If you miss Tahajjud
What the Sunnah offers when sleep wins — and why guilt is not part of the practice.
Pending scholarly review · Last updated 9 August 2026
Sleep wins sometimes. It won for people better than us.
Make it up in the day
When the Prophet ﷺ missed his night prayer due to sleep or illness, he would pray twelve rak'ahs during the day. (Sahih Muslim 746)
You can pray your usual night portion during the day — after sunrise and before Dhuhr is a common practice.
The intention still counts
Whoever goes to sleep intending to rise and pray, and sleep overcomes him, has the reward of his intention written for him, and his sleep is a charity (an-Nasa''i 1787, graded authentic by al-Albani).
And then
Missed tonight? Begin again tomorrow. That is the whole instruction.
References
Sahih Muslim — 746hadith
Twelve rak'ahs during the day when the night prayer was missed.
Sunan an-Nasa'i — 1787hadith
Reward of the intention.
Islamic educational content is provided with references. For personal religious rulings, please consult a qualified scholar.
Put this into practice tonight
See Isha, Islamic midnight, the last third and Fajr calculated for your own location.
Open tonight's timesKeep reading
How to pray Tahajjud
A simple, practical walkthrough of praying Tahajjud, from waking to Witr.
The best time to pray Tahajjud
The night is divided into halves and thirds. Understanding the last third — and why no single clock time is required.
How many rak'ahs is Tahajjud?
There is no fixed maximum. What the Sunnah shows, and why two rak'ahs is a complete beginning.
Tahajjud and Witr
How Witr closes the night, how many rak'ahs it can be, and what to do if you have already prayed it.