Tahajjud-Performance and tips on waking up for Tahajjud

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.(AL-Quran 17:79)

“Tahajjud” is derived from “Hujud”, meaning sleep. It, literally, signifies giving up of sleep. It is a sunnah prayer that can be performed anytime between Isha and Fajr.For it to be called Tahajjud one has to have a short sleep then wake up for Tahajjud.

Time For Praying Tahajjud

It can be done any time between Isha and Fajr Prayer but it is recommended to pray it between Midnight and Fajr preferably in the last third of the night.Abu Hurairah quoted the Prophet(Peace be Upon him) saying:

“Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: ‘Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?’” (Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet(Peace Be Upon him) used to wake up for Tahjjud on hearing the cock crow as Masruq narrates:

I asked `Aisha which deed was most loved by the Prophet. She said, “A deed done continuously.” I further asked, “When did he used to get up (in the night for the prayer).” She said, “He used to get up on hearing the crowing of a cock.”(Bukhari)

Waking up for Tahajjud

Most people find it very hard to wake up for tahajjud but today I am going to Highlight Practical steps on how to wake up for Tahajjud:

1.Sleep Early

Most of us tend to sleep late e.g 1 or 2 AM and expect to wake up at 4 AM for Tahajjud its very hard you have to sleep early for you to wake up early.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).”(Bukhari)

2.Sleep with the intention of Waking up for Tahajjud

• Take your Udhu and please don’t forget to read the dua before and after Udhu
• Recite the Dua before sleeping
• Sleep with the intention of waking up for Tahajjud.Abu Ad-Darda’ quoted the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying:

“Whoever goes to his bed with the intention of getting up and praying during the night, but, being overcome by sleep, fails to do that, he will have recorded for him what he has intended, and his sleep will be reckoned as a charity (an act of mercy) for him from his Lord.” (An-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah)

3.Set your alarm or have a friend to have you wake up

Its good to have a friend to wake you up for Tahajjud because most of us when hear the alarm we tend to turn it off but with a partner to wake you up he/she will ensure you wake up by any means.Abu Hurairah quoted the Prophet saying

May Allah bless the man who gets up during the night to pray and wakes up his wife and who, if she refuses to get up, sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah bless the woman who gets up during the night to pray and wakes up her husband and who, if he refuses, sprinkles water on his face.(Ahmad)

4.Upon waking up:

When the alarm rings Its time for Satan to distact you as Abdullah narrates:

A person was mentioned before the Prophet (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) 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.”(Bukhari)

Imagine Satan urinating in your ears!Its the time when he whispers in your ears to sleep for just for 5 minutes.What I normally say to myself is” I am waking up for 5 minutes.”

• Recite the Dua for waking up.Remember its not your effort that woke you up but its Allah’s help.So thank Him
• Read the last ten verses of Suratul Al-Imraan

Performance of Tahajjud

After reciting the Dua for waking up:

• Brush your teeth using Siwaak.Narrated Hudhaifa :

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) got up for Tahajjud prayer he used to clean his mouth (and teeth) with Siwak.(Bukhari)

• Take Wudhu (ablution)

One should begin Tahajjud with two quick rak’at and then one may pray whatever one wishes after that. ‘Aishah says:

“When the Prophet prayed during the late-night, he would begin his prayers with two quick rak’at.”related by Muslim.

Narrated Aishah

The Prophet (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) used to offer thirteen rak`at of the night prayer and that included the witr and two rak`at (Sunna) of the Fajr prayer.(Bukhari)

While performing Tahajjud it is Sunnah:

• To prolong your standing as Abu Wail narrates:

`Abdullah said, “One night I offered the Tahajjud prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and he kept on standing till an ill-thought came to me.” We said, “What was the ill-thought?” He said, “It was to sit down and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) (standing).”(Bukhari)

• To prolong Your Sajdah

Recommended acts while performing tahajjud:

• Wake up your family
• After Performing tahajjud you do istighfar

They used to sleep but little of the night,And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness,Al Quran 51: 17-18

May Allah ease for us praying of tahajjud.

We will appreciate your reviews about this article and if you know of any additional tip you can write it in the comments section.We also welcome success stories from praying of Tahajjud.

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