❖ Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Namāz-e-Nabawī ﷺ
Author: Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz
Publisher: Maktabah Dār al-Andalus
✦ The most superior prayer after the obligatory ones is Tahajjud.
✦ Tahajjud is a gateway to all forms of good:
✦ Allah descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night and calls:
✦ The Prophet ﷺ would stand so long that his feet would swell, despite being forgiven.
✦ From ʿIshā’ until Fajr.
✦ Most preferred is the last third of the night.
✦ One may pray in the first part of the night if unsure of waking later.
✦ Upon awakening, the Prophet ﷺ would recite:
✦ Reciting this dhikr and making duʿāʾ guarantees acceptance:
✦ The Prophet ﷺ recited the last 10 verses of Sūrah Āl ʿImrān upon awakening.
✦ The best prayer is that with long qiyām (standing/recitation).
✦ It is not Sunnah to complete the entire Qur’an in one night.
✦ The Prophet ﷺ told Ibn ʿUmar:
✦ Silent and loud recitation both are permissible.
✦ In congregational Tahajjud, recitation should be loud.
✦ The Prophet ﷺ generally prayed 7, 9 or 11 rakʿāt.
✦ Occasionally prayed 2 rakʿāt after Witr.
✦ Begin with 2 light rakʿāt.
✦ Do not spend entire night in prayer – balance worship, rest, and family rights.
✦ Consistency matters more than quantity.
✦ Best is to pray individually.
✦ Occasionally, congregation is allowed.
✦ If one forgets or sleeps, reward is still written.
✦ May pray between Fajr and Ẓuhr as compensation.
✦ If Tahajjud missed due to illness, the Prophet ﷺ would pray 12 rakʿāt during the day.
Author: Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz
Publisher: Maktabah Dār al-Andalus
❖ Tahajjud: Virtues and Rewards
✦ The most superior prayer after the obligatory ones is Tahajjud.
"أفضل الصلاة بعد الفريضة صلاة الليل"
[Muslim: 1163]
✦ Tahajjud is a gateway to all forms of good:
"روزہ ڈھال ہے، صدقہ گناہ بجھاتا ہے، اور رات کی نماز خیر کے دروازے کھولتی ہے۔"
[Tirmidhī: 2616, Ibn Mājah: 3973 – Ṣaḥīḥ]
✦ Allah descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night and calls:
"ہے کوئی دعا مانگنے والا؟ ہے کوئی بخشش کا طلبگار؟"
[Bukhārī: 1145, Muslim: 758]
✦ The Prophet ﷺ would stand so long that his feet would swell, despite being forgiven.
"کیا میں اپنے رب کا شکر گزار بندہ نہ بنوں؟"
[Bukhārī: 4836, Muslim: 2819/80]
❖ Encouraging Spouses for Tahajjud
"اللہ اس مرد و عورت پر رحم کرے جو تہجد کے لیے ایک دوسرے کو جگائیں۔ اگر نہ جاگے تو چہرے پر پانی کے چھینٹے ماریں۔"
[Abū Dāwūd: 1308, Nasā’ī: 1611 – Ṣaḥīḥ]
❖ Time for Tahajjud
✦ From ʿIshā’ until Fajr.
"نبی ﷺ عشاء کے بعد سے فجر تک تہجد پڑھتے تھے۔"
[Muslim: 736]
✦ Most preferred is the last third of the night.
"داودؑ نصف رات سوتے، تہائی حصہ عبادت کرتے اور چھٹا حصہ دوبارہ سوتے۔"
[Bukhārī: 1131, Muslim: 1159]
✦ One may pray in the first part of the night if unsure of waking later.
"پہلے وتر پڑھ لے، جو آخری حصہ میں جاگنے کی امید رکھے وہ وتر آخر میں پڑھے۔"
[Muslim: 1767]
❖ Adhkar Before Tahajjud
✦ Upon awakening, the Prophet ﷺ would recite:
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ...
[Abū Dāwūd: 5085, Nasā’ī: 1618]
✦ Reciting this dhikr and making duʿāʾ guarantees acceptance:
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ...
[Bukhārī: 1154]
✦ The Prophet ﷺ recited the last 10 verses of Sūrah Āl ʿImrān upon awakening.
[Bukhārī: 1198, Muslim: 1789]
❖ Opening Supplication (Istiftāḥ) of Tahajjud
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ...
Full lengthy duʿāʾ acknowledging Allah’s majesty and pledging full submission.
[Bukhārī: 1120, 6317 – Muslim: 769]
❖ Recitation Rules in Tahajjud
✦ The best prayer is that with long qiyām (standing/recitation).
[Muslim: 756]
✦ It is not Sunnah to complete the entire Qur’an in one night.
"نبی ﷺ نے کبھی ایک رات میں پورا قرآن نہیں پڑھا۔"
[Muslim: 746]
✦ The Prophet ﷺ told Ibn ʿUmar:
"ہر ماہ قرآن ختم کرو – بعد میں تین دن کی اجازت دی۔"
[Bukhārī: 1978]
"جس نے تین دن سے کم میں ختم کیا، وہ قرآن کو سمجھا ہی نہیں۔"
[Tirmidhī: 2949 – Ṣaḥīḥ]
✦ Silent and loud recitation both are permissible.
"نبی ﷺ کبھی سری، کبھی جہری قراءت کرتے۔"
[Tirmidhī: 449, Ibn Mājah: 1354 – Ṣaḥīḥ]
✦ In congregational Tahajjud, recitation should be loud.
[Muslim: 772 – Incident of Sūrah al-Baqarah]
❖ Number and Manner of Rakʿāt
✦ The Prophet ﷺ generally prayed 7, 9 or 11 rakʿāt.
"رمضان اور غیر رمضان میں آپ ﷺ گیارہ سے زیادہ نہیں پڑھتے تھے۔"
[Bukhārī: 1147, Muslim: 738]
✦ Occasionally prayed 2 rakʿāt after Witr.
[Muslim: 738]
✦ Begin with 2 light rakʿāt.
[Muslim: 768]
✦ Do not spend entire night in prayer – balance worship, rest, and family rights.
"تیرے جسم، آنکھوں، بیوی اور مہمان کا تجھ پر حق ہے۔"
[Bukhārī: 1970]
✦ Consistency matters more than quantity.
"اللہ کو وہ عمل پسند ہے جو مستقل ہو، چاہے تھوڑا ہو۔"
[Muslim: 782, Bukhārī: 6465]
❖ Congregational Tahajjud
✦ Best is to pray individually.
✦ Occasionally, congregation is allowed.
"ابن عباس رضی اللہ عنہما نبی ﷺ کے ساتھ تہجد میں شریک ہوئے۔"
[Bukhārī: 699, Muslim: 763]
❖ Qadāʾ (Make-Up) of Missed Tahajjud
✦ If one forgets or sleeps, reward is still written.
[Ibn Khuzaymah: 1175 – Ṣaḥīḥ]
✦ May pray between Fajr and Ẓuhr as compensation.
[Muslim: 747]
✦ If Tahajjud missed due to illness, the Prophet ﷺ would pray 12 rakʿāt during the day.
[Muslim: 746]
