🌟 Virtue: "The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer" (Muslim). Tahajjud is performed after waking from sleep in the night. The last third of the night is the most propitious time, as Allah (SWT) descends to the lowest heaven to answer prayers.
Best Time: Last third of the night (before Fajr)
Method: Pray in sets of two Rak'ats (mathna mathna)
Structure: Start with two light Rak'ats before extending the length of subsequent ones
Recommended: 8 Rak'ats + 3 Witr = 11 total
دُعَاءُ الاسْتِفْتَاح لِلتَّهَجُّد - Opening Supplication for Tahajjud
When the Prophet ﷺ rose for Tahajjud, he would recite this opening supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ مَلِكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma lakal-hamdu anta qayyimus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinna, wa lakal-hamdu laka mulkus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinna, wa lakal-hamdu anta nurus-samawati wal-ardi, wa lakal-hamdu anta malikus-samawati wal-ardi, wa lakal-hamdu antal-haqqu, wa wa'dukal-haqqu, wa liqa'uka haqqun, wa qawluka haqqun, wal-jannatu haqqun, wan-naru haqqun, wan-nabiyyuna haqqun, wa Muhammadun sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallama haqqun, was-sa'atu haqqun. Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bika amantu, wa 'alayka tawakkaltu, wa ilayka anabtu, wa bika khasamtu, wa ilayka hakamtu, faghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkartu, wa ma asrartu wa ma a'lantu, antal-muqaddimu wa antal-mu'akhkhiru, la ilaha illa ant.
Translation: "O Allah! All praises are for You; You are the Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth and whoever is in them. All praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. All praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth. All praises are for You; You are the Truth, and Your promise is the truth, and meeting You is true, and Your word is true, and Paradise is true, and Hell is true, and the Prophets are true, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is true, and the Hour is true. O Allah! I surrender to You, I believe in You, I depend on You, I repent to You, I dispute with You, and I refer judgment to You. So forgive me what I have sent before and what I have left behind, what I have concealed and what I have declared. You are the One Who sends forward and You are the One Who delays. There is no god but You."
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim
📖 Method: After reciting this opening dua, perform your Tahajjud prayers in sets of two Rak'ats. You can recite any Surahs you know. The Prophet ﷺ would start with two light Rak'ats, then extend the length of subsequent ones. After completing your desired number of Rak'ats, perform Witr (3 Rak'ats) to seal the night prayers.