What is Tahajjud?
Tahajjud is the voluntary prayer offered at night after sleeping. A gentle introduction with Qur'an and hadith references.
Pending scholarly review · Last updated 9 August 2026
Tahajjud is a voluntary (nafl) prayer offered during the night, after a person has slept. The word comes from the Arabic root meaning to give up sleep — it is a prayer that costs something, and that is part of its beauty.
Its place in the Qur'an
Allah addresses the Prophet ﷺ directly:
"And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional worship for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station."
And describing the righteous:
"They used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness."
Its rank among prayers
The Prophet ﷺ said: "The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer." (Sahih Muslim 1163)
Is it obligatory?
No. Tahajjud is voluntary for the believers. It was a particular emphasis for the Prophet ﷺ. Missing it is not a sin, and no one should feel that they have failed as a Muslim because they slept through the night.
Where to begin
Two rak'ahs. That is a complete, accepted night prayer. Start there, and let consistency — not volume — be the goal.
References
Surah al-Isra — 17:79quran
On standing in part of the night as additional worship.
Surah adh-Dhariyat — 51:17-18quran
Sahih Muslim — 1163hadith
"The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer."
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.
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The broader term for standing in the night — how it relates to Tahajjud, Witr and Taraweeh.
Tahajjud for women: common questions
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