At what time of the night is it more appropriate to perform tahajjud prayer?

Is it better to perform tahajjud prayer one hour before imsak time or at about 3 or 4 o’clock?
Submitted by on Sat, 16/05/2020 - 11:33
Dear Brother / Sister,
The prayer that is performed after going to bed following the night prayer and by getting up just before or after midnight or when one-third of the night is left is called tahajjud prayer.
It is unanimously agreed that this prayer is nafilah for the ummah. There are different views based on different interpretations whether it is fard for the Prophet (pbuh) or not.
The most appropriate time for tahajjud prayer changes based on the state and conditions of a person:
1. The best one is to go to bed after performing the night (isha) prayer and to get up after half of the night passes to perform tahajjud prayer.
2. If a person sleeps before performing the night prayer due to an excuse, he should get up before half of the night passes and perform the night prayer. If he will not be able to get up again, he can perform tahajjud prayer following the night prayer.
3. When he gets up to perform the night prayer if half of the night has passed, he can perform the night prayer (though it is makruh to perform night prayer at that time according to some fiqh scholars) followed by tahajjud prayer.
4. “If a person who regularly performs tahajjud prayer fears that he might not be able to get up at night for tahajjud, he can perform prayer with the intention of tahajjud after the night prayer” according to some scholars.
Questions on Islam
- Is it a sin to perform the prayer at the end of the time for that prayer? Can the prayer be performed as soon as the adhan is recited?
- When and how is tahajjud prayer performed and how is niyyah made?
- What is the importance of time for prayer (salah)?
- How was the sleeping pattern of the Prophet (pbuh)?
- What are the sunna prayers (the prayers performed by our Prophet Muhammad-pbuh-, and performing of which are recommended but not obligatory)?
- What are the mustahab times for performing five daily prayers? For instance, the morning prayer (fajr) can be performed up to the time of sunrise. What about the other prayers?
- Is there a drawback in terms of health and religion to sleep after the morning prayer and between the afternoon and evening prayer (faylula, ghaylula and qaylula)?
- Is it sin to sleep by lying face down? What are the manners of sleeping?
- What is the importance of the morning prayer (fajr)?
- Rawatib Prayers