What Time Is Tahajjud? The Night Prayer Explained

Tahajjud is the voluntary night prayer that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never abandoned, and the Quran describes those who pray it as people whose "sides forsake their beds" (Quran 32:16). Yet the most common question about it is also the most practical one: what time is Tahajjud, exactly? The short answer: any time after Isha and before Fajr, ideally after sleeping, and best of all in the last third of the night. This article explains each part of that answer and shows you how to calculate the timing for your own city.

The Tahajjud window: after Isha, before Fajr

Scholars agree that the time for night prayer (qiyam al-layl) begins after you have prayed Isha and ends when Fajr begins. Anything prayed in that window counts as night prayer. What makes it Tahajjud specifically, according to many scholars, is that it is prayed after sleeping for part of the night — the word tahajjud itself carries the meaning of rising from sleep. If you pray extra units right after Isha without sleeping, that is still rewarded night prayer, but rising from your bed for it is the fuller practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Because the window depends on Isha and Fajr, it changes every day and differs from city to city. Check today's exact Isha and Fajr times for your location with our free prayer times tool.

The best time: the last third of the night

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and He says: Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?" (Bukhari and Muslim). This is why the last third of the night is considered the most virtuous time for Tahajjud and for making dua.

How to calculate the last third of the night

The "night" in Islamic timekeeping runs from Maghrib (sunset) to Fajr (the true dawn) — not from midnight to sunrise. To find the last third:

• Note today's Maghrib time and tomorrow's Fajr time for your city.
• Count the hours between them. That is the length of the night.
• Divide by three. The last third begins two-thirds of the way through.

For example, if Maghrib is at 7:00 pm and Fajr is at 4:00 am, the night is 9 hours long. Each third is 3 hours, so the last third begins at 1:00 am and lasts until Fajr at 4:00 am. Praying any time between 1:00 am and 4:00 am in this example places you in the most blessed part of the night.

If waking that early is difficult, remember the halfway point of the night is also praised: the Prophet (peace be upon him) described the prayer of Dawud (David) — sleeping half the night, praying a third, then sleeping a sixth — as the most beloved night prayer to Allah (Bukhari).

How many rak'ahs is Tahajjud?

• Tahajjud is prayed in units of two rak'ahs at a time, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The night prayer is two by two" (Bukhari and Muslim).
• There is no fixed maximum. The Prophet (peace be upon him) most often prayed eleven rak'ahs at night including Witr (Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported this in Bukhari).
• Even two rak'ahs count. Consistency matters more than quantity — the most beloved deeds to Allah are those done regularly, even if small.
• End your night prayer with Witr (an odd number of rak'ahs, commonly one or three). If you already prayed Witr after Isha, you do not repeat it after Tahajjud.

Is Tahajjud the same as Qiyam al-Layl and Taraweeh?

These terms overlap but are not identical. Qiyam al-layl means any voluntary prayer at night and is the broadest term. Tahajjud is qiyam prayed after rising from sleep. Taraweeh is the specific congregational night prayer of Ramadan — it is a form of qiyam al-layl performed right after Isha during the fasting month. Outside Ramadan, the night prayer you hear about is Tahajjud.

Practical tips for waking up for Tahajjud

• Sleep early. The Prophet (peace be upon him) disliked idle talk after Isha, and an earlier night makes the last third reachable.
• Set your alarm using real prayer data: look up tonight's Maghrib and tomorrow's Fajr on our prayer times page and compute the last third, rather than guessing a fixed clock time.
• Take a short afternoon nap (qaylulah) when you can — it is the traditional aid for night worship.
• Start with two rak'ahs and a few minutes of dua. Build gradually so the habit survives busy weeks.
• Make dua in your own language during sujud and before Fajr — the last third is singled out as a time when dua is answered.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I pray Tahajjud without sleeping first? Yes — it still counts as rewarded night prayer, though many scholars reserve the name Tahajjud for prayer after sleep. If staying up is easier for you than waking, do not abandon night prayer over the terminology.
• Can I pray Tahajjud right before Fajr? Yes. As long as the true dawn has not entered, the window is open — and the moments closest to Fajr fall inside the last third, the best part of the night.
• Do women pray Tahajjud the same way? Yes, the practice and timing are identical.
• What should I recite? Al-Fatihah plus any surahs you know. The Prophet (peace be upon him) recited long portions, but there is no required selection — read what you can from the Quran.

Tahajjud is a private conversation with Allah at the time He Himself singled out for answering. Find tonight's window for your city with our free prayer times tool, set one alarm, and begin with just two rak'ahs — 100% free, no ads, no app needed.