Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Is there a difference between Tarāwīḥ and Tahajjud prayers?
There is no difference between Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ—these are two names for the same prayer. Some claim that Tarāwīḥ and Tahajjud are separate prayers, but this opinion is disputable and lacks strong evidence.
❀ ʿAllāmah Anwar Shāh Kāshmīrī رحمه الله states:
“There is no authentic narration that the Prophet ﷺ offered Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ separately during Ramaḍān. In the Prophetic era, there was no difference in rakʿāt between Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ. The only difference was in timing and method:
❀ Sayyidunā Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه reports:
“We fasted in Ramaḍān with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but he did not lead us in night prayer (Qiyām) until the 23rd night, when he led us for one-third of the night. He did not lead us on the 24th night. On the 25th night, he led us until midnight.
I said: O Messenger of Allah! If only you had completed the whole night in prayer!
He replied: ‘Whoever prays ʿIshā’ in congregation, it is as though he has performed Qiyām al-Layl.’
He did not lead us on the 26th night. On the 27th night, he led us in Qiyām with our families until we feared we would miss Falāḥ (success).
The narrator asked Abū Dharr: What is meant by Falāḥ?
He replied: Suhūr (pre-dawn meal).
The Prophet ﷺ did not lead them for the remaining nights.”
Musnad Aḥmad: 5/159; Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1375; Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 1606; Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 806; Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1327 – Chain is authentic.
☞ It is evident that the Prophet ﷺ performed Qiyām al-Layl (night prayer) for the entire night during Ramaḍān. There was no time left for a separate Tahajjud prayer. This indicates that Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ are one and the same.
As for Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها stating that the Prophet ﷺ did not stand for the whole night in prayer, this means:
❖ Question:
Is there a difference between Tarāwīḥ and Tahajjud prayers?
✿ Answer:
There is no difference between Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ—these are two names for the same prayer. Some claim that Tarāwīḥ and Tahajjud are separate prayers, but this opinion is disputable and lacks strong evidence.
❀ ʿAllāmah Anwar Shāh Kāshmīrī رحمه الله states:
“There is no authentic narration that the Prophet ﷺ offered Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ separately during Ramaḍān. In the Prophetic era, there was no difference in rakʿāt between Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ. The only difference was in timing and method:
- Tahajjud was generally performed individually in the last part of the night.
- Tarāwīḥ was offered in congregation during the first part of the night.”
(Al-ʿUrf al-Shadhī: 1/166)
❀ Sayyidunā Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه reports:
“We fasted in Ramaḍān with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but he did not lead us in night prayer (Qiyām) until the 23rd night, when he led us for one-third of the night. He did not lead us on the 24th night. On the 25th night, he led us until midnight.
I said: O Messenger of Allah! If only you had completed the whole night in prayer!
He replied: ‘Whoever prays ʿIshā’ in congregation, it is as though he has performed Qiyām al-Layl.’
He did not lead us on the 26th night. On the 27th night, he led us in Qiyām with our families until we feared we would miss Falāḥ (success).
The narrator asked Abū Dharr: What is meant by Falāḥ?
He replied: Suhūr (pre-dawn meal).
The Prophet ﷺ did not lead them for the remaining nights.”
Musnad Aḥmad: 5/159; Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1375; Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 1606; Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 806; Sunan Ibn Mājah: 1327 – Chain is authentic.☞ It is evident that the Prophet ﷺ performed Qiyām al-Layl (night prayer) for the entire night during Ramaḍān. There was no time left for a separate Tahajjud prayer. This indicates that Tahajjud and Tarāwīḥ are one and the same.
As for Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها stating that the Prophet ﷺ did not stand for the whole night in prayer, this means:
- He did not do so consistently, though he did so occasionally;
- Or it could be that her statement is based on lack of knowledge of that specific instance.
