❀ The Prophet’s Dhikr Upon Waking for Tahajjud ❀
Umm al-Mu’minīn ʿĀ’ishah (رضي الله عنها) reported that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke at night for Tahajjud, he would recite:
◈ اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ – Allah is the Greatest (10 times)
◈ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه – All praise is for Allah (10 times)
◈ سُبْحَانَ اللّٰه وَبِحَمْدِهِ – Glory be to Allah and all praise is His (10 times)
◈ سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ – Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy (10 times)
◈ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰه – I seek Allah’s forgiveness (10 times)
◈ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ – There is no deity but Allah (10 times)
Then he would supplicate:
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ ضِيقِ الدُّنْيَا وَضِيقِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the distress of this world and the distress of the Day of Resurrection." (10 times)
(Abū Dāwūd: al-Adab, Bāb Mā Yaqūlu Iḏā Aṣbaḥ, 5085)
Then he would say:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي وَعَافِنِي
"O Allah, forgive me, guide me, provide for me, and grant me well-being."
He would then perform wuḍū’ and start Tahajjud.
(Abū Dāwūd, al-Ṣalāh, 766 – authenticated by Ibn Ḥibbān)
❀ Virtue of Dhikr After Waking at Night ❀
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever wakes during the night and says:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه، وَسُبْحَانَ اللّٰه، وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰه، وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰه
then says: اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي or makes any supplication, it will be answered.
And if he performs wuḍū’ and prays, his prayer will be accepted."
(al-Bukhārī, al-Tahajjud, 1154)
❀ Reciting the Last Verses of Āl ʿImrān Upon Waking for Tahajjud ❀
When the Prophet ﷺ woke for Tahajjud, he would recite the last eleven verses of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān (190–200).
(al-Bukhārī, al-ʿAmal fī al-Ṣalāh, 183 – Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, 763)
❀ Opening Supplication of Tahajjud
Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) reported that when the Prophet ﷺ stood for Tahajjud, he would begin with:
اللّٰهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ… لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
This duʿā’ reflects his deep connection with Allah, affirming His oneness, seeking His forgiveness, and declaring His praise.
(al-Bukhārī, al-Tahajjud, 1120; Muslim, Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, 769)
❀ Long Recitations and Repeated Verses in Tahajjud
Abū Dharr (رضي الله عنه) said:
"The Prophet ﷺ repeated one verse in Tahajjud until morning:
إِنْ تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ، وَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
(If You punish them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, You are the Mighty, the Wise)."
(al-Nasā’ī, al-Iftitāḥ, 1010 – authenticated by al-Ḥākim and al-Dhahabī)
