When & How to Say the Tahajjud Prayer

The Tahajjud is a special Islamic night prayer that is voluntary but recommended for all Muslims. Many devout Muslims make the Tahajjud part of their daily routine as an act of worship and to earn redemption. The Tahajjud is prayed after Isha (the obligatory nightly prayer) and before Fajr (the obligatory morning prayer), ideally in the last third of the night. For this article, we partnered with Islam experts to help us explain everything you need to know about Tahajjud, including when to perform it, how to perform it, and the benefits of doing so.

Easy Steps for Performing Tahajjud

Set your alarm to wake up after midnight.
Perform Wudu to cleanse yourself.
State your prayer intentions.
Perform at least 2 rakats.
Make dua after completing the rakats.

Section 1 of 5:

When to Perform the Tahajjud Prayer

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Perform Tahajjud after Isha and before Fajr, ideally after waking up from sleep. Technically, the Tahajjud can be prayed at any part of the night. However, if possible, Islam expert Mufti Samir Wahid recommends praying it after midnight, especially during the last third of the night.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Mufti Samir Wahid
Islam Expert

Expert Interview} This is because Allah descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, asking, "Who is asking me, so I can give to him? Who is calling upon me, so I can answer him? Who is seeking my forgiveness, so I can forgive him?'"^{[2]
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- Islam education expert Belal Elkadri says performing Tahajjud is “a way to draw near to God in a moment where everyone is sleeping and you're choosing to stand up and pray to him.”^{[3]
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  Belal Elkadri
  Islam Education Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
- If you try to wake up and perform the Tahajjud but sleep through your alarm, don't feel guilty. According to a hadith, Allah records your genuine intention to perform the Tahajjud and grants you sleep as an act of mercy. You will be rewarded as if your intention had been fulfilled.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Mufti Samir Wahid is an Islam expert and Imam based in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s also the CEO of the Islamic Institute of Atlanta, Najam Institute, Darul Arqam Institute, and Al Furqan Academy.

Belal Elkadri is an Islamic education expert based in Detroit, Michigan. He has worked in the non-profit space for over 10 years.

Section 2 of 5:

Performing the Tahajjud Prayer

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1
Wake up and perform Wudu. Once you’re fully awake, Wahid says to perform Wudu, the ritual ablution Muslims use to cleanse themselves before they pray or handle the Holy Quran.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Mufti Samir Wahid
Islam Expert

Expert Interview} Traditionally, performing Wudu means using clean water to wash oneself in the following four ways:
- Washing the face, arms, and hands up to and including the elbows
- Wiping the head (Masah)
- Washing the feet up to the ankles
- Note: many Muslims also choose to wash their mouth and teeth with a miswak before the Tahajjud.^{[5]
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- If you have discharged mani earlier in the night, whether during sexual intercourse, a wet dream, or haram means, then the Ghusl full-body ritual cleansing must be performed.
- It is highly recommended to pray two rakats immediately after completing wudu. This will help you enter the right frame of mind for the upcoming prayer.
2
Go somewhere clean, quiet, and dignified to pray. This is done because Allah's names are pure, so, whenever possible, Muslims are encouraged to speak of Him in clean, holy places as a form of reverence. Put on your normal prayer clothes (for example: a prayer khimar for women)and lay down your prayer mat, facing the Holy Kabah in Mecca as you would for your obligatory prayers.
- To be clear, you don't need to be anywhere special, like a mosque or a lavishly decorated room in your house, to pray the Tahajjud. All that's needed is a spot that's clean, which can even be in your bedroom.
- At the time of prayer, calmly focus and reflect on the glory of Allah. Remove all worldly worries from your heart.
3
Make your intention (niyyah) to pray. To begin your prayer, make a definitive mental declaration to yourself. Decide to complete the Tahajjud in the specific way you have chosen, including how many rakats you will recite. Also, decide why you are saying the Tahajjud—for instance, to glorify Allah, praise Allah, thank Allah, or ask for His forgiveness for any sins you have committed.
- You don’t need to make this declaration out loud—Allah knows your thoughts, so your intentions will be clear to him as long as they are clear to you. For example, say in your heart, "I will perform 8 rakats Tahajjud to seek the forgiveness of Allah."
- The Tahajjud is performed by repeating pairs of rakats (cycles) of Salah, the ritual that Muslims use for their obligatory daily prayer. You must stick with your intended number of rakats.
4
Perform two rakats of Salah. To perform Salah, stand and recite verses from the Holy Quran. Then, continue bowing low with your hands on your knees, then prostrate on the ground with your forehead, nose, and palms on the floor and elbows raised, sitting on your knees with your feet folded under you, and finally standing and reciting "Allahu Akbar."
- If you're not sure how to perform Salah properly, learn this fundamental Muslim skill before attempting the Tahajjud.
- Emulate the practices of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who used to recite the following surahs during each rakat in Tahajjud:^{[6]
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  - After reciting the Al-Fatihah the first rakat, recite the surah "Al-Kafirun".
  - After reciting the Al-Fatihah for the second rakat, recite the surah "Al-Ikhlas".
5
Perform more rakats in pairs according to your niyyah. Generally, two rakats are seen as the minimum necessary for a proper Tahajjud. Elkadri says you can perform as many rakats as you want after the first two.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Belal Elkadri
Islam Education Expert

Expert Interview} According to the Hadiths, the Prophet Muhammad frequently prayed up to thirteen rakats, including Witr.^{[8]
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Research source} Tahajjud is always performed in pairs of rakats, and eight is seen as a good number by many Muslims, though the more you pray, the more rewards are available.
- Long recitations from surahs such as Al-Baqarah, An-Nisā’ or Al-‘Imran are highly commended in the subsequent rakats, even if you can manage them only from time to time. One of the benefits of praying at night is that there is no time pressure.
- Following in the example of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), if you notice dawn approaching while you say your Tahajjud, end by performing one rakat as Witr (an optional pre-dawn prayer said before the required Fajr).^{[9]
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Add your own prayers (dua) after completing the rakats. Make your prayers sincere, respectful, and in complete devotion to Allah. These may be offered in extended prostration in your own words and language. Offer additional thanks and praise, pray for strength and guidance, or make a special request for help. For instance, you could ask for blessings for a friend who is struggling. This is an ideal time to ask for forgiveness for your sins, as Allah is especially open to our repentance at night, according to many hadith.
- Acknowledge your wrongdoings, however big or small. Ask Allah for forgiveness and sincerely promise not to repeat your sins.
- Never lose hope of Allah's mercy, for the Qur'an tells us more than 70 times that Allah is the Most Forgiving.
- Any prayer you offer will be heard, and, if Allah wills, your prayer will be answered in kind.
- Don’t rush through this part; it’s the time when Allah is in His lowest heaven. Many Muslims make extended dua for 30 minutes or more if they're able to.
7
Make the Tahajjud part of your nightly routine. Tahajjud is an optional prayer. However, many Muslims choose to practice the Tahajjud on a regular basis (if not every night) because it brings them closer to Allah. In addition, the Tahajjud is often associated with Allah's gift of mercy, making it a great opportunity to seek forgiveness for minor failures, sins, and imperfect actions.
- Set a recurring alarm to wake you up during the night and set aside a space in your house for performing it.
- If you are unable to commit to nightly prayer, then start slowly by establishing the habit of saying just two or four rakats two or three times a week, and build up over time. Allah loves it when His servants strive to develop their worship.
- Once you establish Tahajjud as part of your routine, look for ways of enhancing it. For example, by praying thirteen rakats including one of Witr, and following the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by reciting extended passages from the Qur'an.
- Remember that Allah never tires of giving rewards as long as His servant does not tire of doing good deeds.

Section 3 of 5:

Benefits of Performing the Tahajjud Prayer

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Tahajjud prayers give you a chance to deepen your spiritual connection with Allah, especially since these prayers are voluntary (not required). Keep in mind that the quality of your prayers is far more important to Allah than the quantity. Also, during Ramadan, Tahajjud holds even greater significance for many Muslims because the blessings you receive are multiplied during that month. Benefits of praying the Tahajjud include:
- Attaining forgiveness for your sins.
- Increasing mental strength and inner peace.
- Deepening your relationship with Allah.
- Building spiritual discipline.
- Can be a spiritual remedy for various ailments.^{[10]
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Section 4 of 5:

Exploring the Tahajjud

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1
Read passages about Prophet Muhammad's observance of the Tahajjud. You can consult any of the numerous references to the prayer in Islamic scripture. Most notably, the Tahajjud is mentioned in the Quran and discussed at great length in numerous ahadith. It’s also discussed in the work of Islamic scholars throughout the history of the religion.
- To start, try reading Book 21 (Prayer at Night) from Sahih Bukhari. No less than 70 hadith in this book describe the habits of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the Tahajjud, which gives a clear indication of its significance in the life of a good Muslim.^{[11]
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  Research source} Commentary on the Tahajjud is also offered at multiple points in the Quran, including Surat 17:79 and Surat 39:9.
2
Consider saying the Tahajjud with your family. Muslim families are encouraged to pray the Tahajjud in communion with each other because both Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his wife Aisha recommended that husbands and wives should say the Tahajjud together.^{[12]
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Research source} Performing the Tahajjud as a family allows you to come closer to each other in devotion to Allah and to show solidarity in your worship.
- Ask your spouse and children to join you before the first night you plan to say the Tahajjud together, then, if they need your help to do so, wake them up and celebrate Allah's infinite greatness and mercy in quiet prayer together.
- Children over the age of ten should be encouraged to develop the habit of praying Tahajjud when they are ready. Teach them about the rewards available for completing voluntary acts of worship like Tahajjud.
- Generally, families that pray the Tahajjud together make exceptions for members who need their sleep, like small children, the sick, and the elderly.
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Emulate the practices of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). All Muslims are encouraged to live in emulation of the life of Muhammad (pbuh), Allah's Messenger and the Seal of the Prophets. If you're looking for guidance in performing the Tahajjud, study the ways Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed the Tahajjud and try to work these habits into your daily life. By striving to emulate the Prophet (pbuh)'s Tahajjud practices, Muslims can work towards the perfect ideal represented by him and, in doing so, become closer to Allah.
- As noted above, Book 21 from Sahih Bukhari is a great place to start if you're looking for information on Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)'s Tahajjud habits and practices.

Section 5 of 5:

More Islamic Resources

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wikiHow has a wide variety of helpful articles about Islamic practices, celebrations, prayers, and much more. If you want to explore, here are a few great articles to start with:

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Is there a special dua for the tahajjud prayer?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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You can create your own dua, or you can use one like this example from Sahih Bukhari (Volume 2, Book 21, Number 221): O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; and all the praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, and to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth and Paradise is true and Hell is true and all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true; and Muhammad is true, and the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allah! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You, and repent to You, and with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) and I take You as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous and future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed. And You are the One who makes (some people) forward and (some) backward. There is none to be worshiped but you.

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Can I do the tahajjud prayer after witr?

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Ideally, you should finish your nightly prayers with witr. However, it's okay to do tahajjud after witr.

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Is it obligatory for one to cry while praying the Tahajjud?

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No, it is not necessary to cry. The tears only come when you feel more near to The Almighty or have fear inside.

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Please beware that making the intention out loud before prayer is bid'ah (innovation)!

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Please ask a Muslim that you know to guide you with the pronunciation.

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