Night prayer: the merit of tahajjud and advice for beginning
Three hadiths on night prayer: its place after obligatory prayers, a short beginning and consideration for tiredness.
How can you begin praying at night when you cannot stand for long? These three hadiths address its merit, beginning with two short units and resting when tired.
They also concern nights outside Ramadan. They help you plan prayer around sleep and the next day’s responsibilities.
Article contents
The best prayer after obligatory prayer
The context of the narration
Abu Hurayrah reports a saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that first mentions the merit of fasting in Muharram after Ramadan, then that of night prayer. Here is the second part:“The best prayer after obligatory prayer is night prayer.”
Read the Arabic text
أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ
Understanding this hadith
The comparison preserves the priority of obligatory prayer: the merit of night prayer comes after it. Someone who wishes to add night prayer can therefore first take care to preserve the five prayers, especially the dawn prayer.
This saying does not reserve night prayer for Ramadan. It can have a place at other times of year according to each person’s possibilities. Beginning modestly allows you to learn how it fits with your sleep and responsibilities.
Prepare what will avoid wasting time on waking: a place to pray, clothing and discreet lighting. These organisational choices can make an intention easier to put into practice.
Also read: preserving the times of obligatory prayers.
Beginning with two short units
The context of the narration
Abu Hurayrah transmits an instruction of the Prophet ﷺ for the beginning of night prayer:“When one of you rises at night, let him begin his prayer with two short units.”
Read the Arabic text
إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَلْيَفْتَتِحْ صَلاَتَهُ بِرَكْعَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ
Understanding this hadith
The beginning described is short. You therefore need not wait until you can sustain a lengthy recitation to begin. Two units performed without rushing their movements correspond to this opening of prayer.
“Short” does not mean careless. Choosing a familiar recitation lets you pray without combining the effort of waking with the difficulty of a poorly memorised text. You can then develop your learning at another time of day.
This hadith describes the beginning; it does not set the total number of units to perform during the night here. Its advice helps someone who turns every planned waking into an overly long programme and then gives up before beginning.
Not forcing yourself to remain standing when exhausted
The context of the narration
Anas ibn Malik relates that the Prophet ﷺ found a rope stretched between two pillars of the mosque. He asked what it was for. He was told that Zaynab held onto it when she became tired. He replied:“No, untie it. Let one of you pray while he has energy; when he becomes tired, let him sit down.”
Read the Arabic text
لاَ، حُلُّوهُ، لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ، فَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ
Understanding this hadith
The rope allowed Zaynab to support herself when tired. The Prophet ﷺ orders its removal: she should not cling to it to prolong prayer despite exhaustion.
If you are beginning night prayer, observe what your arrangements allow you to sustain. Going to bed earlier may help more than setting many alarms while keeping a very late evening. If the attempt exhausts you, reconsider its length and your rest time.
If a child woke you several times or you stayed with someone ill, account for that lost sleep before planning a long prayer. The instruction about tiredness still matters when you want to continue.
Also read: respecting the rights of the body and family too.
In practice
- You would like to beginPrepare your place of prayer and choose a recitation you know.Read the advice for beginning
- You impose overly long nights on yourselfReview your bedtime and the length of your prayer, taking your tiredness into account.Read the account of the rope
- You struggle to get up for FajrReorganise the night to preserve the obligatory prayer first.Reread the priority recalled in Muslim
Sources
- Sahih Muslim · 1163aThe best prayer after obligatory prayer
- Sahih Muslim · 768Beginning with two short units
- Sahih al-Bukhari · 1150Not forcing yourself to remain standing when exhausted