Prayer of Tahajjud Or Night Prayer
Prayer or Salah is the basic deeds of Islam. Indeed, in many verses of the Quran, Allah (SWT) commands his servants to offer Salah being so concentrated and so humble. Since, in the very beginning verses of the second chapter of the Quran, Allah (SWT) says: “it is the book, and there is no doubt in it (that it is) is a guidance for god-fearing people. The ones who believe in unseen and they establish the Salah.” (Quran, chapter 2, ver 2-3). So, here, Salah is given the second position after the faith or Iman. It means after believing in Allah (SWT), and all his messengers (and all other unseen creation of Allah (SWT) such as angels, paradise and etc.), the second most important thing is the Salah. And there is also one hadith of the prophet Muhammad (SAW) indicating the same claim. As it is narrated by Abu Huraira that the prophet of Allah (SAW) said: “the first thing of a slave’s deeds that he would be asked for its account on the Day of Judgment is the Salah. If it is correct, so without doubt, he would pass and success. Or, if it is corrupted, so he would lose and fail.” (Sunan Al- Thirmidhi)
However, all the obligation and emphasize reported in Quran and hadith is on the prayers that are Fardh, there are some Nafal prayers, too which can’t be considered less important. Among all the Nafal prayers, the prayer of Tahajjud is a prayer that has many rewards and could be considered a reason of higher grades in both this and the next world. Thus, the prophet of Allah (SAW), Suhaba (RA), and all the righteous slaves of Allah (SWT) had the habit of offering this prayer ever night, and they considered it as one of the most significant deeds after the Fardh prayers. Followings are some beneficial points about Salah.
Is Tahajjud (night prayer) Fardh, Wajib or Nafal?
Offering Tahajjud is Nafal (extra) prayer. Thus, one can offer it if he or she wills, or, can leave it. However, offering this Salah has many rewards.
When to Offer this Prayer?
The time of Offering Tahajjud starts from midnight to dawn. However, it should be remembered that the prayer of Tahajjud should be offered after being asleep in the first part of the night. It means you should sleep in the first part of the night, and then wake up to offer Tahajjud. As it is narrated from the mother of believers, Hazrat Aisha (RA) that the prophet of Allah (SAW) was used to sleep in the first part of the night, and then wake up in the last part of it to offer the Salah (of Tahajjud). (Sahih Bukhari, #1146). So, according to this hadith, this was the habit of the prophet of Allah (SAW) to sleep first and then wake up for the Salah. Furthermore, because, the meaning of Tahajjud is to wake up earlier.
How Many Rakah should be Offered for Tahajjud?
Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Abas says that the night prayer of the prophet of Allah (SAW) was thirteen Rakahs. (Shih Bukhari, #1138). Note that it means the prophet of Allah (SAW) was offering ten Rakahs as Tahajjud, and the remaining three Rakahs, as Witr.
In another hadith, Hazrat Masruq says that I asked from the mother of believers Hazrat Aisha (RA) about the night prayer of the prophet of Allah (SAW). She said: they were seven, nine or eleven, without the two Rakahs of the Fajr. (Sahih Bukhari, #1139). So, according to this hadith, prophet of Allah (SAW) sometimes offered four Rakahs as Tahajjud and three as Witr (so it becomes seven), or he sometimes offered six Rakahs as Tahajjud and three as Witr (so it becomes nine), and he sometimes offered eight Rakahs as Tahajjud and three as Witr (so it become eleven).
Then, looking to all these hadiths of the prophet of Allah (SAW), it concludes that Rakahs of Tahajjud can be of any number. It is a common Nafal prayer as all other types of Nafal prayers. You can offer even two Rakahs at the end of the night as the prayer of Tahajjud.
Note: As you have read above, the prophet of Allah (SAW) was used to offer the prayer of Witr along with Tahajjud. So, if you are sure that you can wake for the night prayer, then it is recommended to offer the Witr after the prayer of night. Since, offering Witr after Tahajjud has many rewards.
Importance of Tahajjud
Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the prophet of Allah (SAW) said: “Our lord comes down to the heaven of Dunya every night when the last part of the three portions of the night is remaining. He (Allah) says: who offers Dua for me, so I will accept from him/her. Who asks me (for something), so I will give him/her. Who seeks me forgiveness, so I will forgive him/her.” (Sahih Bukhari, #1145). As a result, this is a time of forgiveness, a time of mercy of, a time of rewards and grants from Allah (SWT). One who wakes up at the last part of the night, and offers any number of Rakahs as Tahajjud, Allah (SWT) will grant him or her anything he or she needs, and will raise his or her degrees in both this and the next world. So, every Muslim man and woman should make the habit of offering night prayer however if it happens two or three times a