Tahajjud prayer: time, how to pray and its virtue

Why tahajjud matters

“The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is prayer at night” (Sahih Muslim 1163). And: “Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and says: Who is calling Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145). The Quran praises those “whose sides forsake their beds” to call upon their Lord (As-Sajdah 32:16); see Surah As-Sajdah and the command to the Prophet ﷺ in Surah Al-Muzzammil.

How to pray tahajjud

1. Make the intention before sleeping and set an alarm.
2. On waking, make wudu.
3. Pray two rak‘ahs at a time, as many as you can, reciting what you know. Long standing and long sujud are recommended.
4. Make du‘a, especially in sujud and at the end.
5. End with witr, if you have not already prayed it.

When is the last third of the night in the UK?

The Islamic night runs from Maghrib to Fajr. Because UK nights change length dramatically through the year, the last third moves a lot. As a rough guide for London, using sunset and sunrise:

Time of year	Last third begins about
Mid-December	02:37
Mid-March	02:10
Mid-June	02:14
Mid-September	02:49

Calculated from sunset to sunrise, UK time. The night actually ends at Fajr, which comes earlier than sunrise, so check your local mosque timetable.

Tips for waking up

• Sleep earlier, after ‘Isha, as the Prophet ﷺ disliked staying up after it without need.
• Start with two rak‘ahs, once a week, and build up.
• In UK summers, when the night is very short, many pray tahajjud just before Fajr.

Reciting what you have memorised in night prayer is also one of the best ways to revise hifz; see how to revise hifz. For du‘as to make at night, see daily duas.