28. Is There Any Difference Between Qiyaam Al-Layl, Tahajjud And Taraaweeh

By Asma bint Shameem

There’s a widespread misconception that Taraaweeh is a different prayer from Tahajjud and that is a different night prayer than Qiyaam.

But the truth is that these are all just different names given to the NIGHT prayer.

Qiyaam al-Layl:

Qiyaam al-Layl is the time someone spends at night in ibaadah, praying Nawaafil, reading Qur’aan, making istighfaar, tasbeeh and Duaa, etc.

Tahajjud:

Tahajjud is the Night prayer.
It’s specifically the Nawaafil that someone reads at night.

The majority of the ulama say that it’s NOT necessary that you sleep in order for you to pray Tahajjud; rather Tahajjud can be prayer any time after Salaat al-Ishaa.

Taraaweeh:

Taraaweeh is a KIND of Night Prayer or Qiyaam al-Layl, that is ‘specifically’ prayed in ‘Ramadhaan’, at night after Salaat al-Ishaa.

It’s the SAME as ANY Night prayer except that it’s called Taraaweeh because when the Sahaabah used to pray their Night prayers in Ramadhaan, they would stand for LONG periods of time, reading a *lot* of Qur’aan in each of their rak’aat.

Thus they would get tired because of standing for so long, and would ‘rest’ or ‘yastareehoona’ (in Arabic) after four rak’aat.

Thus they named the night prayers done in Ramadhaan as “Taraaweeh” prayers.

It’s not unusual that the Arabs have multiple names for the same thing.

So Alhamdulillaah, no need to get confused anymore.

Tahaajud, Taraaweeh and Qiyaam al-Layl are ALL pretty much the SAME prayer except that Qiyaam al-Layl is more ‘general’ and includes Nawaafil PLUS other acts of Ibaadah.
While *Taraaweeh* is a kind of *Tahajjud* prayer except that it’s prayed in *Ramadhaan*.

So if you prayer Taraaweeh early at night, then that counts as Qiyaam al-Layl.

And when you wake up later and pray Tahajjud, that ALSO counts as Qiyaam al-Layl, as tahajjud is just an EXTENSION of that Qiyaam that you did earlier at night.

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:

“There is really no difference between them.
Taraaweeh is from Qiyaam al-layl; therefore, we consider the Muslims to be performing Qiyaam al-layl from the very first night of Ramadhaan.

Consequently, his Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam statement:
"Whoever performs [supererogatory] prayers at night during the month of Ramadhaan, with faith and in the hope of receiving Allaah’s reward, will have whatever he has done [from sins] forgiven [i.e. he will have his past sins forgiven]" INCLUDES Taraaweeh, since it is unequivocally performed at night.”

And Shaikh al-Albaani said:

“The Qiyaam al-layl prayer is the Taraaweeh prayer.
It is currently called the Taraaweeh prayer, but in the past, the Taraaweeh prayer was known as the Qiyaam al-layl prayer, as 

he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
"Whoever performs the Qiyaam al-layl prayer [i.e. the Taraaweeh prayer] during the month of Ramadhaan, with faith and in the hope of receiving Allaah’s reward, will have whatever he has done [from sins] forgiven [i.e. he will have his past sins forgiven.]”

Shaikh ibn Baaz said:

“With regard to Taraaweeh, the scholars use this word to refer to Qiyaam al-layl in Ramadhaan at the beginning of the night... It may also be called Tahajjud or Qiyaam al-layl.”
(Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 11/317)

So if you prayed ANY extra prayers ANY TIME from after Ishaa until Fajr, that COUNTS as tahajjud or Qiyaam al-Layl even if you prayed it right after Ishaa.

And Allaah knows best.