Tahajjud Prayer
Question:
Assalamualaikum,
I would like to ask you regarding the instructions of Tahajjud Pryer. basically what I have to say?
thank you
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum
The Tahajjud prayer is the set of prayers that are read after midnight. The most preferred time for reading it is the last third of night that is the period of time just before the time of Fajr (dawn). The Tahajjud prayer was obligatory for the prophet (pbuh) and non-obligatory but highly recommended for others.
Through his practice and advice the prophet (pbuh) also made it clear that the total number of the rak’ah (unit) in Tahajjud has to be odd (representing Taw’hid). The Tahajjud prayer can be done in any odd numbers of rak’ah (unit) with the minimum being 1. When we look at the Hadiths we come to the conclusion that the prophet (pbuh) would normally do it in 11 rak’ah and did not exceed 11 so it is better not to exceed this number.
As long as the total number of prayers make an odd number (1 or 3 or … or 11), various ways for joining or separating the units of the prayer of Tahajjud can be adopted. When we look at the Hadiths we will find that the prophet (pbuh) used to read the units of the Tahajjud prayer in a number of ways. In my understanding the variation of these reports is enough to imply that no strict fixed way is instructed for the Tahajjud prayer. One may read five 2 rak’ah separately and then 1 rak’ah to end it with the total odd number of 11. One may read two 4 rak’ah separately and then a 3 rak’ah to end it with the total odd number of 11. This is of course if the person wants to read a total of 11 rak’ah. Similar flexibility can be adopted for reading less number of rak’ah. This is very much subjective to the way the textual analysis is carried out, but overall I have the view that it is better to read the last three rak'ah separate (i.e. a 2 rak'ah first and then the last rik'ah).
Any part of the Qu’an can be read in the Tahajjud prayer however it is highly recommended to read the chapter of A’la in the third last rik’ah and the chapter of Kaferun in the second last rik’ah and Taw’hid, Falaq and Nas in the last rik’ah.
It is highly recommended to read a supplication (qunut) in the last rak’ah of prayer either before or after the ruku’ (bowing). Anything can be said in the qunut and there are also recommended supplications in various books.
The above is the outline of the tahajjud prayer. There are a few points, including some misunderstandings about the tahajjud prayer that I would like to end this answer with:
- Tahajjud prayer is also known as the witr prayer. Witr means odd. Some scholars separate the two terminologies, they call only the last rak’ah (or the last three rak’ah if read together) witr and call the rest tahajjud.
- The prayer that some Muslims read after their Isha prayer and know it as witr prayer is in fact nothing but the same tahajjud prayer. Based on the Hadith the prophet (pbuh) advised that those who knew they wouldn’t be able to read the Tahajjud prayer in its time (i.e. after midnight) could read it after Isha.
- The tarawih prayer that has become a custom during the month of Ramadhan is in fact Tahajjud prayer, taking place after the isha prayer. It is of course better to read this as a normal tahajjud prayer in its own time, that is, after the midnight till the time of the morning prayer.
- Tahajjud prayer is one of those acts of worship that brings a great opportunity for the Muslim to strengthen his/her relationship with the Lord. It is advisable to read more Qur’an in the Tahajjud prayer (even if one needs to read from the Book). It is advisable to prolong the ruku’ (bowing) and sujuds (prostrations) and the standing time after ruku’ and the sitting time between the two sujuds (prostrations). If the qunut (supplication) is being read, it is advisable to use the opportunity to make the prayer a bit more personalised. Beside the recommended supplication/s we can say any other thing in the qunut, and if Arabic is not our first language and we feel more comfortable to use our own language we can do that.
- The flexibility of the Tahajjud payer makes it easy for us to make sure we will regularly read it. If we cannot read the whole 11 rak’ah then at least we can read 9, or 7 … or at least 1. If we cannot prolong it then we can just read a few verses or small chapters of the Qur’an. If we cannot read a long qunut then we can make it shorter or we can just skip it. Finally, if we know we cannot do it after midnight then we can do it after the Isha prayer. If we miss it altogether, then although it is not an obligation, we can read it in the morning after to try to make up for what we missed.
You asked: "basically what I have to say?"
Well of course you need to utter the obligatory parts of the payer but other than that, let me borrow from Rumi's poem and answer:"say whatever your nostalgic heart wants to say!"
Consider the Tahajjud prayer to be the most private and personal moment in between the Almighty and you!
... and pray for me as well.
--------------
August 2013
Assalamualaikum,
I would like to ask you regarding the instructions of Tahajjud Pryer. basically what I have to say?
thank you
Answer:
Assalamu Alaykum
The Tahajjud prayer is the set of prayers that are read after midnight. The most preferred time for reading it is the last third of night that is the period of time just before the time of Fajr (dawn). The Tahajjud prayer was obligatory for the prophet (pbuh) and non-obligatory but highly recommended for others.
Through his practice and advice the prophet (pbuh) also made it clear that the total number of the rak’ah (unit) in Tahajjud has to be odd (representing Taw’hid). The Tahajjud prayer can be done in any odd numbers of rak’ah (unit) with the minimum being 1. When we look at the Hadiths we come to the conclusion that the prophet (pbuh) would normally do it in 11 rak’ah and did not exceed 11 so it is better not to exceed this number.
As long as the total number of prayers make an odd number (1 or 3 or … or 11), various ways for joining or separating the units of the prayer of Tahajjud can be adopted. When we look at the Hadiths we will find that the prophet (pbuh) used to read the units of the Tahajjud prayer in a number of ways. In my understanding the variation of these reports is enough to imply that no strict fixed way is instructed for the Tahajjud prayer. One may read five 2 rak’ah separately and then 1 rak’ah to end it with the total odd number of 11. One may read two 4 rak’ah separately and then a 3 rak’ah to end it with the total odd number of 11. This is of course if the person wants to read a total of 11 rak’ah. Similar flexibility can be adopted for reading less number of rak’ah. This is very much subjective to the way the textual analysis is carried out, but overall I have the view that it is better to read the last three rak'ah separate (i.e. a 2 rak'ah first and then the last rik'ah).
Any part of the Qu’an can be read in the Tahajjud prayer however it is highly recommended to read the chapter of A’la in the third last rik’ah and the chapter of Kaferun in the second last rik’ah and Taw’hid, Falaq and Nas in the last rik’ah.
It is highly recommended to read a supplication (qunut) in the last rak’ah of prayer either before or after the ruku’ (bowing). Anything can be said in the qunut and there are also recommended supplications in various books.
The above is the outline of the tahajjud prayer. There are a few points, including some misunderstandings about the tahajjud prayer that I would like to end this answer with:
- Tahajjud prayer is also known as the witr prayer. Witr means odd. Some scholars separate the two terminologies, they call only the last rak’ah (or the last three rak’ah if read together) witr and call the rest tahajjud.
- The prayer that some Muslims read after their Isha prayer and know it as witr prayer is in fact nothing but the same tahajjud prayer. Based on the Hadith the prophet (pbuh) advised that those who knew they wouldn’t be able to read the Tahajjud prayer in its time (i.e. after midnight) could read it after Isha.
- The tarawih prayer that has become a custom during the month of Ramadhan is in fact Tahajjud prayer, taking place after the isha prayer. It is of course better to read this as a normal tahajjud prayer in its own time, that is, after the midnight till the time of the morning prayer.
- Tahajjud prayer is one of those acts of worship that brings a great opportunity for the Muslim to strengthen his/her relationship with the Lord. It is advisable to read more Qur’an in the Tahajjud prayer (even if one needs to read from the Book). It is advisable to prolong the ruku’ (bowing) and sujuds (prostrations) and the standing time after ruku’ and the sitting time between the two sujuds (prostrations). If the qunut (supplication) is being read, it is advisable to use the opportunity to make the prayer a bit more personalised. Beside the recommended supplication/s we can say any other thing in the qunut, and if Arabic is not our first language and we feel more comfortable to use our own language we can do that.
- The flexibility of the Tahajjud payer makes it easy for us to make sure we will regularly read it. If we cannot read the whole 11 rak’ah then at least we can read 9, or 7 … or at least 1. If we cannot prolong it then we can just read a few verses or small chapters of the Qur’an. If we cannot read a long qunut then we can make it shorter or we can just skip it. Finally, if we know we cannot do it after midnight then we can do it after the Isha prayer. If we miss it altogether, then although it is not an obligation, we can read it in the morning after to try to make up for what we missed.
You asked: "basically what I have to say?"
Well of course you need to utter the obligatory parts of the payer but other than that, let me borrow from Rumi's poem and answer:"say whatever your nostalgic heart wants to say!"
Consider the Tahajjud prayer to be the most private and personal moment in between the Almighty and you!
... and pray for me as well.
--------------
August 2013
