Maktab QuranTahajjud is the voluntary prayer offered in the depth of the night, and it holds a rank no other voluntary prayer matches — the Prophet ﷺ called night prayer the best prayer after the obligatory ones (Sahih Muslim 1163). The word comes from the Arabic root hajada, "to give up sleep": its very name is the sacrifice it asks of you. This guide walks through the timing, the method, the rakats and the dua, with the Quran and authentic hadith as the only sources.
What is Tahajjud prayer?
Tahajjud is a voluntary (nafl) prayer performed after sleeping for a portion of the night. It sits inside the broader category of night prayer, Qiyam al-Layl, but refers specifically to rising from sleep to pray — the practice the Quran praises when it describes the righteous: "They used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness" (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:17–18). It was obligatory upon the Prophet ﷺ himself and remains highly recommended for his followers.
When is Tahajjud time?
The window is wide: any time after Isha and before Fajr begins. But the most blessed portion is the last third of the night, because of what the Prophet ﷺ reported: "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains and says: Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145, Sahih Muslim 758).
Calculating it is simple arithmetic: divide the time between sunset and the start of Fajr into three equal parts. If the sun sets at 7:00 PM and Fajr enters at 4:00 AM — nine hours of night — each third is three hours, so the last third runs from 1:00 AM until Fajr. The exact window shifts with the season and your city's prayer timetable, so check yours rather than memorizing clock times.
How do you pray Tahajjud step by step?
- Purify yourself. Make wudu as you would for any prayer.
- Make the intention. In your heart, intend Tahajjud for the sake of Allah alone — no words need to be spoken.
- Pray two rakats. Recite Surah Al-Fatiha followed by whatever portion of the Quran you know well in each rakat, then bow and prostrate with unhurried humility, exactly as in any other prayer.
- Continue in pairs. Give salam after every two rakats, and pray as many pairs as you comfortably can.
- Close with Witr — one final odd rakat — if you have not already prayed it after Isha.
- Stay for dua and istighfar. The prayer's timing is the whole point: ask for forgiveness and whatever you need, in your own language, while the night is still dark.
How many rakats is Tahajjud?
There is no fixed number. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The night prayer is two by two; and when you fear dawn is near, pray one rakat to make what you have prayed odd" (Sahih al-Bukhari 990, Sahih Muslim 749). His own habit, described by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), was eleven rakats including Witr, prayed long and unhurried (Sahih al-Bukhari 1147). Two rakats prayed with presence are a complete, accepted Tahajjud. He also taught moderation — take on what you can sustain, because "the most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if small" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464).
Which surahs should you recite in Tahajjud?
None are prescribed — this is deliberate freedom. Recite what you know solidly, because fluent recitation lets you focus on meaning instead of retrieval. This is where memorization quietly pays its dividend: every surah you memorize becomes material for your night prayer. If you are building that store, start with our guide to how to memorize the Quran, or pick a short, beloved surah like Al-Mulk — which many of the early Muslims recited every night before sleep.
What dua do you make during Tahajjud?
The best dua is the one that comes from your heart, in any language. From the Sunnah, the Prophet ﷺ would open his night prayer with a dua of pure praise: "O Allah, to You belongs all praise; You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all within them. To You belongs all praise; You are the Light of the heavens and the earth… Your promise is true, the meeting with You is true, Paradise is true, and the Hour is true…" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1120). After the prayer, stay seated and ask — the hadith of Allah's descent is an open invitation with three promises attached: answer, provision, forgiveness.
Can you pray Tahajjud without sleeping first?
An honest answer: the classical definition of Tahajjud is prayer after waking from sleep, and that is the surer way to follow the Prophet's ﷺ example. But if you stayed awake — studying, working, or simply unable to sleep — your night prayer is still valid, still rewarded, and still falls under Qiyam al-Layl. No scholar says the prayer of a person who did not sleep is rejected; the discussion is only about which name it carries. Do not let a definition talk you out of standing before Allah.
What does the Quran say about Tahajjud?
The command to the Prophet ﷺ is direct, and it names the reward:
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا
"And in part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is required of you; it may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised station." (Surah Al-Isra 17:79)
And of those who pray it, Allah says: "Their sides forsake their beds; they call upon their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend from what We have provided them. No soul knows what delight of the eyes is kept hidden for them, as a reward for what they used to do." (Surah As-Sajdah 32:16–17)
Tahajjud is a private conversation scheduled at the hour of least distraction. Start with two rakats tonight — small, consistent, and yours.