Ruling on Congregational Tahajjud Prayer ❖
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
What is the ruling on offering Tahajjud (night prayer) in congregation?
Occasionally offering Tahajjud prayer in congregation is permissible.
❀ 1. Sayyidunā Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān رضي الله عنه narrates:
صليت مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات ليلة، فافتتح البقرة، فقلت: يركع عند المائة، ثم مضى، فقلت: يصلي بها في ركعة، فمضى، فقلت: يركع بها، فافتتح النساء، فقرأها، ثم افتتح آل عمران، فقرأها، يقرأ مترسلا، إذا مر بآية فيها تسبيح سبح، وإذا مر بسؤال سأل، وإذا مر بتعوذ تعوذ، ثم ركع، فجعل يقول: سبحان ربي العظيم، فكان ركوعه نحوا من قيامه، ثم قال: سمع الله لمن حمده، ثم قام طويلا قريبا مما ركع، ثم سجد، فقال: سبحان ربي الأعلى، فكان سجوده قريبا من قيامه.
“One night I had the opportunity to pray with the Prophet ﷺ. He began reciting Surah al-Baqarah. I thought he would bow at the hundredth verse, but he continued. I thought he would complete the Surah in one rakʿah, yet he went on. Then I thought he would bow at its end, but instead he started Surah al-Nisā’, and completed it. Then he recited Surah Āl ʿImrān and completed it as well. The Prophet ﷺ was reciting slowly, and whenever he came across a verse of glorification, he glorified (Allah); whenever he encountered a verse of supplication, he supplicated; and whenever he passed a verse of seeking refuge, he sought refuge. Then he bowed and remained in rukūʿ for nearly the same length as his standing. After saying ‘Samiʿ Allāhu liman ḥamidah’, he stood for nearly the same duration as his bowing, then prostrated and said ‘Subḥāna Rabbiyal-Aʿlā’, and his prostration was nearly as long as his standing.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 772
❀ 2. Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه reports:
صليت مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة، فلم يزل قائما حتى هممت بأمر سوء، قلنا: وما هممت؟ قال: هممت أن أقعد، وأذر النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم.
“I once prayed with the Prophet ﷺ one night. He kept standing (in prayer) for so long that I thought of something inappropriate.”
We asked: “What did you think?”
He replied: “I thought to sit down and leave the Prophet ﷺ standing alone.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1135
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 773/204
✔ It is permissible to offer Tahajjud in congregation, but occasionally, not regularly.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ himself prayed it in congregation sometimes, and the Companions joined him.
✔ However, the regular practice of Tahajjud is to offer it individually during the night.
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on offering Tahajjud (night prayer) in congregation?
❖ Answer:
Occasionally offering Tahajjud prayer in congregation is permissible.
✿ Proofs from Authentic Hadith:
❀ 1. Sayyidunā Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān رضي الله عنه narrates:
صليت مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات ليلة، فافتتح البقرة، فقلت: يركع عند المائة، ثم مضى، فقلت: يصلي بها في ركعة، فمضى، فقلت: يركع بها، فافتتح النساء، فقرأها، ثم افتتح آل عمران، فقرأها، يقرأ مترسلا، إذا مر بآية فيها تسبيح سبح، وإذا مر بسؤال سأل، وإذا مر بتعوذ تعوذ، ثم ركع، فجعل يقول: سبحان ربي العظيم، فكان ركوعه نحوا من قيامه، ثم قال: سمع الله لمن حمده، ثم قام طويلا قريبا مما ركع، ثم سجد، فقال: سبحان ربي الأعلى، فكان سجوده قريبا من قيامه.
“One night I had the opportunity to pray with the Prophet ﷺ. He began reciting Surah al-Baqarah. I thought he would bow at the hundredth verse, but he continued. I thought he would complete the Surah in one rakʿah, yet he went on. Then I thought he would bow at its end, but instead he started Surah al-Nisā’, and completed it. Then he recited Surah Āl ʿImrān and completed it as well. The Prophet ﷺ was reciting slowly, and whenever he came across a verse of glorification, he glorified (Allah); whenever he encountered a verse of supplication, he supplicated; and whenever he passed a verse of seeking refuge, he sought refuge. Then he bowed and remained in rukūʿ for nearly the same length as his standing. After saying ‘Samiʿ Allāhu liman ḥamidah’, he stood for nearly the same duration as his bowing, then prostrated and said ‘Subḥāna Rabbiyal-Aʿlā’, and his prostration was nearly as long as his standing.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 772❀ 2. Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه reports:
صليت مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة، فلم يزل قائما حتى هممت بأمر سوء، قلنا: وما هممت؟ قال: هممت أن أقعد، وأذر النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم.
“I once prayed with the Prophet ﷺ one night. He kept standing (in prayer) for so long that I thought of something inappropriate.”
We asked: “What did you think?”
He replied: “I thought to sit down and leave the Prophet ﷺ standing alone.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1135 Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 773/204
Conclusion:
✔ It is permissible to offer Tahajjud in congregation, but occasionally, not regularly.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ himself prayed it in congregation sometimes, and the Companions joined him.
✔ However, the regular practice of Tahajjud is to offer it individually during the night.
