Muslims are encouraged (but not required) to do the Tahajjud, a particular Islamic prayer. Tahajjud is recited after Isha (the required midnight prayer) and before Fajr (the obligatory morning prayer). If at all possible, the Tahajjud should be performed in the latter part of the night, between midnight and Fajr.
Although the Tahajjud is optional, many sincere Muslims try to incorporate it into their daily routine as a devotional act and to earn Allah's redemption and forgiveness. To pray Tahajjud by the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) instructions, proceed to the steps below:
Prepare for a nighttime wake-up call before the Fajr prayer after praying the Isha prayer (for instance, you may want to set an alarm clock or have a family member agree to wake you). If at all feasible, pray the Tahajjud after midnight, especially in the last third of the night, even though it can be done at any time of the night. Tahajjud is a nice period between Isha and Fajr, about two-thirds of the way through the day. This is because, in the final third of the night, Allah descends to the lowest heaven, asking, "Who asks me, so that I can give to him? How can I find out who is calling so I can answer? Who wants my forgiveness so they can be forgiven?'
If you try your best to get up and complete the Tahajjud but end up sleeping through the night, don't feel bad about it. Ahadeeth claims that Allah remembers your sincere desire to complete Tahajjud and offers you rest as a gesture of goodwill. You will receive a reward as if your goal was achieved. However, if you decide consciously to forsake your goal to pray Tahajjud without a solid reason, such as lethargy, it may not be overlooked.
Get up at the appointed hour in the middle of the night. Once you've woken up, Muslims do Wudu, a ritual ablution, to purify themselves before praying or handling holy texts like the Quran. Wudu is traditionally performed by washing one's hands in the following four ways using clean water:
Washing the face
Washing the arms and hands up to and including the elbows
Wiping the head (Masah)
Washing the feet up to the ankles
Before the Tahajjud prayer, many Muslims (including the Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]) wash their mouth and teeth with a miswak.
If you've had a wet dream or discharged mani during sexual intercourse earlier in the night, you'll need to do the Ghusl, full-body ritual cleansing.
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When feasible, Muslims are advised to mention Allah in clean, sacred places as a sign of respect for Allah's purity. Sit on a prayer mat with your back to the Holy Kabah in Mecca and offer your mandatory prayers as you normally would. To be clear, praying the Tahajjud does not necessitate being in a mosque or a particularly well-decorated space in your home. Clean space is all that's required; it can even be in your bedroom.
Be still and contemplate the glory of your Lord when you get a chance to pray. Do not be concerned about short-lived worldly issues that pale in comparison to God's boundless knowledge and mercy. Relax and let go of your worries, dreams, and fears about the outside world. Disregard any negative feelings or thoughts that might be keeping you from your goals. As you begin to acquire a higher level of spiritual awareness, close your eyes and focus all of your concentration on your heart.
As you begin your prayer, tell yourself clearly that you are about to recite the Tahajjud. Set your intention to complete the Tahajjud in the manner that pleases you, including how many rakats you will recite and which surahs. The reason for saying the Tahajjud might range from praising Allah, thanking Him, or begging for His forgiveness. No need to say it aloud; Allah knows what you are thinking, so your goals will be plain to him as long as you are aware of them yourself.
Muslims undertake the daily prayer routine of Salah, known as Tahajjud, by repeating several rakats (cycles) of the ritual. Rakats is normally performed in pairs for the Tahajjud, so you'll need to pick how many rakats you'll do at this time. For additional details, read on.
As a starting point for your Tahajjud, pray two rakats of Salah. Salah begins with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran while standing up straight. The person praying then proceeds by bending down and placing his hands on his knees, then prostrating on the ground with his forehead, nose, and palms on the floor with his elbows lifted, sitting on his knees and folding his feet beneath him, and lastly standing and chanting "Allahu Akbar." Before attempting the Tahajjud, understand how to conduct Salah properly if you're unsure how to describe it in this way.
Follow the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) example by reciting the following surahs after each rakat in Tahajjud.:
After reciting the Al-Fatihah the first rakat, recite the surah "Al-Kafirun".
After reciting the Al-Fatihah for the second rakat, recite the surah "Al-Ikhlas".
In general, two rakats is considered the bare minimum for a proper Tahajjud. However, you are free to repeat the process as many times as you choose. Hadiths claim that Muhammad frequently prayed up to thirteen rakats in a row. The eight rakats of tahajjud are considered sufficient by many Muslims and are done in pairs. To put it another way, the most common answer is two, four, six, or eight rakats, while adding more is not discouraged.
It is recommended, even if just occasionally, that you recite long surahs like Al-Baqarah, An-Nisa', or Al-'Imran if you are physically able to. You may perform one rakat of Witr as a tribute to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) if you perceive the dawn approaching during your Tahajjud (an optional pre-dawn prayer said before the required Fajr).
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As long as your dua is sincere, polite, and done with an entire dedication to Allah, you may add your rakats after you've finished your specified amount of rakats. Extended prostration in your language and words may be presented instead of these. You may want to express your gratitude and praise to Allah even more, pray for strength and guidance, or make a special request for assistance.
For example, you can pray Allah for blessings for a friend who is going through a tough time or for assistance in your worship or simply spend a few minutes thanking Allah for a blessing that He has given you the previous day. Prayers should be offered with humility, fear, hope, and patience. Many hadeeth say that Allah is more receptive to our repentance at night, therefore use this opportunity to make amends for your faults and transgressions.
Admit your mistakes, no matter how tiny you think they are. Allah may nevertheless determine that you owe a penalty for some of your petty transgressions. Make a sincere commitment not to commit the same sins again, and then pray to Allah for forgiveness. Drive yourself to improve as a Muslim by fearing offending Allah. In the Qur'an, we are told more than 70 times that Allah is the Most Forgiving, therefore never give up on Allah's forgiveness. It doesn't matter what you pray for since it will be heard and answered if Allah wills.
This means that when you try to perform the prayer after the Tahajjud, you may be feeling drowsy. Do not attempt to finish the prayer if you are too sleepy or if you find yourself forgetting what you're saying during your prayers or if you doze off during your Tahajjud. Several hadeeth say that Allah takes note of your honest desire to perform the Tahajjud in this circumstance. Do not feel embarrassed or humiliated and go back to bed without thinking about it. Try to better prepare yourself the next time, possibly by going to bed earlier.
There are various allusions in Islamic literature to the Tahajjud prayer that will help you better comprehend the particular significance of the prayer. In particular, the Tahajjud is referenced in the Quran and extensively explored in a hadeeth. Islamic scholars have debated it over the course of their work, though.
Try reading Book 21 (Prayer at Night) of Sahih Bukhari as a place to begin your spiritual journey. There are almost 70 hadeeth in this book that explain the Prophet's (PBUH) Tahajjud customs, showing how important it is in a good Muslim's life. Commentary on the Tahajjud can be found throughout the Quran, most notably in Surah 17:79 and Surah 39:30.
Because Muhammad (PBUH) and his wife Aisha urged that husbands and women perform the Tahajjud together, Muslim households are encouraged to pray the Tahajjud in communion with one another. When you perform the Tahajjud as a family, you can grow closer in your commitment to Allah and express solidarity with one another.
If you're interested in giving it a shot, ask your spouse and/or children to join you before the first night you plan to perform the Tahajjud together. Then, if they need your help, wake them up and celebrate Allah's immense magnificence and mercy in calm prayer together. Even while children over the age of ten should be gently urged to make it a habit to perform Tahajjud when the time comes, no blame should be assigned and they should not be reprimanded as long as they are awake for Fajr and complete all their necessary prayers correctly.
Encouraging your children is as simple as pointing out the benefits of performing voluntary acts of worship like Tahajjud and cautioning them against not making the sacrifices Allah requires. Families that pray the Tahajjud together usually make accommodations for sleep-deprived members such as small children, the sick, and the elderly.
All Muslims are urged to emulate the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Allah's Messenger, and the Seal of the Prophets. If you're seeking inspiration for the Tahajjud, consider studying how Muhammad (PBUH) conducted the act and incorporating his habits into your everyday routine.
Muslims might work towards the flawless ideal that the Prophet (PBUH) represents and thereby become closer to Allah by trying to mimic his Tahajjud practices. If you want to learn about Muhammad's (PBUH) Tahajjud habits and practices, start with Book 21 of Sahih Bukhari.
The Tahajjud is an optional prayer that no Muslim should feel obligated to perform, and there is no penalty for failing to do so. Many Muslims, on the other hand, perform Tahajjud regularly (if not every night) when they are able. Saying the Tahajjud brings you closer to Allah, just like all other types of prayer.
As a result of this, the Tahajjud is a wonderful method to seek forgiveness and redemption for the day's small failings, mistakes, and erroneous behaviors. Don't forget that Allah enjoys consistent worship, so if you start praying Tahajjud, don't stop. As an alternative, you might set an alarm to wake you up every night at the same time to do the Tahajjud or designate a certain spot in your home where you'll pray this prayer.
If you can't commit to praying Tahajjud every night, start with just two or four rakats two or three times a week, or whatever you can manage. The goal is to gradually increase your number of rakats over time.
It is preferred to sleep and then wake up to perform tahajjud prayers. However, if one offers the tahajjud prayers without sleeping, it would be acceptable. If a person knows he will not awaken for Tahajjud then they can pray it before they go to sleep. After praying tahajjud, one should pray the Witr prayer last.
Pray the Tahajjud after midnight, especially in the last third of the night, even though it can be done at any time of the night. Tahajjud is a nice period between Isha and Fajr, about two-thirds of the way through the day. This is because, in the final third of the night, Allah descends to the lowest heaven, asking, "Who asks me, so that I can give to him? How can I find out who is calling so I can answer? Who wants my forgiveness so they can be forgiven?'
Question: How many rakats in tahajjud?
In general, two rakats is considered the bare minimum for a proper Tahajjud. However, you are free to repeat the process as many times as you choose. Hadiths claim that Muhammad frequently prayed up to thirteen rakats in a row. The eight rakats of tahajjud are considered sufficient by many Muslims and are done in pairs. To put it another way, the most common answer is two, four, six, or eight rakats, while adding more is not discouraged.
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