Tahajjud
Encyclopedia
Tahajjud also known as the "night prayer" is a voluntary prayer, performed by followers of Islam
. It is not one of the five obligatory prayers required of all Muslim
s, yet still, the Islamic prophet
, Muhammad
has been recorded as performing the tahajjud prayer regularly and encouraging his companions to offer it to God for its many rewards and benefits, and a way to purify the soul, enabling it to approach the Realm of God. The Night prayer is basically one of the ways (along with fasting and meditating on the verses of the Quran) which make the presence of God in the life of the Muslim become a conscious, living, and intensely experienced reality.
Ordering His Messenger to perform Tahajjud, Allah
Almighty says what means:
This order, although it was specifically directed to Muhammad, also refers to all Muslims, since Muhammad is to be the perfect example and guide for them in all matters.
Moreover, performing Tahajjud prayers regularly qualifies one as one of the righteous and helps one earn God's bounty and mercy. In praising those who perform the late night prayers, God says what means:
ic verses, there also exist a number of hadith
s (narrated and confirmed traditions from Muhammad) that reinforce the importance of Tahajjud Prayer.
Upon going to sleep, one should make the intention to perform the prayers. Abu Darda
quoted Muhammad as saying:
On waking up, it is recommended that one wipes the face, use a toothbrush
, and look to the sky and make the supplication which has been reported from Muhammad.
Abu-Hudhayfah ibn Utbah
reported:
One should begin with two quick rak`ah
s and then one may pray whatever one wishes after that. Aisha
said:
It is recommended that one wakes up one's family, for Abu Hurairah
quoted Muhammad as saying:
Prayer (night Prayer).
Commenting on this subject, Ibn Hajar
says:
`Amr ibn `Absah claimed that he heard Muhammad saying:
after `Isha'; however, it is traditionally prayed with at least two rak'at which is known as shif'a followed by witr
as this is what Muhammad
did. Abdullah ibn Umar narrated that Muhammad said:
"Salatul Layl (Night Prayer, i.e. Tahajjud) is offered as two rak'at followed by two rak'at and (so on) and if anyone is afraid of the approaching dawn (Fajr
prayer) he should pray one rak'at and this will be a Witr
for all the rak'at which he has prayed before."
Bukhari, hadith 539
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. It is not one of the five obligatory prayers required of all Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, yet still, the Islamic prophet
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
, Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
has been recorded as performing the tahajjud prayer regularly and encouraging his companions to offer it to God for its many rewards and benefits, and a way to purify the soul, enabling it to approach the Realm of God. The Night prayer is basically one of the ways (along with fasting and meditating on the verses of the Quran) which make the presence of God in the life of the Muslim become a conscious, living, and intensely experienced reality.
Evidence in the Qur'an for Tahajjud prayer (Tahajjud Salah)
In his famous work, Fiqh As-Sunnah, Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq elaborates on the subject of Tahajjud as follows:Ordering His Messenger to perform Tahajjud, Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
Almighty says what means:
This order, although it was specifically directed to Muhammad, also refers to all Muslims, since Muhammad is to be the perfect example and guide for them in all matters.
Moreover, performing Tahajjud prayers regularly qualifies one as one of the righteous and helps one earn God's bounty and mercy. In praising those who perform the late night prayers, God says what means:
Evidence in hadith
Next to these Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
ic verses, there also exist a number of hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
s (narrated and confirmed traditions from Muhammad) that reinforce the importance of Tahajjud Prayer.
Etiquette of prayer
The following acts are recommended for one who wishes to perform the Tahajjud prayer:Upon going to sleep, one should make the intention to perform the prayers. Abu Darda
Abu Darda
- Biography :Abu Darda was a trader in Medina and belonged to the al-Ḥārith clan of the Banu Khazraj tribe. He converted to Islam after the Battle of Badr...
quoted Muhammad as saying:
On waking up, it is recommended that one wipes the face, use a toothbrush
Miswak
The miswak is a teeth cleaning twig made from a twig of the Salvadora persica tree . It has a long, well-documented history and is reputed for its medicinal benefits...
, and look to the sky and make the supplication which has been reported from Muhammad.
Abu-Hudhayfah ibn Utbah
Abu-Hudhayfah ibn Utbah
Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah full name Abu Hudhaifah bin `Utbah bin Rabi`ah bin `Abd Shams bin `Abd Manaf) was a sahaba of Muhammad. He was the son of Utba ibn Rabi'ah, one of the Leaders of Quraish...
reported:
One should begin with two quick rak`ah
Raka'ah
Rakaʿah are the prescribed movements and words followed by Muslims during salah .After turning to God in mind and ritual cleansing , the worshipper will stand quietly while reciting the first verses of the Qur'an. The second part of the rak'ah involves bowing low with hands on knees, as if...
s and then one may pray whatever one wishes after that. Aisha
Aisha
Aisha bint Abu Bakr also transcribed as was Muhammad's favorite wife...
said:
It is recommended that one wakes up one's family, for Abu Hurairah
Abu Hurairah
Abu Hurairah , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the narrator of Hadith most quoted in the isnad by Sunnis.-Early life:...
quoted Muhammad as saying:
Recommended time for Tahajjud
Tahajjud may be performed in the early part of the night, the middle part of the night, or the later part of the night, but after the obligatory `Isha’Isha'a
The Isha prayer is the night-time daily prayer recited by practising Muslims. It is the fifth of the five daily prayers– [islamic evening begins at maghrib]. The five daily prayers collectively are one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the...
Prayer (night Prayer).
Commenting on this subject, Ibn Hajar
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
Al-Haafidh Shihabuddin Abu'l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad, better known as Ibn Hajar due to the fame of his forefathers, al-Asqalani due to his family origin , was a medieval Shafiite Sunni scholar of Islam who represents the entire realm of the Sunni world in the field of Hadith...
says:
`Amr ibn `Absah claimed that he heard Muhammad saying:
The number of rak`ahs in Tahajjud
Tahajjud Prayer does not entail a specific number of rak`ahs that must be performed, nor is there any maximum limit that may be performed. It would be fulfilled even if one prayed just one rak`ah of WitrWitr
Witr is an Islamic prayer that is performed at night after isha'a and before fajr . There are a few distinguishing factors of the witr prayer that sets it apart from the fard and sunnah prayers. Witr has an odd number of rakat prayed in pairs, with the final raka'ah prayed separately...
after `Isha'; however, it is traditionally prayed with at least two rak'at which is known as shif'a followed by witr
Witr
Witr is an Islamic prayer that is performed at night after isha'a and before fajr . There are a few distinguishing factors of the witr prayer that sets it apart from the fard and sunnah prayers. Witr has an odd number of rakat prayed in pairs, with the final raka'ah prayed separately...
as this is what Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
did. Abdullah ibn Umar narrated that Muhammad said:
"Salatul Layl (Night Prayer, i.e. Tahajjud) is offered as two rak'at followed by two rak'at and (so on) and if anyone is afraid of the approaching dawn (Fajr
Fajr
The Fajr prayer is the first of the five daily prayers offered by practising Muslims. The five daily prayers collectively form one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion according to Shia Islam.The Fajr prayer is mentioned by name in the...
prayer) he should pray one rak'at and this will be a Witr
Witr
Witr is an Islamic prayer that is performed at night after isha'a and before fajr . There are a few distinguishing factors of the witr prayer that sets it apart from the fard and sunnah prayers. Witr has an odd number of rakat prayed in pairs, with the final raka'ah prayed separately...
for all the rak'at which he has prayed before."
Bukhari, hadith 539