Prayer at Night (Tahajjud)

Narrated Masruq:I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven rak`at besides the two rak`at of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna)

ExplanationVarious reports define travel limits differently due to specific incidents and questioners.

Narrated `Aisha:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer thirteen rak`at of the night prayer and that included the witr and two rak`at (Sunna) of the Fajr prayer

Narrated Anas bin Malik:Sometimes Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would not fast (for so many days) that we thought that he would not fast that month and he sometimes used to fast (for so many days) that we thought he would not leave fasting throughout that month and (as regards his prayer and sleep at night), if you wanted to see him praying at night, you could see him praying and if you wanted to see him sleeping, you could see him sleeping

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Satan puts three knots at the back of the head of any of you if he is asleep. On every knot he reads and exhales the following words, 'The night is long, so stay asleep.' When one wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets up energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up lazy and with a mischievous heart

Narrated Samura bin Jundab:The Prophet (ﷺ) said in his narration of a dream that he saw, "He whose head was being crushed with a stone was one who learnt the Qur'an but never acted on it, and slept ignoring the compulsory prayers

Narrated `Abdullah:A person was mentioned before the Prophet (ﷺ) and he was told that he had kept on sleeping till morning and had not got up for the prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Satan urinated in his ears

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?

ExplanationThe Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night.

Narrated Al-Aswad:I asked `Aisha "How is the night prayer of the Prophet?" She replied, "He used to sleep early at night, and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed. When the Mu'adh-dhin pronounced the Adhan, he would get up. If he was in need of a bath he would take it; otherwise he would perform ablution and then go out (for the prayer)

Narrated Abu Salma bin `Abdur Rahman:I asked `Aisha, "How is the prayer of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) during the month of Ramadan." She said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) never exceeded eleven rak`at in Ramadan or in other months; he used to offer four rak`at-- do not ask me about their beauty and length, then four rak`at, do not ask me about their beauty and length, and then three rak`at." Aisha further said, "I said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you sleep before offering the witr prayer?' He replied, 'O `Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart remains awake

Narrated `Aisha:I did not see the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting (the Qur'an) in the night prayer while sitting except when he became old; when he used to recite while sitting, and when thirty or forty verses remained from the Sura, he would get up and recite them and then bow

ExplanationScholars view standing and sitting during a single night prayer as fully permissible.

Narrated Abu Huraira:At the time of the Fajr prayer the Prophet (ﷺ) asked Bilal, "Tell me of the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise." Bilal replied, "I did not do anything worth mentioning except that whenever I performed ablution during the day or night, I prayed after that ablution as much as was written for me

ExplanationBilal's dedication to performing voluntary prayers after every purification earned him paradise.

Narrated Anas bin Malik Once the Prophet (ﷺ) entered the Mosque and saw a rope hanging in between its two pillars. He said, "What is this rope?" The people said, "This rope is for Zainab who, when she feels tired, holds it (to keep standing for the prayer.)" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Don't use it. Remove the rope. You should pray as long as you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down

ExplanationAvoid perfectionism in worship and honor your physical limits.

Narrated 'Aisha: A woman from the tribe of Bani Asad was sitting with me and Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) came to my house and said, "Who is this?" I said, "(She is) So and so. She does not sleep at night because she is engaged in prayer." The Prophet (ﷺ) said disapprovingly: Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity as Allah never gets tired of giving rewards till you get tired of doing good deeds

ExplanationTake on manageable deeds and remain consistent over time.

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "O `Abdullah! Do not be like so and so who used to pray at night and then stopped the night prayer

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "I have been informed that you offer Salat (prayer) all the night and observe Saum (fast) during the day." I said, "(Yes) I do so." He said, "If you do so, your eye sight will become weak and you will become weak. No doubt, your body has right on you, and your family has right on you, so observe Saum (for some days) and do not observe it (for some days), offer Salat (for sometime) and then sleep

Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever gets up at night and says: -- 'La ilaha il-lallah Wahdahu la Sharika lahu Lahu-lmulk, waLahu-l-hamd wahuwa 'ala kullishai'in Qadir. Al hamdu lil-lahi wa subhanal-lahi wa la-ilaha il-lal-lah wa-l-lahu akbar wa la hawla Wala Quwata il-la-bil-lah.' (None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. He is the Only One and has no partners . For Him is the Kingdom and all the praises are due for Him. He is Omnipotent. All the praises are for Allah. All the glories are for Allah. And none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, And Allah is Great And there is neither Might nor Power Except with Allah). And then says: -- Allahumma, Ighfir li (O Allah! Forgive me). Or invokes (Allah), he will be responded to and if he performs ablution (and prays), his prayer will be accepted

ExplanationWaking at night to remember Allah and seek forgiveness brings answered prayers and accepted worship.

Narrated Abu Huraira:That once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Your brother, i.e. `Abdullah bin Rawaha does not say obscene (referring to his verses): Amongst us is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), who recites His Book when it dawns. He showed us the guidance, after we were blind. We believe that whatever he says will come true. And he spends his nights in such a way as his sides do not touch his bed. While the pagans were deeply asleep

Narrated Nafi`:Ibn `Umar said, "In the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) I dreamt that a piece of silk cloth was in my hand and it flew with me to whichever part of Paradise I wanted. I also saw as if two persons (i.e. angels) came to me and wanted to take me to Hell. Then an angel met us and told me not to be afraid. He then told them to leave me. Hafsa narrated one of my dreams to the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Abdullah is a good man. Would that he offer the night prayer (Tahajjud)!" So after that day `Abdullah (bin `Umar) started offering Tahajjud. The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tell him their dreams that (Laila-tul-Qadr) was on the 27th of the month of Ramadan. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I see that your dreams agree on the last ten nights of Ramadan and so whoever is in search of it should seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadan

Narrated Nafi`:Ibn `Umar said, "In the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) I dreamt that a piece of silk cloth was in my hand and it flew with me to whichever part of Paradise I wanted. I also saw as if two persons (i.e. angels) came to me and wanted to take me to Hell. Then an angel met us and told me not to be afraid. He then told them to leave me. Hafsa narrated one of my dreams to the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Abdullah is a good man. Would that he offer the night prayer (Tahajjud)!" So after that day `Abdullah (bin `Umar) started offering Tahajjud. The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tell him their dreams that (Laila-tul-Qadr) was on the 27th of the month of Ramadan. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I see that your dreams agree on the last ten nights of Ramadan and so whoever is in search of it should seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadan

Narrated Nafi`:Ibn `Umar said, "In the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) I dreamt that a piece of silk cloth was in my hand and it flew with me to whichever part of Paradise I wanted. I also saw as if two persons (i.e. angels) came to me and wanted to take me to Hell. Then an angel met us and told me not to be afraid. He then told them to leave me. Hafsa narrated one of my dreams to the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Abdullah is a good man. Would that he offer the night prayer (Tahajjud)!" So after that day `Abdullah (bin `Umar) started offering Tahajjud. The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to tell him their dreams that (Laila-tul-Qadr) was on the 27th of the month of Ramadan. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I see that your dreams agree on the last ten nights of Ramadan and so whoever is in search of it should seek it in the last ten nights of Ramadan