The Virtues of praying Tahajjud.

After many of you asked to explain how Tahajjud should be performed, I thought why not share this post and continue doing so every night (In sha Allah) so we can take maximum benefit from it. When should Tahajjud be performed?
How many Rakats of Tahajjud should be prayed?
And what are it’s benefits? All is explained below. Please do give it a thorough read and In sha Allah put it into practice. A reminder for myself first and foremost
May we all be of those who practice Tahajjud Prayers regularly, and be of those most closest and beloved to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’Ala. Aameen Aameen Aameen! [Big B]

Ordering His Messenger to perform Tahajjud, Allah Almighty says what means:
{And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory.} (Al-Israa’ 17:79)

This order, although it was specifically directed to the Prophet, also refers to all Muslims, since the Prophet SallAllahu ‘Aliyhi Wasallam is a perfect example and a guide for us in all matters.
Moreover, performing Tahajjud Prayers regularly qualifies one as one of the righteous and makes one earn Allah’s bounty and mercy. In praising those who perform the late night Prayers, Allah says what means:
{And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.} (Al-Furqan 25:64)

Next to these Quranic verses, there also exist a number of hadiths that reinforce the importance of Tahajjud.

`Abdullah ibn Salam reported:
“When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, the people gathered around him and I was one of them. I looked at his face and understood that it was not the face of a liar. The first words I heard him say were: ‘O people, spread the salutations, feed the people, keep the ties of kinship, and pray during the night while the others sleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace.’” (At-Tirmidhi.)

Salman Al-Farsi quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:
“Observe the night Prayer; it was the practice of the righteous before you and it brings you closer to your Lord and it is penance for evil deeds and erases the sins and repels disease from the body.” (At-Tabarani)

▶ Etiquette of Prayer

The following acts are recommended for one who wishes to perform the Tahajjud Prayer:
Upon going to sleep, one should make the intention to perform the Prayers. Abu Ad-Darda’ quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings 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)

On waking up, it is recommended that one wipes the face, use a toothbrush, and look to the sky and make the supplication which has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Abu Hudhaifa reported:
“Whenever the Prophet intended to go to bed, he would recite: (With Your name, O Allah, I die and I live).” And when he woke up from his sleep, he would say: (All the Praises are for Allah Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection.)” (Al-Bukhari)

One should begin with two quick rak`ahs and then one may pray whatever one wishes after that. `A’ishah said:
“When the Prophet prayed during the late-night, he would begin his Prayers with two quick rak`ahs.” (Muslim)

It is recommended that one wakes up one’s family, for Abu Hurairah quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as 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)

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said:
“If a man wakes his wife and prays during the night or they pray two rak`ahs together, they will be recorded among those (men and women) who (constantly) make remembrance of Allah.” (Abu Dawud.)

If one gets sleepy while performing Tahajjud, one should sleep. This is based on the hadith narrated by `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who quoted Allah’s Messenger as saying:
“When one of you gets up during the night for Prayer and his Qur’anic recital gets mixed up to the extent that he does not know what he says, he should lie down.” (Muslim)

▶ Best Time for Tahajjud

The night prayer may be performed in the early part of the night, the middle part of the night, or the latter part of the night, but after the obligatory Isha prayer.
Ibn Hajar says: “There was no specific time in which the Prophet SallAllahu ‘Aliyhi Wasallam would perform his late night prayer; but he would do whatever was easiest for him.”

*However, it is best to delay this prayer to the last third portion of the night:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle peace be upon him said, “Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?” [Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 21, Number 246]
It is best to delay this Prayer to the last third portion of the night. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as 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)

`Amr ibn `Absah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying:
“The closest that a slave comes to his Lord is during the middle of the latter portion of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah the Exalted One at that time, then do so.” (At-Tirmidhi)

▶ The Number of Rakats in Tahajjud

Tahajjud Prayer does not entail a specific number of Rakats that must be performed, nor is there any maximum limit that may be performed. It is read in 2 Rakats (so you may read 2 Rakats again and again again right upto just before Fajr if you wish to do so, but also to read just 2 Rakats would suffice In sha Allah ( but of course the more the better )

*please read carefully the below In sha Allah*

Tahajjud Prayer and Witr:
If one wishes to wake up for the Tahajjud Prayer, he/she must leave the witr of Isha and pray that witr in the Tahajjud Prayer. The prophet SallAllahu ‘Aliyhi Wasallam always said his Witr with Tahajjud.

Again, the given hadith suggests that he advised people to do likewise as well:
Narrated Nafi’: Ibn ‘Umar said, “While the Prophet was on the pulpit, a man asked him how to offer the night prayers. He replied, ‘Pray two Rakat at a time and then two and then two and so on, and if you are afraid of the dawn (the approach of the time of the Fajr prayer) pray one Rak’a and that will be the witr for all the Rakat which you have offered.” Ibn ‘Umar said, “The last Rakat of the night prayer should be odd for the Prophet ordered it to be so.” [Bukhari, Vol. 1, Hadith No. 461]

However, he is also known to have allowed people to say their witr at the end of Isha. Since witr is primarily a part of Tahajjud, it is not obligatory. Therefore, if someone is likely to get up for Tahajjud, he/she should say witr at the end of Tahajjud. If one gets up late, witr can still be said, although it wouldn’t be the ideal time of doing so.
Also, if one has left the witr from Isha intending to wake up for Tahajjud, but does not wake up by accident and the witr is left unsaid, In sha Allah it is still no sin.

Alternatively, if one has already said their witr with Isha and they want to pray Tahajjud, there is nothing stopping them from doing it. The only thing is that their Tahajjud would be different from what the Prophet SallAllahu ‘Aliyhi Wasallam did himself and suggested to others (given hadith above). Although it wouldn’t constitute an offence, but, nonetheless, it would be lesser in value than the one that ends with witr.

I hope this answer is satisfactory. Thank you again for the brothers and sisters who asked about it and In sha Allah hope you and I will In sha Allah put into practice the beauty of Tahajjud now that we know even more so about its importance. Jazakumullahu khaiyran

 please keep me and  my family in your Du’as during Tahajjud