Tahajjud Salaat

The Honorable Prayer called Tahajjud

By Asma bint Shameem

Tahajjud prayer is one of the best deeds a person can do. 

It increases imaan, helps us to control our nafs, develops khushoo and strengthens our relationship with our Creator, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. 

Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala *praises* those who regularly pray Qiyaam al-Layl.

“They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allaah) and praying, with fear and hope]”

(Surah al-Dhaariyaat:17)

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” (Muslim)

And he said: 

“You should pray qiyaam al-layl, for it is the custom of the righteous who came before you and it brings you closer to your Lord, and expiates sins and prevents misdeeds.” 

(al-Tirmidhi- hasan by al-Albaani)

He Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam also said:

“In Paradise there are apartments the outside of which can be seen from the inside and the inside of which can be seen from the outside.” A Bedouin stood up and said: “Who are they for, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “They are for those who speak good words, feed others, fast regularly and pray to Allaah at night when people are sleeping.” 

(at-Tirmidhi -hasan by al-Albaani)

*Is Tahajjud the same as Qiyaam al-Layl and Taraaweeh?*

Qiyaam al-Layl is the time one spends in ibaadah at night and “includes” prayers, dhikr, reading Qur’aan etc. 

While Tahajjud is specifically the ‘prayer’ that we pray at night. 

And Taraaweeh is just the name given to Tahajjud/Qiyaam that’s done specifically in Ramadhaan. 

*How to pray Tahajjud?*

The night prayer is to be read two by two rak’aat.

When a person asked the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam about how to pray the night prayer, he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:

"The night prayers are two by two” (al-Bukhaari)

*How many rak’aat should I pray?*

You can pray from two rak’aat to as many as you like. 

That’s because there’s no ‘limit’ to the Night prayers. 

Although the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam himself did not pray more than eight rak’aat, when a man asked him about the night prayer, (in the hadeeth above), he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did not specify a fixed number for the Night prayer; rather he left the matter open. 

So pray as many rak’aat as Allaah enables you to.  

*What is the Time for Tahajjud?*

The time for tahajjud starts right after ishaa prayers and lasts until fajr adhaan. 

But the BEST time to pray Tahajjud is the last third of the night. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“Prayer at the end of the night is witnessed, and that is better.” (Muslim)

And he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:

“The closest that the Lord is to His slave is in the last part of the night, so if you can be among those who remember Allah at that time, then do so.” 

(at-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani) 

The last third of the night is the time when Allaah descends to the first heaven and calls out to us. 

Allaah says:

“Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will ask Me for forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’” (al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

If Allaah Himself is calling, wouldn’t we and SHOULDN’T we respond?

But that does not mean that you cannot pray tahajjud during other parts of the night. 

It is BEST comparatively to pray in the last third but you can also pray in the first third or the second third. 

*How to calculate the last third of the night?*

Count the total number of hours from Maghrib (sunset) till fajr. If it is 12 hours then divide it by 3. The first third will be 4 hours from Maghrib, the second third will be the next four hours and the last third will be four hours before fajr. 

*You can read tahajjud even a few minutes before fajr*

So if it's difficult for you to wake up three four hours before fajr because of work, kids etc. no worries. 

You can wake up half hour, one hour, even TEN minutes before fajr and read two rakat and that will count as tahajjud. 

Of course the more you do the better it is. 

But start with something that is CONSISTENT even though it may be small. 

Someone asked the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam:

“Which deed is dearest to Allaah? He said: “That which is done persistently, even if it is little.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

*Do I need to sleep before I can pray Tahajjud?*

Although some ulama are of the opinion that sleeping before tahajjud is preferred and more rewarding, it’s not necessary that we sleep before we can pray Tahajjud. 

Tahajjud can be prayed any time after ishaa even if you didn’t sleep before it. 

So if you’re up after ishaa and you’re not sure that you’ll wake up before Fajr, why don’t you go ahead and read a few, even *two* rak’aat of Tahajjud before you sleep and earn the pleasure of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala ?

*QUESTION*

I only know small surahs. How can I read MORE of the Qur’aan in Tahajjud?

Just because we don’t know the longer Suwar (plural of Surah) of the Qur’aan does not mean that we cannot recite them in Tahajjud. 

Alhamdulillaah there’s a beautiful way to read as much Qur’aan in our Tahajjud prayers as we want. 

*How?*

Read from the Mus-haf DIRECTLY. 

Just hold the Mus-haf or place it on a table or something in front of you and read as much of it as you want in each rak’ah, directly from the Book. 

Maybe you can read one page in one rak’ah and the second page in the second rak’ah. 

Or read a bit more than that or a bit less; whatever Allaah enables you to do. 

This way, you get to pray Tahajjud AND read more of the Qur’aan at the same time Alhamdulillaah.

It’s perfectly ok to read directly from the Qur’aan in non-obligatory Salah. 

Someone asked Imaam az-Zuhri about reading from the Mus-haf in prayers. He said: 

“The best ones among us used to read from the Mus-hafs…”

Our Mother Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa told her freed slave Dhakwaan to lead her in praying qiyaam and he used to read from the Mus-haf. (Al-Bukhaari)

Someone asked al-Hasan al-Basri:

“Why do the mutahajjadeen (those who pray Tahajjud at night) have the most beautiful faces?” He said, “Because they spend time alone with the Most Merciful, so He adorns them with some of His light.”

Come....let’s brighten our faces with the Light Of Allaah.