When does the time period for tahajjud prayer start? Can it be performed immediately after the night prayer (isha)? Is it appropriate to delay the night prayer and perform tahhajud prayer immediately after the night prayer?

Can I perform tahajjud prayer together with the night prayer (isha) after sleeping for about half an hour after the evening (maghrib) prayer? When exactly does the time period for tahajjud prayer start? Is it appropriate to go to bed without performing the night prayer and get up later and to perform the night prayer first and tahhajud prayer immediately after it? Or, is it necessary to sleep a bit after performing the night prayer?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It is necessary to make an explanation about the time of the night prayer (isha) and sleeping before performing the night prayer first here. For, it is necessary to know whether it is appropriate to perform the night prayer after midnight by getting up at about three o’clock as it is expressed in the question. After that, we can deal with tahajjud prayer. 

The Prophet (pbuh) said the following to a Companion who asked what the most virtuous deed was:

"The prayer performed in time." (Bukhari, Mawaqit 162)

"There is Allah's consent at the beginning of the time period of prayers and Allah’s forgiveness at the end." (Tirmidhi, Mawaqit 13)

As it can generally be understood from the hadiths above, we can say that it is mustahab to perform prayers at the beginning of their time periods. However, some prayers are regarded to be more virtuous to be performed after the beginning of their time periods in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) based on various conditions like the season, climate, etc. Some of the narrations related to the time period for the night prayer are as follows:

"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) delayed the night prayer to the time called atamah (the end of the one-third of the night) and he did not like sleeping before it and speaking after it; he regarded them makruh." (Bukhari, Mawaqit  13-20,  Muslim, Masajid 218-225; Nasai, Mawaqit 20)

"One night, the Prophet delayed the night prayer to the middle of the night. Then, he came toward us, his face turning toward us – I feel as if I see the luster of the silver ring on his finger – and said, "People performed prayers and went to bed. You continue receiving thawabs as long as you wait for the prayer." (Bukhari, Mawaqit  25, 40; Muslim, Masajid 223)

"If it did not cause hardship for my ummah, I would order them to delay the night prayer to the end of the first one-third of the night." (Tirmidhi, Mawaqit 10)

Accordingly, Hanafis regard delaying performing the night prayer up to the end of the first one-third of the night mustahab, to the middle of the night mubah and after the middle of the night makruh. Some Hanafi scholars say it is makruh tahrimi while others regard it as makruh tanzihi. However, it is necessary to say it is mustahab in winter. As for summer, it is mustahab to perform the might prayer early since nights are short.

It will be useful to mention the wisdom/reason why it is mustahab to delay performing the night prayer up to the end of the first one-third of the night.  Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud narrates:

"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) criticized, that is, prohibited chatting after the night prayer." (Ibn Majah, Salah 12)

As it is seen, the Prophet (pbuh) did not find it appropriate to delay sleep by chatting unnecessarily after the night prayer. For, it might cause a person to miss the morning prayer and might make it difficult for a person to get up for tahajjud prayer. As a person starts his day by worshipping so too should he finish it by worshipping.

However, the viewpoint of other madhhabs is different. Acting upon the general expressions about the mustahab times of prayer mentioned above, Malikis regard it more virtuous to perform every prayer at the beginning of its time period. According to Shafiis, except for delaying the noon prayer in hot weather, it is mustahab to perform other prayers at the beginning of their time periods. According to Hanbalis, it is more virtuous to perform every prayer except the night prayer at the beginning of its time period.

Imam Rabbani states the following about the night prayer to be performed by getting up at night with the intention of tahajjud:  

"It is understood that it is wrong to delay the night prayer after the middle of the night and to think of obtaining the reward of tahajjud. For, according to the imams of Hanafi madhhab, it is makruh to perform the night prayer after the middle of the night. It is understood from their words that it is makruh tahrimi (makruh close to haram). For, they say it is mubah to perform the night prayer up to the middle of the night. They say it is makruh to perform it after the middle of the night. The makruh that is the opposite of mubah is makruh tahrimi."

"In Shafii madhhab, it is not permissible to perform the night prayer after the middle of the night. Therefore, it is very bad to delay the night prayer after the middle of the night in order to perform tahajjud prayer and to attain pleasure and peace at that time. A person who thinks of doing so is advised to delay the witr prayer after the middle of the night. It is mustahab to perform witr prayer after the middle of the night. Thus, a person will perform witr prayer in its mustahab time, perform tahajjud prayer and be awake at pre-dawn. In that case, it is necessary to give up that idea and perform the missed (qada) prayers." (Maktubat, Rabbani, I, Maktub (Letter) 29)

After explaining the mustahab time for the night prayer, let us have a look at the decree about going to bed before performing the night prayer. The following narration exists regarding the issue: 

"The Prophet (pbuh) did not like sleeping before the night prayer and speaking after it; he regarded them makruh." (Bukhari, Mawaqit 13-20, Muslim, Masajid 218-225; Nasai, Mawaqit 20)

The majority of scholars including Hz. Umar, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar and Imam Malik say it is makruh to go to bed before performing the night prayer.

"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) delayed the night prayer to the end of the first one-third of the night; Hz. Umar said that the women and children had slept. The Prophet (pbuh) did not blame them for sleeping before performing the night prayer."

On the other hand, acting upon the narration above and similar ones, some scholars among which are Abu Hanifa, Hz. Ali and Abu Musa, do not regard it makruh for the people who habitually sleep for a while and get up or who are awakened by others to go to bed before performing the night prayer. Some scholars say when a person is too sleepy or tired, he cannot perform the night prayer properly; therefore, such a person can rest a bit and perform it later; prayer is an important deed of worship that needs to be performed in khushu and khudu; therefore, it is not makruh – Allah knows the best – for a person to go to bed with such a thought.  However, it is necessary to be careful and not to delay the night prayer after the middle of the night. (When the length of the night is calculated, the times of sunrise and sunset should be taken into consideration.)

After these explanations related to the night prayer, let us have a look at the virtuous time for tahajjud prayer. Some narrations regarding the issue are as follows:

"Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: ‘Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request?’" (Bukhari, Tahajjud 14) (There are also narrations mentioning after the middle of the night.)

"The most virtuous prayer after fard prayers is tahajjud prayer. If you divide the night into two, the second part is the most virtuous time. If you divide the night into three, the middle part is the most blessed and virtuous time." (Tajrid Sarikh Translation, IV, 16)

Tahajjud is used in the sense of waking up at night for prayer and mentioning Allah as a term. The prayer performed after the night prayer (isha) before sleeping or after sleeping for a little while is called salatul-layl). The prayer performed by intervening in the night sleep is called tahajjud prayer. Aswad and Alqama, two Tabiun scholars, say, "Tahajjud is after sleep."

Fiqh scholars mention the virtue of performing tahajjud prayer toward the end of the night a lot. As a matter of fact, some practices of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the issue show it. Some scholars say it is performed after the middle of the night while others say after the two-thirds of the night; some other scholars say when the night is  divided into 6 parts, it is more virtuous to worship in the 4th and 5th parts.

When the issue is viewed under the light of those explanations, the best thing to do about tahajjud prayer is to sleep after performing the night prayer and get up after the middle of the night in order to perform that prayer. However, if somebody sleeps before performing the night prayer due to an excuse, he needs to get up before the middle of the night and perform the night prayer. If he cannot get up again, he can perform tahajjud prayer after performing the night prayer. Similarly, if a person wakes up to perform the night prayer and sees that it is after the middle of the night, he performs the night prayer first (though it is makruh); he can perform tahajjud prayer after that. Scholars say that if a person who always performs tahajjud prayers fears that he will not be able to get up for tahajjud, he can perform a prayer with the intention of tahajjud prayer after the night prayer and sleep; they hope this prayer will be regarded as tahajjud prayer.

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