Tahajjud (Night Prayer)
The voluntary night prayer performed in the last third of the night.
Tahajjud (Arabic: تهجد) is a voluntary night prayer performed after one has slept and awakened again in the last third of the night, before Fajr. Tahajjud is considered the most meritorious voluntary prayer after the obligatory ones.
The Quran encourages Tahajjud: "And during a part of the night, keep vigil for prayer as an extra devotion for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised station" (Surah Al-Isra 17:79).
Tahajjud can be prayed with any number of rak'ah, typically 2-12, preferably concluded with the Witr prayer. The last third of the night is considered a particularly blessed time, when Allah is closest to His servants. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night and says: Is there anyone calling upon Me, so that I may answer?"
Related terms
Ashura (The Tenth of Muharram)
The tenth day of Muharram, the commemoration of Imam Husayn's martyrdom.
Asr (Afternoon Prayer)
The third daily prayer, performed in the afternoon.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Tirmidhi's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its classification of narrations by strength.
Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah (The Psalms of Sajjad)
A collection of supplications from the 4th Imam, called "The Psalms of Islam."
Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse)
The mighty verse from Surah Al-Baqarah (2:255), describing Allah's omnipotence.
Du'a al-Qunut (The Qunut Supplication in Witr)
The special supplication recited during the last rak'ah of the Witr prayer.