What is Tahajjud Prayer?

Tahajjud prayer is a nafl or voluntary prayer. It is a night prayer that is offered to attain mental strength and peace. It is also known to avert acts of sin.
Also known as the ‘night prayer’, the Tahajjud prayer is not considered to be obligatory.

Though Tahajjud is not obligatory, many devoted Muslims try to incorporate it into their daily lives as a form of worship and earn Allah’s forgiveness and redemption. While performing this prayer, one completely places their trust in Allah and leaves all worldly worries. When a believer leaves everything to the Almighty, the supreme power then provides assistance through different sources. The most important thing is that at this time, the door of repentance is wide open.

Importance Of Tahajjud Prayer

This blessed prayer brings a muslim closer to the Almighty and brings peace and brightness into his or her life. However, there is a great significance and several blessings associated with Tahajjud. Believed to be the most virtuous amongst the Nafl prayers, the Qiyam-u-lail is considered to be a part of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The importance of Tahajjud prayer is emphasized in the Holy Quran and in several Hadiths.

Reference:-

وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةًۭ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًۭا مَّحْمُودًۭا

"And rise at 'the last' part of the night, offering additional prayers, so your Lord may raise you to a station of praise." (Quran, 17:79)

Those who perform Tahajjud prayer regularly are sure to earn the blessings of Allah. It is also said that this prayer brings a Muslim closer to the Almighty and his/her life is filled with peace and brightness. The holy Quran emphasizes the importance of Tahajjud prayer.

وَالَّذِيۡنَ يَبِيۡتُوۡنَ لِرَبِّهِمۡ سُجَّدًا وَّقِيَامًا‏

"who spend the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing " (Qur'an,  26:64)

وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْهُ وَإِدْبَـٰرَ ٱلنُّجُومِ

"And glorify Him during part of the night and at the fading of the stars." (Qur'an, 52:49)

When To Pray Tahajjud?

The Tahujjud prayer is the prayer of the night. The Tahajjud prayer is usually performed after Isha (which is the compulsory nightly prayer) and before performing Fajr (the mandatory morning prayer). Ideally, it is offered during the last third of the night, the time before Fajr. But it can also be offered anytime throughout the night after Isha. The last third of the night is a very blessed time. During the last third of the night, Allah SWT descends to the lowest heaven seeking to answer any believer who is worshipping Him.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"
Sahih al-Bukhari 1145

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that he (the Messenger of Allah) was asked as to which prayer was most excellent after the prescribed prayer, he said:

أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ الصَّلاَةُ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ

Translation: "The best prayer after the prescribed prayer is the prayer in the middle of the night."

We are encouraged to invest a portion of the night to observe these Sunnah acts of worship. This is acknowledged by Allah S.W.T. Himself as mentioned in the Quran:

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ هِىَ أَشَدُّ وَطْـًٔا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا. إِنَّ لَكَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا. وَٱذْكُرِ ٱسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا

"Indeed, worship in the night is more impactful and suitable for recitation. For during the day you are over-occupied 'with worldly duties'. 'Always' remember the Name of your Lord, and devote yourself to Him wholeheartedly.
Qur'an, 73:6-8

How to Perform Tahajjud Prayer:-

The way of performing Tahajjud Prayer is same as the way of praying Two Rak’ah Obligatory/voluntary Prayer. It is a minimum prayer of two raka’at as mentioned by the Prophet Muhammed PBUH.

Tahajjud prayers can be performed for two, four, six, eight, and twelve rak’ahs – but it can be done as much as possible according to your ability. The number of rak’ahs is not limited, but at least two rak’ahs with one salutation (salam) for every two rak’ahs.

Witr should be the last prayer at night.

1. After waking up from sleep in the middle of the night, make Wudu (ablution).

2. The Sunnah Tahajjud prayer starts with reciting the Niyyah (Intention) to pray:

أُصَلِّي سُنَّةَ التَهَجُّد رَكعَتَينِ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

Transliteration: Usolli sunnata-tahajjud rak'ataini lillah ta'ala.
Translation: I intend to pray the Sunnah prayer of Tahajjud two raka'at for Allah s.w.t.

3. Give the Takbir (Allahu-akbar) and perform a two raka’at prayer.

If you don’t know how to perform Two Rak’ah prayer according to authentic hadiths click below button.

4. End the prayer after two raka’at with salam.

5. Add your own prayers (dua) after you’ve completed the number of rakats you set out to pray. Make sure that they are sincere, respectful, and done in complete devotion to Allah.

After you are finished with Tahajjud prayer, end it with praying Witr Salah. The Witr Prayer is the last prayer of the night. If you plan on praying Tahajjud, then you will wait to pray your Witr prayer after finishing your Tahajjud prayer.

Ibn 'Umar said:
"He who prayed at night should make Witr the end of his prayer, for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered this."
Sahih Muslim 751

Even though this is an extra prayer, the Prophet (PBUH) would never leave it, even when he was travelling.

Is There Any Du’a For Tahajjud?

Upon making the Tahajjud, we may invoke Allah S.W.T. with any heartfelt supplications, even that which is never expressed and deeply reserved in our hearts. Dua is a special and exclusive conversation between us and our Lord.

However, there are some narrations of the Prophet making this Dua for us to benefit and learn from:

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to say:

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ وَلا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ

O Allah, to You be praise, You are the light of the heavens and the earth, and everyone therein. To You be praise; You are the holder of the heavens and the earth, and everyone therein. To You be praise; You are True; Your promise is true; Paradise is true; Hell is true; the Hour is true; the Prophets are true and Muhammad is true. To You have I submitted; in You I put my trust and in You I have believed. To You I turn in repentance; by Your help I argue; to You I refer my case; so, forgive me for my past and future sins, what I have done in secret and what I have done openly. You are the One Who brings forward and puts back. None has the right to be worshipped but You, and there is none who has the right to be worshipped other than You."
(Sahih al-Bukhari 1120)

Benefits Of Tahajjud Prayer

Performing Tahajjud Prayer brings numerous rewards from Allah, such as

• Forgiveness of sins.
• Protection from the Devil.
• Increase in one’s spiritual rank.
• Acceptance of Du’a (supplication).
• Increased reward in the Hereafter.
• Helps to deepen connection with Allah S.W.T.
• Provides a sense of inner peace and contentment.

How often should we perform Tahajjud?

It is recommended to perform the Tahajjud Prayer on a daily basis, but it can also be performed multiple times in a week. It is important to remember that performing Tahajjud prayer regularly will increase its rewards and benefits, so one should try to make it a regular part of their worship.