The Tarawih Prayer and the Tahajjud Prayer

Question: What is the ruling on the Tarawih prayer and the Tahajjud prayer, and what is the time for the Tahajjud prayer, and how many rak'ahs does it have? Is it permissible for one who has prayed Witr after finishing Tarawih to pray Tahajjud, or not? And is it necessary for the Tarawih prayer to be connected to the 'Isha' prayer, such that it is performed immediately after it, or is it permissible if the congregation agrees to delay it after the 'Isha' prayer, then they disperse and gather again for the Tarawih prayer, or is that not permissible?

Answer: As for the Tarawih prayer, it is a confirmed recommended practice (sunnah mu'akkadah), and performing it immediately after the 'Isha' prayer and its regular voluntary prayers (rawatib) is what the Muslims have practiced. As for delaying it, as the questioner says, to another time and then coming to the mosque to pray Tarawih, this is contrary to what was practiced. The jurists mention that it is performed after the 'Isha' prayer and its regular voluntary prayers, so if they delay it,We do not say: then this is forbidden (haram), but it is contrary to what was practiced. It is performed at the beginning of the night; this is what the practice is.
As for Tahajjud, it is also a recommended practice (sunnah), and it has great virtue. It is standing in night prayer (qiyam al-layl), and standing after sleeping, especially in the last third of the night or in the third of the night after its halfway point, this is in the middle of the night. This has great virtue and a great reward.
And among the best voluntary prayers is Tahajjud at night,Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Muzzammil: 6]. And if a person prays Tarawih and Witr with the imam, then gets up at night and prays Tahajjud, there is no harm in that. He does not repeat Witr; rather, the Witr he prayed with the imam is sufficient for him. He prays Tahajjud with the imam as much as Allah makes easy for him. And if he delays Witr to the last prayer of the night, there is no harm, but he misses following the imam. It is better to follow the imam and to pray Witr together,As he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:. So he follows the imam and prays Witr with him. This does not prevent him from getting up in the last part of the night to pray Tahajjud.

Question: And the hadith that says: Does this contradict the previous hadith?

Answer: This does not contradict it,With his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):. This applies specifically to one who did not pray Tarawih with the imam.