Please could someone take some time out and explain in detail and in easy angrayzee, step by step...how to perform Tahajjud prayer...i read some where that its as similar as any other prayer (witr, sunnah, fard) but when one goes down in sajda you have to read this ayat three times...i didn't properly read that thing so don't know whether its after subhana rabiyal ala...or before...or like however it goes..but like is that really it? same simple namaz with a few rakats but only at night after the obligatory Isha prayer...i also read that reading an odd number of witr after the Isha prayer counts as Tahajjud or something like that...and i do read 3 rakat witr after Isha...khair koi ASAP butaday please.

Tahajjud: The Night Vigil Prayer

Originally Posted by teelobhain

Please could someone take some time out and explain in detail and in easy angrayzee, step by step...how to perform Tahajjud prayer...i read some where that its as similar as any other prayer (witr, sunnah, fard) but when one goes down in sajda you have to read this ayat three times...i didn't properly read that thing so don't know whether its after subhana rabiyal ala...or before...or like however it goes..but like is that really it? same simple namaz with a few rakats but only at night after the obligatory Isha prayer...i also read that reading an odd number of witr after the Isha prayer counts as Tahajjud or something like that...and i do read 3 rakat witr after Isha...khair koi ASAP butaday please.

The procedure is pretty much the same as for any two rakaat nafl salaat. It can be made anytime after the witr. There's nothing really complicated about it.

Its the same as any other prayer, nothing special needs to be read.

1. You perform it in 2's and 2's up to 12.

2. Best time is the last part of night, just before you do your sehri .

3. Prophet has a hadees that make Witr your last prayer and many scholars recommend that the night you have niyat for tahajjud, dont pray witr after isha and pray it after tahajjud.

4. 3 rakaat witr does not replace Tahajjud.

^ correct...

an addition: It is obligatory to have a sleep, no matter shortest one, before offering Tahajjud

My understanding is that its better to sleep before but not obligatory.

Thanks a lot people...all this information helped a lot...

Originally Posted by TLK

Its the same as any other prayer, nothing special needs to be read.

1. You perform it in 2's and 2's up to 12.

2. Best time is the last part of night, just before you do your sehri .

3. Prophet has a hadees that make Witr your last prayer and many scholars recommend that the night you have niyat for tahajjud, dont pray witr after isha and pray it after tahajjud.

4. 3 rakaat witr does not replace Tahajjud.

i prayed tahajjud between 2:30-3:00 am is that ok? sheri starts at about 3:30/4:00...

You can pray it any time, but the best time is the last third of the night, just before Fajr. Make an abundance of dua especially in ur sajda.

Midnight, doing dua in sajda is makrooh, per what I know.

Originally Posted by TLK

My understanding is that its better to sleep before but not obligatory.

That's correct. Sleep is not obligatory before tahajjud. You can technically even make it right after witr, which you perform at isha time. This is what is recommended for those who cannot get up later in the night. So if the time is right (any time after isha), then the only difference between 2 rakaat of tahajjud and any other set of 2 rakaats is the intention.

^ Thanks...that cleared up the waking up bit...can do this when University starts..

Ok so i have a few more questions about the prayer again...

* my mum used to pray nafl while sitting? is it obligatory to perform nafl like that can't one perform is like the normal sunnah/fard prayer? i have been doing that till date..and now i think i was wrong

* like tarawee do we have to make the intention again and again after two rakahs in tahajjud as well....( sorry to many questions probably make me sound dumb but i don't want to pray ghalat salat)...

Sitting and making any salaat is usually done out of some weakness. So if you can make your salaat the normal way then you shouldn't be making it sitting down.

Whenever you make a new set of rakaat, you always have to make the intention for it.

Can anyone plzz tell me wats the right time of Tahajud prayer in pakistan ???
can i offer my tahajud prayer at 5 am ???

Originally Posted by TLK

Midnight, doing dua in sajda is makrooh, per what I know.

per what I know, dua in namaz (even in sajadah) is well and good

Originally Posted by kchughtai

per what I know, dua in namaz (even in sajadah) is well and good

As per Hadith, supplication in prostration (or anytime during the prayer) is not accepted unless followed by "peace & blessings to Mohammad".

Umar (RA) narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: 'Du'a is detained between the heavens and the earth and no part of it is taken up until you send blessings upon your Prophet (SAW).
[at-Tirmidhi #486]

Just thought I'd share that.