Short answer
No, it is not obligatory, but it is a strong and beloved practice. Jibril reviewed the Quran with the Prophet ﷺ every Ramadan, and in the Hanafi school completing the Quran once in taraweeh is sunnah. Read at a pace you can understand and keep up.
Completing the Quran in Ramadan is mustahabb, not fard or wajib. In taraweeh, one complete recitation during the month is sunnah in the Hanafi school, and the Hidaya says it should not be dropped because people are lazy, though later scholars allowed less where the congregation would otherwise stop coming. Finishing in fewer than three days is disliked.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Ramadan is the month the Quran was sent down (2:185). Ibn Abbas reports that Jibril met the Prophet ﷺ every night of Ramadan to study the Quran with him, and Abu Hurairah reports that the Quran was reviewed with him once each year and twice in the year he died. From this the scholars took the practice of a khatm (full completion) in Ramadan.
- One juz a day finishes the Quran in 30 days. That is about four pages after each of the five prayers.
- Plan it with the Quran tracker or the Ramadan planner, and use the juz list to find your place.
- If you cannot finish, read what you can with attention. A few pages read well are better than a rushed khatm you do not understand.
- A woman in her period pauses and picks up again afterwards; she is not sinful for not finishing.
Abdullah ibn Amr was told to complete the Quran in a month, and when he asked for more he was told seven days and no faster. The Prophet ﷺ also said that one who finishes in less than three days has not understood it. Some of the early Muslims read faster in Ramadan, and the scholars understood these hadith as guidance against reading without understanding.
When you finish, you can read the dua for completing the Quran. For the night prayer itself, see how to pray taraweeh.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:185
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ فَعِدَّةٌۭ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥﴾
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Ties Ramadan to the Quran, the basis for reading more of it in this month.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6
Sahih... وكان يلقاه في كل ليلة من رمضان فيدارسه القرآن ...
"Jibril used to meet him every night of Ramadan and study the Quran with him."
The root of reviewing and completing the Quran in Ramadan.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2949
Graded sahih... لم يفقه من قرأ القرآن في أقل من ثلاث ...
"Whoever reads the Quran in less than three days has not understood it."
Sets a limit on speed, so the khatm does not come at the cost of understanding.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on qiyam of Ramadan. One completion in taraweeh is sunnah and should not be left because of the people's laziness.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, chapter on witr and voluntary prayers, discussion of taraweeh. Later scholars allowed reading less where people would leave the congregation.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.