An act praised in the Qur’an
The Qur’an describes believers rising from their beds to call upon their Lord with hope and reverence. It also mentions seeking forgiveness before dawn.
The quiet hours before dawn
Tahajjud: make time for Allah at night
Understand why this prayer matters, when to pray it and how to begin, even with just two rak‘ahs.
← Adult homeIts statusVoluntary
A highly valued extra prayer, not one of the five obligatory prayers.
Its timeAt night
After ‘Isha and before Fajr; the later part of the night is especially valued.
A first stepTwo rak‘ahs
Start simply, and pray in pairs if you wish to do more.
First, the important question
Is Tahajjud compulsory?
No. For Muslims generally, Tahajjud is a voluntary night prayer. The five daily prayers are obligatory; Tahajjud is an additional act of worship. Missing Tahajjud is not the same as missing an obligatory prayer.
Protect your Fajr prayer and your health. If waking late at night would make you miss Fajr, begin with a smaller routine or pray voluntary night prayer before sleeping.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 46 — five obligatory prayers and voluntary prayers ↗
Its value
Why pray in the night?
The Qur’an and Sunnah give this quiet worship a special place. These are reasons to seek it, without treating any particular outcome as a promise to an individual.
The best prayer after the obligatory prayers
The Prophet ﷺ described prayer during the night as the most excellent prayer after the prescribed prayers.
A precious time for dua
A hadith highlights the last part of the night as a time to ask Allah, seek His help and seek His forgiveness.
The Qur’an also mentions prayer during part of the night in 17:79 ↗, in an address to the Prophet ﷺ.
When to pray
Choose a time you can manage
After ‘Isha, before Fajr
Voluntary night prayer can be offered in this period. Tahajjud commonly refers to praying after you have slept and then woken.
The last part of the night
If you can wake, the later part of the night is especially valued for prayer and dua. Leave enough time to prepare for Fajr.
Before sleep is still worthwhile
If you are unlikely to wake, pray voluntary night prayer and Witr before sleeping. You can build a later-night habit gradually.
Sources: Sahih Muslim 755a — Witr early or late ↗ · Sahih Muslim 758a — the last part of the night ↗
A simple guide
How to pray Tahajjud
- Wake before Fajr and make wudu. Set your intention in your heart to pray voluntary night prayer.
- Pray two rak‘ahs. Recite al-Fatihah and a passage of Qur’an you know in each rak‘ah. Complete the prayer with salam.
- Pray another pair if you wish. Night prayer is offered two rak‘ahs at a time. There is no need to begin with a long prayer.
- Make dua and seek forgiveness. Ask Allah sincerely for what matters to you, especially in the later part of the night.
- Pray Witr if you have not already. If you are confident you will wake, you may leave Witr until the end of your night prayer. If you already prayed Witr, you may pray again later but do not repeat Witr that night.
Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 990 — prayer in pairs ↗ · Sahih Muslim 755a — when to pray Witr ↗ · Sunan Abi Dawud 1439 — no two Witrs in one night ↗
Common questions
If you are just starting
Must I pray every night?
No. Begin with what you can sustain. Consistent small deeds are praised in the Sunnah.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6464 ↗How many rak‘ahs?
Two rak‘ahs are a simple start. You can pray more in pairs and end with Witr if you have not prayed it already.
Sahih al-Bukhari 990 ↗What if I cannot wake up?
You can pray voluntary night prayer before sleeping. If you do not expect to wake later, pray Witr before bed.
Sahih Muslim 755a ↗What if I already prayed Witr?
You can still pray voluntary night prayer if you wake up, but you should not repeat Witr in the same night.
Sahih Muslim 738b ↗ · Sunan Abi Dawud 1439 ↗Words for the quiet hours
You can make personal dua in your own words, and you can explore sourced duas for forgiveness, gratitude and guidance.