What is the time limit for the night prayer (qiyam al-layl), and also the time for the late-night voluntary prayer (tahajjud)? How many rak'ahs do they consist of, and are there specific surahs to be recited in them?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : In the last of this questioner's questions, she says, "May Allah preserve you, O Shaykh, I want you to specify for me the time for the night prayer (qiyam al-layl) and also the time for the late-night voluntary prayer (tahajjud), how many rak'ahs are in them, and do we recite specific surahs in them?"
The Shaykh : Yes. The night prayer is best when it is performed after half the night has passed, in the third that follows the half. This means that a person sleeps for half the night, stands for prayer for a third of it, and sleeps for a sixth. This is the best time for standing in prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said. He also said, "This is the prayer of Dawud (peace be upon him)."
The questioner : (peace be upon him).
The Shaykh : However, if it is easy for a person to stand in prayer in the last part of the night, let him do so, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in the authentic, widely transmitted, and well-known hadith:Muwatta Malik 15:32.
As for the number of rak'ahs, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to pray eleven or thirteen rak'ahs at night. This is the best number, with lengthening the standing, bowing, prostration, and sitting. If a person increases beyond that, there is no blame on him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was asked about the night prayer, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 1326Sahih (Al-Albani). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not specify a particular number, and this indicates that the matter is broad. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Yes. The night prayer is best when it is performed after half the night has passed, in the third that follows the half. This means that a person sleeps for half the night, stands for prayer for a third of it, and sleeps for a sixth. This is the best time for standing in prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said. He also said, "This is the prayer of Dawud (peace be upon him)."
The questioner : (peace be upon him).
The Shaykh : However, if it is easy for a person to stand in prayer in the last part of the night, let him do so, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in the authentic, widely transmitted, and well-known hadith:
Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the heaven of this world when the last third of the night is still to come and says, 'Who will call on Me so that I may answer him? Who will ask Me so that I may give him? Who will ask forgiveness of Me so that I may forgive him?'
ينزل ربنا إلى السماء الدنيا حين يبقى ثلث الليل الأخر فيقول من يدعوني فأستجيب له من يسألني فأعطيه من يستغفرني فأغفر لهAs for the number of rak'ahs, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to pray eleven or thirteen rak'ahs at night. This is the best number, with lengthening the standing, bowing, prostration, and sitting. If a person increases beyond that, there is no blame on him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was asked about the night prayer, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
should consist of pairs of rak'ahs, but if one of you fears the morning is near he should pray one rak'ah which will make his prayer an odd number for him.
مثنى مثنى فإذا خشي أحدكم الصبح صلى واحدة فأوترت ما صلىThe questioner : May Allah reward you.