❖ Fiqhi Rulings on Tahajjud and Tarawih Prayers at Night ❖
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
➊ Allah says:
﴿إِن نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْأً وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا﴾
[Al-Muzzammil: 6]
“Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence and more suitable for words.”
➋ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The most virtuous prayer after the obligatory ones is the night prayer.”
[Muslim: 1163; Ibn Majah: 1742; Abu Dawood: 2429; Tirmidhi: 437]
➌ Hadith:
“Pray at night while people are asleep.”
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 2630; Tirmidhi: 2485]
➍ Narrated by Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (رضي الله عنه):
“Pray Qiyam al-Layl, for it is the way of the righteous before you, a means of nearness to your Lord, a means of expiation for sins, and a shield against evil.”
[Hasan: Irwaʾ al-Ghalil: 2/199; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1135; Tirmidhi: 3549]
➎ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ used to pray so long at night that his feet would swell. When asked why, despite his forgiven status, he replied:
“Should I not be a thankful servant?”
[Bukhari: 4837; Muslim: 2820]
➏ The Prophet ﷺ said to Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
“Do not be like so-and-so; he used to pray at night, then he abandoned it.”
[Bukhari: 1152; Muslim: 1159]
✔ (Imam al-Sanʿani) concluded from this that regularity in night prayer is recommended.
[Subul al-Salam: 2/540]
➐ The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every night, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and says:
‘I am the King; who will call upon Me so I may respond, who will ask of Me so I may grant, who will seek forgiveness so I may forgive?’ This continues until the break of dawn.”
[Bukhari: 1145; Muslim: 758]
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ used to pray 13 Rak‘ahs at night, including five for Witr, sitting for Tashahhud only in the last one.
[Muslim: 737; Ahmad: 6/230; Abu Dawood: 1338; Tirmidhi: 459]
➋ Also narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ used to pray 11 Rak‘ahs regularly from after ʿIshaʾ until Fajr, in sets of two, concluding with one Rakʿah of Witr.
[Muslim: 736; Bukhari: 626; Muwatta: 1/120]
➌ ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed 10 Rak‘ahs, followed by 1 Witr, and 2 Rak‘ahs of Fajr Sunnah — totaling 13 Rak‘ahs.
[Muslim: 738; Bukhari: 1140]
➊ From Muslim:
“He ﷺ would conclude with Taslim after every two Rak‘ahs.”
[Muslim: 736]
➋ Narrated by Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما):
“Night prayer is offered two by two.”
[Bukhari: 990; Muslim: 749]
✔ The Prophet ﷺ was reported to perform Sujood equivalent to reciting 50 verses.
[Bukhari: 1123]
✔ The Prophet ﷺ would prolong his standing and perfect his prayer.
[Bukhari: 1135, 1147]
✔ Both forms are established from the Prophet ﷺ.
ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“Sometimes he recited quietly, and sometimes audibly.”
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1274; Nasa’i: 1/99; Tirmidhi: 2924]
✔ Starts: After ʿIshaʾ
✔ Ends: At Fajr
[Muslim: 736; Bukhari: 626]
✔ Best time: Last third of the night
Narrated by Jabir (رضي الله عنه):
“Prayer in the last part of the night is witnessed (by angels) and is more virtuous.”
[Muslim: 755; Ahmad: 3/315]
✔ (Ibn Hazm) also supported this.
[Al-Muhalla: 2/91]
✔ Narrated by Anas (رضي الله عنه):
When three men tried to exceed the Prophet’s worship, he said:
“Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.”
[Bukhari: 5063; Muslim: 2487]
Yes. Qiyam al-Layl, Tahajjud, and Tarawih are all forms of voluntary night prayer. Tarawih is essentially Qiyam al-Layl during Ramadan. More details can be explored in related discussions.
➊ Narrated by Ibn ʿUmar and Ibn ʿAbbas (رضي الله عنهم):
“Witr is one Rak‘ah at the end of the night.”
[Muslim: 752–753]
➋ ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“He would conclude with one Witr.”
[Muslim: 736; Bukhari: 626]
➌ Narrated by Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما):
“If you fear dawn, then pray one Witr.”
[Bukhari: 1137; Muslim: 749]
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
✿ Excellence of Night Prayer (Qiyam al-Layl)
➊ Allah says:
﴿إِن نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْأً وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا﴾
[Al-Muzzammil: 6]
“Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence and more suitable for words.”
➋ Narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The most virtuous prayer after the obligatory ones is the night prayer.”
[Muslim: 1163; Ibn Majah: 1742; Abu Dawood: 2429; Tirmidhi: 437]
➌ Hadith:
“Pray at night while people are asleep.”
[Sahih Ibn Majah: 2630; Tirmidhi: 2485]
➍ Narrated by Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (رضي الله عنه):
“Pray Qiyam al-Layl, for it is the way of the righteous before you, a means of nearness to your Lord, a means of expiation for sins, and a shield against evil.”
[Hasan: Irwaʾ al-Ghalil: 2/199; Ibn Khuzaymah: 1135; Tirmidhi: 3549]
➎ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ used to pray so long at night that his feet would swell. When asked why, despite his forgiven status, he replied:
“Should I not be a thankful servant?”
[Bukhari: 4837; Muslim: 2820]
➏ The Prophet ﷺ said to Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
“Do not be like so-and-so; he used to pray at night, then he abandoned it.”
[Bukhari: 1152; Muslim: 1159]
✔ (Imam al-Sanʿani) concluded from this that regularity in night prayer is recommended.
[Subul al-Salam: 2/540]
➐ The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Every night, Allah descends to the lowest heaven and says:
‘I am the King; who will call upon Me so I may respond, who will ask of Me so I may grant, who will seek forgiveness so I may forgive?’ This continues until the break of dawn.”
[Bukhari: 1145; Muslim: 758]
◈ Number of Rak‘ahs in Tahajjud
➊ Narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ used to pray 13 Rak‘ahs at night, including five for Witr, sitting for Tashahhud only in the last one.
[Muslim: 737; Ahmad: 6/230; Abu Dawood: 1338; Tirmidhi: 459]
➋ Also narrated by ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ used to pray 11 Rak‘ahs regularly from after ʿIshaʾ until Fajr, in sets of two, concluding with one Rakʿah of Witr.
[Muslim: 736; Bukhari: 626; Muwatta: 1/120]
➌ ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
The Prophet ﷺ prayed 10 Rak‘ahs, followed by 1 Witr, and 2 Rak‘ahs of Fajr Sunnah — totaling 13 Rak‘ahs.
[Muslim: 738; Bukhari: 1140]
◈ Format of Night Prayer: Two-by-Two
➊ From Muslim:
“He ﷺ would conclude with Taslim after every two Rak‘ahs.”
[Muslim: 736]
➋ Narrated by Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما):
“Night prayer is offered two by two.”
[Bukhari: 990; Muslim: 749]
◈ Long Sujood is Recommended
✔ The Prophet ﷺ was reported to perform Sujood equivalent to reciting 50 verses.
[Bukhari: 1123]
◈ Long Qiyam (Standing) is Recommended
✔ The Prophet ﷺ would prolong his standing and perfect his prayer.
[Bukhari: 1135, 1147]
◈ Silent and Audible Recitation in Qiyam al-Layl
✔ Both forms are established from the Prophet ﷺ.
ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“Sometimes he recited quietly, and sometimes audibly.”
[Sahih Abu Dawood: 1274; Nasa’i: 1/99; Tirmidhi: 2924]
◈ Timing of Tahajjud
✔ Starts: After ʿIshaʾ
✔ Ends: At Fajr
[Muslim: 736; Bukhari: 626]
✔ Best time: Last third of the night
Narrated by Jabir (رضي الله عنه):
“Prayer in the last part of the night is witnessed (by angels) and is more virtuous.”
[Muslim: 755; Ahmad: 3/315]
✔ (Ibn Hazm) also supported this.
[Al-Muhalla: 2/91]
◈ Do Not Exceed the Established Number of Rak‘ahs
✔ Narrated by Anas (رضي الله عنه):
When three men tried to exceed the Prophet’s worship, he said:
“Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.”
[Bukhari: 5063; Muslim: 2487]
◈ Tahajjud and Tarawih: Are They the Same?
Yes. Qiyam al-Layl, Tahajjud, and Tarawih are all forms of voluntary night prayer. Tarawih is essentially Qiyam al-Layl during Ramadan. More details can be explored in related discussions.
◈ One Rakʿah of Witr at the End
➊ Narrated by Ibn ʿUmar and Ibn ʿAbbas (رضي الله عنهم):
“Witr is one Rak‘ah at the end of the night.”
[Muslim: 752–753]
➋ ʿAishah (رضي الله عنها):
“He would conclude with one Witr.”
[Muslim: 736; Bukhari: 626]
➌ Narrated by Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما):
“If you fear dawn, then pray one Witr.”
[Bukhari: 1137; Muslim: 749]
