thiqat, thiqat. Pious man (Tahzeeb al kamal Mizzi #3934).

3) Ibn Fudayl, that’s Muhammad ibn Fudayl, he was saduq. (Taqrib #6227).

Ibn Abu Shayba also narrated (#7693):

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ ، قَالَ : سَأَلْتُُ عَطَاءً هَلْ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فِي رَمَضَانَ ، قَالَ : كَانَ خِيَارُ أَصْحَابِ عَلِيٍّ زَاذَانُ ، وَأَبُو الْبَخْتَرِيِّ وَغَيْرُهُمْ يَدْعُونَ أَهْلِيهِمْ وَيَؤُمُّونَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فِي رَمَضَانَ.

It was reported to us by Abu Bakr ibn Ayash, which said: I asked Ata  did Ali prayed to them (as Imaam) in the Ramadan? He answered: “Good companions of Ali, like Zazan, Abul Bukhturi and others, called their families, and ruled them (in the pray) in mosque in Ramadan”.

Ibn Abu Dunya narrated it with slight difference: Abu Bakr ibn Ayash asked Ata: Did Ali stand (as Imaam) for them in the month of Ramadan? Ata answered by saying of children: “By Allah, he stand for them”. (“Kitabu Fadhail Ramadan”#45).

Ibn Abu Dunya also narrated from Ata ibn as-Saib from his father, that Ali stand (as Imaam) for them in the month of Ramadan. (“Kitabu Fadhail Ramadan”#46).