The Tahajjud is a special prayer which is recommended (but not compulsory) for all Muslims. The Tahajjud is prayed after Isha (the obligatory nightly prayer) and before Fajr (the obligatory morning prayer). If possible, it is most desirable to perform the Tahajjud between midnight and Fajr, preferably in the last third of the night. Though the Tahajjud isn't compulsory, many devout Muslims try to make it part of their daily routine as an act of worship and to earn redemption and forgiveness from Allah.
"The dua made at Tahajjud is like an arrow which does not miss its target". - Imam Shafi
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: When the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to say: Allahumma lakal-hamd. Anta qaiyyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, Laka mulkus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna. Walakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard. Wa lakal-hamd, anta-l-haq wa wa'duka-lhaq, wa liqa'uka Haq, wa qauluka Haq, wal-jannatu Han wan-naru Haq wannabiyuna Haq. Wa Muhammadun, sallal-lahu'alaihi wasallam, Haq, was-sa'atu Haq. Allahumma aslamtu Laka wabika amantu, wa 'Alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu faghfir li ma qaddamtu wama akh-khartu wama as-rartu wama'a lantu, anta-l-muqaddim wa anta-l-mu akh-khir, la ilaha illa anta (or la ilaha ghairuka).
O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them.
All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them.
All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth
And all the praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth;
And all the praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth,
And to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true.
O Allah ! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You.
And repent to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) And I take You as a judge (to judge between us).
Please forgive me my previous And future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed
And You are the One who make (some people) forward And (some) backward.
There is none to be worshipped but you.
Sufyan said that `Abdul Karim Abu Umaiya added to the above, 'Wala haula Wala quwata illa billah' (There is neither might nor power except with Allah).
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، سَمِعَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَتَهَجَّدُ قَالَ " 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 الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ـ أَوْ لاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ ـ ". قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَزَادَ عَبْدُ الْكَرِيمِ أَبُو أُمَيَّةَ " وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ". قَالَ سُفْيَانُ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ سَمِعَهُ مِنْ طَاوُسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Reference: Sahih Al Bukhari 1120; Book 19, Hadith 1; Vol. 2, Book 21, Hadith 21
Narrated Hudhaifa: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) got up for Tahajjud prayer he used to clean his mouth (and teeth) with Siwak.
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ حُصَيْنٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ لِلتَّهَجُّدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَشُوصُ فَاهُ بِالسِّوَاكِ.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1136; Book 19, Hadith 17; Vol. 2, Book 21, Hadith 237
Lā 'ilāha 'illallāhu waḥdahu la sharīka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu, wa huwa 'alā kulli shay'in qadīr Subḥānallāhi, walḥamdu lillāhi, wa lā 'ilāha 'illallāhu, wallāhu 'akbar, wa lā ḥaula wa lā quwwata 'illā billāhil-`aliyyil-`aẓīm, rabbighfir lī. There is none worthy of worship but Allah alone, Who has no partner, His is the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is able to do all things. Glory is to Allah. Praise is to Allah. There is none worthy of worship but Allah. Allah is the Most Great. There is no might and no power except by Allah's leave, the Exalted, the Mighty. My Lord, forgive me.
لا إلهَ إلاّ اللّهُ وَحْـدَهُ لا شَـريكَ له، لهُ المُلـكُ ولهُ الحَمـد، وهوَ على كلّ شيءٍ قدير، سُـبْحانَ اللهِ، والحمْـدُ لله، ولا إلهَ إلاّ اللهُ واللهُ أكبَر، وَلا حَولَ وَلا قوّة إلاّ باللّهِ العليّ العظيم، رَبِّ اغْفرْ لي
Reference: Whoever says this will be forgiven, and if he supplicates Allah, his prayer will be answered; if he performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted. Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 3/39, among others. The wording here is from Ibn Majah 2/335.
One should wash hands before putting them in the water for ablution, because nobody knows where his hands were during sleep.
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you performs ablution he should put water in his nose and then blow it out and whoever cleans his private parts with stones should do so with odd numbers. And whoever wakes up from his sleep should wash his hands before putting them in the water for ablution, because nobody knows where his hands were during sleep."
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَجْعَلْ فِي أَنْفِهِ ثُمَّ لِيَنْثُرْ، وَمَنِ اسْتَجْمَرَ فَلْيُوتِرْ، وَإِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ نَوْمِهِ فَلْيَغْسِلْ يَدَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهَا فِي وَضُوئِهِ، فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لاَ يَدْرِي أَيْنَ بَاتَتْ يَدُهُ ".
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 162; Book 4, Hadith 28; Vol. 1, Book 4, Hadith 163
He must clean his nose three times, for the devil spends the night in the interior of his NOSE.
Abu Huraira reported: The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said. When any one of you awakes up from sleep and performs ablution, he must clean his nose three times, for the devil spends the night in the interior of his nose.
حَدَّثَنِي بِشْرُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ الْعَبْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي الدَّرَاوَرْدِيَّ - عَنِ ابْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ مَنَامِهِ فَلْيَسْتَنْثِرْ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَبِيتُ عَلَى خَيَاشِيمِهِ " .
Reference: Sahih Muslim 238; Book 2, Hadith 31; Book 2, Hadith 462
Heﷺ began his prayer with two short rak'ahs. One should begin the prayer with two short rak'ahs. (Muslim 1806, 1807)
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرَكَ
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up to pray at night (for tahajjud prayer) he uttered the takbir and then said: "Glory be to Thee, O Allah," and "Praise be to Thee" and "Blessed is Thy name," and Exalted is Thy greatness." and "There is no god but Thee." He then said: "There is no god but Allah" three times; he then said: "Allah is altogether great" three times: "I seek refuge in Allah, All-Hearing and All-Knowing from the accursed devil, from his evil suggestion (hamz), from his puffing up (nafkh), and from his spitting (nafth)" He then recited (the Qur'an). (Grade: Sahih)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلاَمِ بْنُ مُطَهَّرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرٌ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الرِّفَاعِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلِ النَّاجِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ " سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ " . ثُمَّ يَقُولُ " لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ " . ثَلاَثًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ " اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا " . ثَلاَثًا " أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِهِ " . ثُمَّ يَقْرَأُ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ يَقُولُونَ هُوَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ مُرْسَلاً الْوَهَمُ مِنْ جَعْفَرٍ .
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 775; Book 2, Hadith 385; Book 3, Hadith 774
When the Prophet ﷺ stood up at night, he began his prayer by saying -
Abu Salamah b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awf said: I asked ‘A’ishah: By what words the Prophet(ﷺ) used to begin his prayer when he stood up at night (to offer tahajjud prayer). She said: When he stood up at night, he began his prayer by saying: O Allah, Lord of Jibra’il, Lord of Mik’ail, and Lord of Israfil, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, the Knower of what is seen and of what is unseen; Thou decides between Thy servants in which they used to differ. Guide me to the truth where there is a difference of opinion by Thy permission. Thou guidest anyone Thou wishes to the right path.
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ، حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ، سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ كَانَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ " اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ " .
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 767; Book 2, Hadith 377; Book 2, Hadith 766
He ﷺ started reciting Al-Baqarah and he did not come to any verse that spoke of mercy but he paused and asked for mercy, and he did not come to any verse that spoke of punishment but he paused (and sought refuge with Allah from that).
While bowing He ﷺ used to recite - (Glory be to the One Who has all power, sovereignty.,All magnificence and All might). - (Nisai: 1050)
سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ
'Awf bin Malik said: "I prayed Qiyam with the Prophet (ﷺ). He started by using the Siwak and performing wudu, then he stood and prayed. He started reciting Al-Baqarah and he did not come to any verse that spoke of mercy but he paused and asked for mercy, and he did not come to any verse that spoke of punishment but he paused (and sought refuge with Allah from that). Then he bowed and he stayed bowing for as long as he had stood,a nd he said while bowing: 'Subhanaka Dhil-jabaraut wal-malakut wal-kibriya' wal-'azamah (Glory be to the One Who has all power, sovereignty, magnificence and might.)' Then he prostrated for as long as he had bowed, saying while prostrating: 'Subhana Dhil-jabarut wal-malakut wal-kibriya' wal-'azamah (Glory be to the One Who has all power, sovereignty, magnificence and might.)' Then he recited Al Imran, then another surah and another, doing that each time." (Grade: Sahih)
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1132; Book 12, Hadith 104; Vol. 2, Book 12, Hadith 1133
In prostration He ﷺ used to recite - O Allah, I seek refuge in Your good pleasure from Your anger, and in Your Mercy from Your Punishment, and I seek refuge from You in You; I am not able to praise You (the way that You deserve to be praised), for You are as You have praised Yourself. (Abu dawood: 879)
أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ، لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ
Prophetﷺ prayed more than 11. Ibn Abbas narrated the Prophet ﷺ praying 13 and Zayd ibn Thaabit and Umm Salamah r.a narrated that the Prophet ﷺ prayed 13 rakaat. What Aishah r.a was saying was that the habit of Prophet ﷺ was 11 (Muslim)
Ask not about their excellence and their length (i. e. these were matchless in perfection and length).
If anyone prays at night reciting regularly ten verses, he will not be recorded among the negligent; if anyone prays at night and recites a hundred verses, he will be recorded among those who are obedient to Allah; and if anyone prays at night reciting one thousand verses, he will be recorded among those who receive huge rewards. (Abu Dawood Hadees : 1315)
Heﷺ prayed two short rak'ahs, then two long, long, long rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs which were short er than the two preceding rak'ahs, then he prayed two rak'ahs which were shorter than the two preceding, then he prayed two rak'ahs which were short er than the two preceding, then observed a single one (Witr), making a total of thirteen rak'ahs (Muslim 1804.)
Make the last of your prayer at night a witr. (Abu dawood :1438)
When one of you gets up by night (to pray), and falters in reciting the Quran (due to sleep), and he does not understand what he utters, he should sleep
(Abu dawood :1311)
Your body has right over you. Your eyes have right over you. (Bukhari:, 5199)
The deeds of the day are presented to Him in the night and the deeds of the night in the day. (Muslim :447)
Rasūlullāhﷺ used to take a nap until Muazzin called for the fajr. (Bukhari :183)
Rest Allah knows best.
Source: Hadith, Hisnul Muslim