How do you pray tahajjud?
Sleep after Isha, wake in the last part of the night, make wudu and pray in sets of two rakats, with a minimum of two and ideally eight, then finish with witr. Tahajjud is a voluntary (nafl) prayer and an emphasised sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
Tahajjud is the voluntary night prayer offered after sleeping, in the quiet hours before Fajr. The Quran describes it as an extra prayer by which Allah raises the believer to a station of praise (17:79), and the Prophet ﷺ said that the most excellent prayer after the prescribed prayers is prayer during the night. This guide explains how to pray tahajjud prayer step by step: the right time, how many rakats to offer, whether it is sunnah or nafl, and the tahajjud dua you can make once you are standing before Allah in the stillness of the night.
What is tahajjud prayer?
The word tahajjud comes from an Arabic root meaning to give up sleep. The namaz of tahajjud is therefore a prayer you rise for after resting, rather than one you tack on to the end of Isha before bed. It is sometimes called qiyam al-layl, the standing of the night, and it is one of the most intimate acts of worship a Muslim can offer, because no one sees it except Allah.
Like every voluntary prayer, tahajjud is about presence rather than performance. There is no congregation, no fixed surah and no audience. There is only you, the darkness and the One who descends to the nearest heaven in the last third of the night asking who is calling on Him so that He may answer.
Is tahajjud sunnah or nafl?
Tahajjud is a nafl prayer, meaning it is voluntary and you are not sinful for missing it. At the same time, it is an emphasised sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, who prayed it so consistently that his wife Aisha reported he never exceeded eleven rakats in Ramadan or in other months, which tells us both that he prayed it every night and that he kept it within a steady measure. So the honest answer to “is tahajjud sunnah or nafl” is both: nafl in ruling, sunnah in practice.
Tahajjud prayer time
The tahajjud prayer time runs from after Isha until the start of Fajr, but it is only counted as tahajjud if you have slept first. The best time is the last third of the night. To find it, take the hours between Maghrib and Fajr, divide them into three, and aim to be awake for the final third. In the UK that is roughly 3am to 5am in winter and 1am to 3am in midsummer, so it shifts with the seasons.
If waking in the last third feels out of reach, start by waking fifteen to twenty minutes before Fajr. That still counts, and the habit matters more than the hour.
How many rakats is tahajjud?
The minimum is two rakats. The Prophet ﷺ taught that the night prayer is offered two rakats at a time, and when Fajr approaches you pray a single rakat of witr to make the total odd. His own practice, as Aisha described it, was eight rakats of tahajjud followed by three of witr, making eleven in total. Some narrations mention thirteen. So the answer to “how many rakats is tahajjud” is anywhere from two upwards, prayed in pairs, as many as you can offer with focus.
How to pray tahajjud step by step
If you have been wondering how to perform tahajjud salaah, the method is the same as any two-rakat prayer. Here is how to do tahajjud from the moment you wake.
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Make the intention before sleeping. Set your alarm and make niyyah that you will rise for tahajjud. Even if you sleep through, the intention is recorded.
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Wake and make wudu. Rinse the sleep from your face and perform wudu as usual. The Prophet ﷺ would use the siwak when he woke for the night prayer, so brushing your teeth is a sunnah here too.
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Open with the tahajjud dua. The Prophet ﷺ began his night prayer with a supplication of praise (see the next section). You can recite it in Arabic or English before the takbir.
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Pray two rakats. Recite Surah Al-Fatihah and any surah or verses you know, then complete the rakat with ruku and sujud as in every prayer. Longer recitation and longer sujud are encouraged at night, so take your time.
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Repeat in pairs. After the tasleem, pray another two rakats if you are able. Continue in sets of two until you reach four, six or eight.
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Make dua in sujud and after the prayer. This is the heart of tahajjud. Ask for forgiveness, pour out your needs and name the people you love.
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Finish with witr. Pray one or three rakats of witr so your night prayer ends on an odd number, unless you already prayed witr after Isha.
Tahajjud dua: what to say in the night prayer
There is no fixed tahajjud dua that must be read, and any sincere supplication in your own words is accepted. If you would like to follow the Prophet ﷺ, Ibn Abbas reported that when he rose at night he would open his prayer with this supplication, which begins:
O Allah, all praise is for You. You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. All praise is for You. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. All praise is for You. You are the King of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. You are the Truth, Your promise is the truth, meeting You is the truth, Your word is the truth, Paradise is true, the Fire is true, the Prophets are true, Muhammad ﷺ is true and the Hour is true.
He would then ask Allah to forgive what he had done before and after, in secret and openly, and he would say the words that have become the most loved of all tahajjud duas: Astaghfirullah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah. If your mind drifts while you pray, that one word is enough to bring it back.
Making tahajjud a habit
Most people who ask how to read tahajjud are not short of knowledge but short of consistency. A few things help. Sleep earlier rather than later, because tahajjud is built on rest, not on exhaustion. Keep the number of rakats small until waking feels natural. Pray the same two rakats every night for a month before adding more, and note each night you managed it so you can see the habit grow. Above all, treat the night prayer as time alone with Allah rather than a task to complete, and you will find yourself looking forward to it.
May Allah make us among those who rise in the night, and may He raise each of us to the station of praise He has promised.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pray tahajjud?
Sleep after Isha, wake before Fajr, make wudu and pray in pairs of rakats, then finish with witr. Open with the Prophet’s dua and give extra time to sujud.
What is the best tahajjud prayer time?
Any time after sleeping and before Fajr counts, but the last third is best, when Allah descends to the nearest heaven and answers those who call on Him.
How many rakats is tahajjud?
A minimum of two, prayed in pairs, with no upper limit. The Prophet ﷺ did not exceed eleven rakats including witr, so eight plus three witr is the sunnah measure.
Is tahajjud sunnah or nafl?
Both. It is nafl in ruling, so missing it is not a sin, but an emphasised sunnah the Prophet ﷺ prayed nightly. See actor vs witness on praying with presence.
Which tahajjud dua should I read?
No fixed dua is required, so speak in your own words. The Prophet ﷺ opened with praise and sought forgiveness. The 99 Names of Allah Guided Journal helps you call on Him by name.