Every night, in the last third, Allah asks: “Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?” Most nights, most of us are asleep when that call goes out. Tahajjud is how you answer it. This guide explains exactly how to pray it: how to work out the last third of the night where you live (including short summer nights in the UK and Europe), how many rak’ahs to pray, the dua the Prophet ﷺ opened his night prayer with, and practical ways to actually wake up.
Quick answer: Tahajjud is a voluntary night prayer, prayed in sets of two rak’ahs after Isha and before Fajr, best in the last third of the night. Pray as few as 2 or as many as you like (the Prophet ﷺ usually prayed 11 including Witr), then make dua, because that is when Allah descends and answers.
What Is Tahajjud?
Tahajjud (also called qiyam al-layl, standing at night) is voluntary prayer offered at night, ideally after some sleep. Allah told the Prophet ﷺ: “And rise at night and pray with it as an extra act of worship for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised station” (Quran 17:79).
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the prayer at night” (Sahih Muslim 1163). He also told us why the last part of the night is so special:
“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and says: ‘Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?'” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145)
Is tahajjud sunnah or nafl?
For the ummah, tahajjud is a highly emphasised sunnah (voluntary, but greatly encouraged). The Prophet ﷺ kept it up consistently, and he told Abdullah ibn Amr not to be like someone who used to pray at night and then gave it up (Sahih al-Bukhari 1152).
When Is Tahajjud? Working Out the Last Third of the Night
The time for night prayer runs from after Isha until Fajr begins. The best time is the last third of the night. To find it:
- Take the time of Maghrib (sunset) and the time of Fajr from your local mosque timetable.
- Work out the length of the night between them.
- Divide by three. The last third starts that long before Fajr.
Example: Maghrib 7:00pm and Fajr 5:30am gives a night of 10 hours 30 minutes. A third is 3 hours 30 minutes, so the last third begins at 2:00am.
Short summer nights in the UK and Europe
In June and July, nights in the UK and northern Europe become very short, and Isha and Fajr can be only a few hours apart. Some mosques even use special calculation methods for these weeks. In practice:
- Use your local mosque’s timetable, not a generic app setting.
- In summer, many people pray tahajjud before sleeping (after Isha) or wake just 30–40 minutes before Fajr.
- Any night prayer after Isha is valid night prayer. The last third is best, not a condition.
How to Pray Tahajjud Step by Step
- Wake up and say the waking dhikr. When the Prophet ﷺ woke, he wiped the sleep from his face and recited the last ten verses of Surah Al-Imran (Sahih al-Bukhari 4569).
- Make wudu.
- Start with two light rak’ahs. The Prophet ﷺ advised opening the night prayer with two short rak’ahs (Sahih Muslim 768).
- Make your intention in your heart to pray tahajjud.
- Pray in sets of two. “The night prayer is two by two” (Sahih al-Bukhari 990). Recite Al-Fatihah and whatever you know of the Quran in each rak’ah.
- Lengthen what you can: long recitation, long sujud. Sujud is where you are closest to Allah.
- End with Witr if you haven’t prayed it yet. “Make Witr the last of your prayer at night” (Sahih al-Bukhari 998). Our Dua Qunoot guide explains how to pray Witr.
- Make dua before Fajr enters.
How many rak’ahs is tahajjud?
There is no fixed number. The minimum is two rak’ahs. Aishah said the Prophet ﷺ did not pray more than eleven rak’ahs at night, in Ramadan or outside it (Sahih al-Bukhari 1147). That means eight of tahajjud plus three of Witr, prayed with beautiful length. Start with two or four and build up.
What if I already prayed Witr after Isha?
You can still pray tahajjud in sets of two. Just don’t pray Witr again, because “there are no two Witrs in one night” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 470).
Do I need to sleep before tahajjud?
The word tahajjud linguistically implies rising from sleep, and praying after some sleep is best. But if you know you won’t wake up, praying before you sleep still counts as night prayer and is far better than missing it.
The Tahajjud Dua: How the Prophet ﷺ Opened His Night Prayer
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when the Prophet ﷺ got up at night to pray, he would say:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Transliteration: Allahumma lakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinn. Wa lakal-hamd, anta qayyimus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinn. Wa lakal-hamd, antal-haqq, wa wa’dukal-haqq, wa qawlukal-haqq, wa liqa’uka haqq, wal-jannatu haqq, wan-naru haqq, was-sa’atu haqq, wan-nabiyyuna haqq, wa Muhammadun haqq. Allahumma laka aslamt, wa ‘alayka tawakkalt, wa bika amant, wa ilayka anabt, wa bika khasamt, wa ilayka hakamt. Faghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhart, wa ma asrartu wa ma a’lant. Antal-Muqaddimu wa antal-Mu’akhkhir, la ilaha illa ant.
Meaning: O Allah, to You belongs all praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all within them. To You belongs all praise; You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all within them. To You belongs all praise; You are the Truth, Your promise is true, Your word is true, the meeting with You is true, Paradise is true, the Fire is true, the Hour is true, the prophets are true, and Muhammad is true. O Allah, to You I have submitted, in You I trust, in You I believe, to You I turn, by You I argue and to You I refer for judgement. So forgive me what I have done before and what I will do after, what I have concealed and what I have made public. You are the One who brings forward and the One who holds back. There is no god but You.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1120
It is long, but you don’t need all of it on day one. Start with the first line, Allahumma lakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard, and add a phrase each week.
What to Ask For in Tahajjud
This is your most private meeting with Allah. The hadith of the descent names three things He offers, so use them as your structure:
- Call on Him: praise Allah with His names and send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ.
- Ask of Him: bring your real needs, specifically, in your own language. Health, family, rizq, guidance, a decision.
- Seek His forgiveness: end with sincere istighfar. The believers are described as “those who seek forgiveness before dawn” (Quran 3:17).
If you are facing a decision, tahajjud is a natural time to also pray Salat al-Istikharah. If you are carrying worry, the Prophet’s duas for anxiety and grief fit perfectly here.
Practical Tips to Wake Up for Tahajjud
- Sleep early. Isha and then bed is the single biggest factor.
- Follow the Sunnah bedtime routine. Wudu, the adhkar and a sincere intention to wake. Our dua before sleeping guide lays it out.
- Take a short afternoon nap (qaylulah) if your schedule allows.
- Set a gentle alarm 20–30 minutes before Fajr to start, then move it earlier.
- Untie Shaytan’s knots. The Prophet ﷺ said Shaytan ties three knots on a sleeper’s head. One is untied when you remember Allah, one with wudu and one with prayer (Sahih al-Bukhari 1142).
- Wake your spouse or family. The Prophet ﷺ praised a couple who wake each other for night prayer (Sunan Abi Dawud 1308).
- Be consistent, not heroic. Two rak’ahs every night beats eight rak’ahs once a month. “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if small” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464).
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is tahajjud in the UK?
It depends on the season. Find the time between Maghrib and Fajr on your local timetable, divide by three, and the last third before Fajr is the best time. In summer this can be very short, so pray what you can.
How many rak’ahs is tahajjud?
At least two. The Prophet ﷺ typically prayed eleven including Witr (Sahih al-Bukhari 1147), in sets of two.
Is tahajjud sunnah or nafl?
It is a voluntary prayer (nafl) and a highly emphasised sunnah that the Prophet ﷺ never abandoned.
What dua should I make in tahajjud?
Open with Allahumma lakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard… (Sahih al-Bukhari 1120), then ask for your needs in your own words and end with istighfar.
Can I pray tahajjud after Witr?
Yes, pray in twos, but do not repeat Witr, since there are no two Witrs in one night (Tirmidhi 470).
Can I pray tahajjud without sleeping first?
Yes. Night prayer after Isha is valid at any time before Fajr. Rising after sleep is best, but praying before bed is far better than missing it.
Final Thoughts
Tahajjud isn’t reserved for the extraordinarily pious. It is an open invitation, repeated every single night, from the One who is asking who wants to be answered. Start with two rak’ahs and one heartfelt dua this week. Set the alarm, make wudu, and pray.
And when you finish, remember that the last prayer of the night is Witr. If you haven’t memorised its supplication yet, our Dua Qunoot guide will get you there in a week.
