Tahajjud (Arabic: تهجد) is a voluntary (nafl, نفل) prayer offered at night, after the Isha prayer and before the Fajr prayer. The best time to perform tahajjud is at the last one-third of the night. The condition for tahajjud is that one must sleep after praying Isha and then wake up before Fajr to offer the nafl salat. Tahajjud is not an obligatory prayer, but it is a prestigious one. Our beloved Prophet (S.A.W.) offered Tahajjud and advised Muslims to do so. Tahajjud is often confused with Qiyam-ul-lail and the night prayer. Qiyam-ul-lail translates to "spending the night," and this time can be spent offering nafl salat, reading the Quran, performing tasbih and reciting Adhkar, and any other way in the remembrance and ibadah of Allah Azzwajal. It can be for an hour or the whole night. On the other hand, Tahajjud, short for salat at-tahajjud, means nafl salat, offered specifically after waking up from sleep after Isha and before Fajr.
Similarly, some also confuse Tahajjud with the night prayer, the night prayer is nafl salat offered at any time of the night when one has not slept. While it is also kept in high regard, the Tahajjud is higher because it is harder for one to rouse themselves up from sleep and offer the salat than one already awake. Muslims who are devoted to the religion and seek forgiveness from Allah incorporate Tahajjud into their daily lives. Tahajjud is the best time to ask Allah for anything, so if you are stuck in a situation and need Allah's guidance and help or you wish to repent for your mistakes, beseech Allah after Tahajjud prayer.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: When half of the night or two-thirds of it is over. Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there any beggar, so that he be given? Is there any supplicator so that he be answered? Is there any beggar of forgiveness so that he be forgiven? (And Allah continues it saying) till it is daybreak. (Sahih Muslim 758c Book 6, Hadith 203).
Tahajjud is an Arabic word. If you are not a native Arabic speaker, you may find it difficult to say Tahajjud correctly. This word is easy to pronounce; take the help of the phonetic breakdown below to say the word correctly:
So, "Tahajjud" would be pronounced as Tah-huhj-jood.
Tahajjud is a non-obligatory (nafl) prayer offered by Rasool Allah (SAW). He encouraged the Ummah to offer it as well, as it elevates the Imaan and removes sins. Unlike the fardh (obligatory) prayers, which are best offered in congregation in a mosque, it is best to offer the Tahajjud salat in the last one-third part of the night at home with complete sincerity and devotion. Tahajjud is a special prayer that allows devoted Muslims to strengthen their connection with Allah. Performing tahajjud consistently cleanses the soul, nurtures it, and elevates your faith. Tahajjud was a habit of Rasool Allah (SAW) and its importance is mentioned in the Quran and Hadith both. Like the five obligatory prayers are from Allah, offering the Tahajjud prayer in the last third part of the night is also ordained from Allah and is mentioned in the Quran. In Surah Al Isra, Allah says:
"Say a supererogatory prayer at the hour of the first watch: Your Lord may raise you to a most exalted station." (Surah Al-Isra 17:79).
On another occasion, Allah holds Himself as the witness for Muhammad (SAW), offering Tahajjud prayer. In Surah Ash-Shu’araa, Allah comforts Muhammad (S.A.W) by saying:
"Who watches you when you get up (for Tahajjud), And your movements among those who bow in homage to God." (Ash-Shu'araa 26: 218,219).
In Surah Al-Muzzammil, Allah describes the importance of getting up in the third part of the night. He says:
"Surely in the watches of the night the soul is most receptive and words more telling." (Al-Muzzammil 73:6).
The high regard for Tahajjud is also mentioned in the Quran in Surah Al-Insaan:
"And bow in homage part of the night, and glorify Him far into the night." (Al-Insaan 76:26).
Tahajjud was the command from Allah to His servants, and Rasool Allah (SAW) followed every order of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) offered Tahajjud often. In a Hadith describing the significance of Tahajjud prayer, it is narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA) that;
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "The best month for observing Saum (fasting) next after Ramadan is the month of Allah, the Muharram; and the best Salat (prayer) next after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night (Tahajjud prayers)." (Riyad as-Salihin 1246, Book 9, Hadith 256).
In another hadith, Hudhaifah (RA) narrated that:
"Whenever the Messenger of Allah got up for prayer at night to pray Tahajjud (night optional prayer). He would clean his mouth with the tooth stick." (Sunan Ibn Majah Book 1 Hadith 286).
Tahajjud was a routine of the Prophet (SAW), and he used to get up on most nights to offer Tahajjud and the Witr prayer. This is evident by a hadith from Umm-al-MomineenAisha (RA);
The Apostle of Allah (SAW) said his whole prayer (Tahajjud prayer) during the night while I lay between him and the Qibla. When he intended to say Witr (prayer), he awakened me, and I, too, said witr (prayer). (Sahih Muslim 512b, Book 4, Hadith 303).
To offer Tahajjud prayer, the Prophet (SAW) taught us to offer two rak'ah and make dua to Allah. It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA) reported:
The Prophet (SAW) said, "When one of you gets up at night to perform (Tahajjud) prayer, let him start Salat with two short Rak'ah." (Riyad as-Sahilin 1179, Book 8, Hadith 189).
Since Allah Azzawajal did not make Tahajjud an obligatory prayer, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) skipped the prayer some nights so that his Sahaba would follow his lead and not consider the Tahajjud salat compulsory. This is evident from many ahadith. When Rasool Allah (SAW) was ill, he did not offer Tahajjud. It is narrated by Jundab (RA):
"The Prophet (SAW) became sick and did not get up (for Tahajjud prayer) for a night or two." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1124, Book 19, Hadith 4).
Similarly, Aisha (RA) the mother of the faithful believers narrated that:
One night Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) offered the prayer in the Mosque and the people followed him. The next night he also offered the prayer and too many people gathered. On the third and the fourth nights more people gathered, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not come out to them. In the morning he said, "I saw what you were doing and nothing but the fear that it (i.e. the prayer) might be enjoined on you, stopped me from coming to you." And that happened in the month of Ramadan. (Sahih al-Bukhari 1129, Book 19, Hadith 9).
There are countless other ahadith in the 6 most renowned hadith books that highlight the significance of offering Tahajjud. Any Muslim who wishes that Allah will listen to them and accept their prayers, should wake up at Tahajjud as it is the best time when prayers are answered.
The best time to perform Tahajjud is when the first two parts of the night are over. As evident from the hadith above, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and Says, "Is there any beggar, so that he be given? Is there any supplicator so that he be answered? Is there any beggar of forgiveness so that he be forgiven?" So, if you are waking up for Tahajjud, the best time to do it is when the Lord of the world is calling upon you to pray to Him so it may be answered.
Wake up when two-thirds of the nights have passed and make wudu. Here are the steps to follow:
Waking up at Tahajjud, offering salah, and making supplication is the routine of devoted Muslims only. This is the time when only special slaves of Allah get up and supplicate towards him. The importance of Tahajjud is mentioned many times in the Quran and Hadith and is part of the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW). Make Tahajjud a part of your routine and benefit from Allah's blessings on you.
The recommended time is the last one-third of the night that is just before the Fajr time but you can pray it anytime after midnight and before Fajr.
The true Sunnah is to sleep after Isha prayer and wake up in the last third part of night to offer Tahajjud and Witr prayer.
Sleep after offering your Isha prayer, and wake up again in the last one-third of the night. Perform wudu, make intention to pray Tahajjud, perform two rak'at prayers, and make supplication before the Lord.
The minimum rak'at is two and you can offer as many as you want.
Sleeping after Isha and waking up to offer two rak'at or more as Tahajjud prayer before Fajr prayer.
It's best to offer Witr with the Tahajjud prayer as it is Sunnah. However, it can be offered after Isha prayer any time before Fajr
Tahajjud is not fard (obligatory) prayer, it is a nafl (voluntary) prayer. It was offered by our Prophet (SAW) often so it is a Sunnah.
