Tahajjud: the prayer Allah praises in the Quran.

Tahajjud (Arabic: tahajjud, from hajada, to stay awake at night) is the voluntary prayer offered in the last third of the night after a brief sleep. It's also called qiyam al-layl, "standing in the night." Allah praises those who pray it in Surah As-Sajdah and Surah Adh-Dhariyat. The Prophet ﷺ never abandoned it, even when his feet swelled from standing.

"Their sides forsake their beds, calling upon their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend out of what We have provided for them.", Quran 32:16

What is Tahajjud?

Tahajjud is a voluntary (nafl) night prayer performed after sleeping. Unlike the five fard prayers, it's not obligatory, but it's one of the most rewarded acts of worship in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said it's the best prayer after the fard prayers (Muslim).

It's part of the broader category called qiyam al-layl (night prayer), which also includes witr. Some scholars use the terms interchangeably; others distinguish, Tahajjud specifically requires sleeping first.

Benefits and rewards

• Praised by Allah in the Quran. Multiple verses honor those who pray at night.
• Du'as are accepted. The last third of the night is when Allah descends to the lowest heaven and asks "Is there anyone calling on Me, that I may answer him?" (Bukhari, Muslim)
• A station of the righteous. A hadith: "Hold fast to qiyam al-layl, for it was the practice of the righteous before you, a means of nearness to your Lord, expiation for sins, and a barrier against wrongdoing." (Tirmidhi)
• Spiritual strength. Those who pray it consistently describe a settled heart and clearer guidance.

Best time to pray Tahajjud

The night is divided into three thirds. The last third is the most virtuous:

• Find your Isha and Fajr times.
• Count the minutes between them.
• Divide by 3.
• The last third is from (Isha + 2/3 of the night) until Fajr.

For example: Isha at 7:30 PM, Fajr at 4:30 AM = 9 hours of night. Each third is 3 hours. The last third is 1:30 AM – 4:30 AM. Best time within the last third: shortly before Fajr.

FivePrayer can show you the divisions and set a Tahajjud reminder automatically.

How many rakat?

There's no fixed number. The Prophet ﷺ typically prayed 11 rakat at night (including witr), sometimes 13. Common practice:

• 2 rakat (then salam) × any number of times, most flexible.
• Followed by witr (1 or 3 rakat) as the final prayer of the night.

Even 2 rakat of Tahajjud + 1 witr counts. Quality of presence matters more than quantity.

How to pray Tahajjud: step by step

1. Sleep first. Even briefly. Tahajjud means waking from sleep.
2. Wake up, make wudu. Refresh ablution. If you fell into deep sleep, wudu has broken.
3. Niyyat: Intend in your heart "two rakat of Tahajjud for the sake of Allah."
4. Pray two rakat, same structure as any 2-rakat prayer. Al-Fatihah + a surah in each rakat. Take your time with the recitation; many lengthen the standing here.
5. Make du'a in sujood, your forehead on the ground is the closest you are to Allah (Muslim).
6. Repeat 2-rakat sets as many times as you wish.
7. End with witr, typically 1 or 3 rakat, as the closing prayer of the night.

Recommended du'as

The Prophet ﷺ would open Tahajjud with this du'a:

Allahumma rabba Jibreela wa Mika'eela wa Israfeela, fatiras-samawati wal-ardi, 'alimal-ghaybi wash-shahadati, Anta tahkumu bayna 'ibadika fima kanu feehi yakhtalifoon. Ihdini lima ukhtulifa feehi minal-haqqi bi-idhnik, innaka tahdee man tashaa'u ila siratim-mustaqeem.

(Muslim)

In sujood, ask for whatever you need, forgiveness, guidance, protection, your family, the ummah. This is the moment.

How to actually wake up for Tahajjud

The fiqh is the easy part. Here's the practical part:

• Sleep early. The Prophet ﷺ disliked staying up late after Isha. Early sleep makes early waking possible.
• Set the intention before sleeping. A hadith: "Whoever goes to bed intending to pray at night and sleep overtakes him, the intention is written for him as if he prayed." (An-Nasa'i)
• Use an alarm, and put it across the room. Reaching for it gets you out of bed.
• Don't aim for huge sessions at first. 2 rakat + witr is a win. Quantity comes later.
• Hydrate before sleeping. Slight dehydration disrupts sleep; full hydration wakes you naturally.
• FivePrayer's adhan for the last third, turn on the Tahajjud reminder and the gentle adhan will play. Many users find it works where regular alarms fail.

FAQ

Is Tahajjud the same as witr?

No. Witr is its own prayer (the "odd" one), typically 1 or 3 rakat, performed after Isha or after Tahajjud. Tahajjud is the night prayer that comes between Isha-sleep and Fajr.

Can I pray Tahajjud without sleeping first?

If you don't sleep, it's still qiyam al-layl (night prayer), still rewarded. But the specific term "Tahajjud" implies waking from sleep.

Can women pray Tahajjud?

Yes, absolutely. The Prophet's ﷺ wives prayed it consistently. The only exception is during menstruation, when no prayer is performed.

What if I miss Fajr because I overslept after Tahajjud?

Then you've prioritized voluntary over fard, not good. Always set an alarm for Fajr that's louder than the Tahajjud one. FivePrayer's lock at adhan helps prevent this, Fajr's adhan will wake you even if you've fallen back asleep after Tahajjud.