Tahajjud · Night prayer

The Tahajjud prayer

The beloved night prayer of the Prophet ﷺ — a private conversation with Allah in the stillness of the last third of the night.

What is Tahajjud?

Tahajjud is a voluntary prayer performed at night after waking from sleep. It is one of the most beloved acts of worship to Allah, praised in the Quran and consistently practised by the Prophet ﷺ. Though not obligatory, it was mandatory upon him as an honour and remains a sunnah of the deeply sincere.

Best time

The Prophet ﷺ said: "In the last third of the night, our Lord descends to the lowest heaven and says: 'Who is calling upon Me that I may answer? Who is asking of Me that I may give? Who is seeking My forgiveness that I may forgive?'" (Bukhari · Muslim)

To find the last third: take the time between Maghrib and Fajr, divide by three, and count the final portion. SalahOne computes this automatically.

Key facts

  • Ruling: nāfilah — a highly recommended voluntary prayer with immense reward.
  • Prayed after waking from sleep during the night, between ʿIshāʾ and Fajr.
  • The best time is the last third of the night — when Allah descends to the lowest heaven.
  • Prayed in pairs of two rakʿahs, then sealed with Witr.
  • Number of rakʿahs: from 2 up to 12; the Prophet ﷺ usually prayed 8 rakʿahs plus 3 Witr.
  • The night prayer of Ramadan (Tarāwīḥ) is a form of qiyām; Tahajjud continues year-round.

Virtues

  • 'Their sides part from their beds; they call upon their Lord in fear and hope.' — Al-Sajda 32:16
  • The Prophet ﷺ: 'The best prayer after the obligatory is the night prayer.' (Muslim)
  • 'Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, saying: Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him?' (Bukhari · Muslim)
  • Tahajjud strengthens sincerity — it is prayed in private, when others are asleep.

Etiquette

  • Sleep first, even for a short while; Tahajjud is prayed after waking.
  • Renew wudu with the intention to please Allah and follow the Prophet's ﷺ sunnah.
  • Begin with two short rakʿahs to open the night prayer, then lengthen the rest.
  • Recite calmly and reflect — Tahajjud is not about quantity, but presence of heart.
  • Wake the family gently if possible; the Prophet ﷺ praised those who wake their spouse for it.
  • End the night with Witr — never omit it before Fajr.

How to pray Tahajjud

1

Wake, wudu & intention

Wake up during the night, refresh yourself and perform wudu. Face the Qibla and make the intention silently: to pray two rakʿahs of Tahajjud, seeking Allah's pleasure.

2

Opening Takbir & long recitation

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

Allāhu Akbar

Say the opening takbir, fold the hands and recite the opening duʿāʾ. Then recite Al-Fātiḥa followed by any surah — the Prophet ﷺ often recited long portions during Tahajjud, sometimes an entire juzʾ.

Note: There is no fixed surah. Choose what strengthens your reflection.

3

Rukūʿ — prolonged bowing

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ

Subḥāna Rabbiya-l-ʿAẓīm

Bow with the back straight and prolong the tasbīḥ. The Prophet's ﷺ rukūʿ in Tahajjud was close in length to his qiyām.

4

Sujūd — pour out your heart

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Subḥāna Rabbiya-l-Aʿlā

Prostrate long and repeat the tasbīḥ, then make personal duʿāʾ in your own language. The closest a servant is to their Lord is in sujūd. Do the same in the second sujūd of the rakʿah.

5

Second rakʿah, Tashahhud & Tasleem

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu-llāh

Stand for the second rakʿah, repeat the same pattern. After the second sujūd, sit for the Tashahhud and Ibrāhīmiyya, then give the tasleem to the right and left.

6

Repeat in pairs

Continue in pairs — two rakʿahs at a time. Pray as many as you are able (2, 4, 6 or 8). Quality of presence is more important than quantity.

7

Seal with Witr

End the night prayer with Witr — an odd number of rakʿahs (1, 3, 5). Most commonly 3 rakʿahs with a qunūt duʿāʾ in the last one before rukūʿ (Ḥanafī) or after rukūʿ (Shāfiʿī / Ḥanbalī).

Note: If you already prayed Witr after ʿIshāʾ, do not repeat it — Tahajjud is enough on its own.

Recommended duas

Opening dua of Tahajjud (from the Prophet ﷺ)

After Takbir

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرَائِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ، اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ، إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ

Allāhumma Rabba Jibrā'īla wa Mīkā'īla wa Isrāfīl, fāṭira-s-samāwāti wa-l-arḍ, ʿālima-l-ghaybi wa-sh-shahādah, anta taḥkumu bayna ʿibādika fī-mā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūn, ihdinī li-makhtulifa fīhi mina-l-ḥaqqi bi-idhnik, innaka tahdī man tashā'u ilā ṣirāṭin mustaqīm.

"O Allah, Lord of Jibrīl, Mīkāʾīl and Isrāfīl. Creator of the heavens and the earth. Knower of the unseen and the seen. You judge between Your servants regarding what they differ in. Guide me, by Your leave, to the truth of what is differed upon. Indeed You guide whom You will to a straight path."

Sujūd dua for Tahajjud

In sujūd

سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ

Subḥāna dhi-l-jabarūti wa-l-malakūti wa-l-kibriyā'i wa-l-ʿaẓamah.

"Glory be to the Possessor of power, dominion, greatness and majesty."

Guidance is based on mainstream Sunni fiqh. Consult a qualified scholar for madhhab-specific details.