Question (Q-82)
Is sleeping and then waking up necessary in order for Tahajjud to be performed or can one perform Tahajjud without having slept?
Answer:
Salāt-ul-Layl (Night Prayer) refers to every Nafl (voluntary) Salāh performed after Salāt-ul-‘Ishā regardless of whether one slept before performing the Salāh or not. Tahajjud is a specific type of Salāt-ul-Layl. Tahajjud refers to the Nafl (voluntary) Salāh performed during the night (prior to dawn) after waking up from one’s sleep after having performed Salāt-ul-‘Ishā.
It is stated in Radd ul Muhtār, Volume 2, Page 566,
وقد ذكر القاضي حسين من الشافعية أنه فى الإصطلاح التطوع بعد النوم وأيد بما فى معجم الطبراني من حديث الحجاج بن عمرو رضي الله عنه قال: بحسب أحدكم إذا قام من الليل يصلى حتى يصبح أنه قد تهجد، إنما التهجد المرء يصلى الصلاة بعد رقدة
“Al Qādhī Husayn from the Shāfi’ī Scholars mentioned that Tahajjud in the terminology of the Jurists refers to Voluntary Prayer performed after sleeping. This is supported by what is narrated in Mu’jam ut Tabarānī from the Hadīth of Al Hajjāj Ibn ‘Amr (Allah be pleased with him) who stated, “It is enough for one of you when he wakes up during the night prior to dawn and prays (Voluntary Prayer) that he has performed Tahajjud. Tahajjud is only the performance of Salāh after sleeping.”
It is further stated in Radd ul Muhtār, Volume 2, Page 566,
ولأن التهجد إزالة النوم بتكلف
“Because Tahajjud is the removal of the effect of sleep with effort.”
It is stated in Bahār e Sharī’at, Volume 1, Page 677,
“One type of this Salāt ul Layl is Tahajjud which is waking up during the night after ‘Ishā and performing Nawāfil. Whatever is performed before sleeping is not Tahajjud.”
It is stated in Al Fatāwā Ar Ridhwiyyah, Volume 7, Page 446,
“Tahajjud is fulfilled by sleeping after the performance of the Fardh of ‘Ishā and then performing two units (Rak’ah) Nafl (Voluntary Prayer) at any time when he/she wakes up before dawn (As Subh us Sādiq). The minimum definition of Tahajjud is two units. Eight units are narrated from the Sunnah and twelve units are narrated from the Pious Scholars. The great Master of the Pious Sages, Al Junaid Al Baghdādī (Allah be pleased with him) would perform only two units and would complete the entire Qur’ān in them.”
And Allah knows best.
Written by: Shaykh Omar Khan (Allah preserve him)
Verified by: Mufti Shamsulhuda Khan Misbahi (May Allah preserve him)
