The verse states, “And from the night, perform tahajjud as a voluntary offering for you.” How many rak'ahs are there in tahajjud? And how many rak'ahs are there in voluntary prayer?
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The questioner : In Surat al-Isra, I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan: [Al-Isra 17:79] You ask: How many rak'ahs are there in tahajjud? And how many rak'ahs are there in voluntary prayer?
The Shaykh : Tahajjud is the standing in night prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exceed eleven rak'ahs in his night prayer, neither in Ramadan nor in any other time. Sometimes he would pray thirteen rak'ahs. This is the number that a person should limit himself to, but with lengthening the recitation, the bowing, and the prostration. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to lengthen the recitation in the night prayer, as mentioned in the hadith of Hudhayfah and the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one night, and he recited Surat al-Baqarah, then Surat al-Nisa, then Surat Aal 'Imran. Likewise, Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed with him one night, and he stood for a long time until 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said: “I was about to do something bad” They asked: What were you about to do, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman? He said: “I was about to sit down and leave him” This indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to lengthen the night prayer, and this is the best and it is the Sunnah. If it is difficult for a person to lengthen it, let him pray as much as he is able.
As for voluntary prayer, tahajjud is part of voluntary prayer, because voluntary prayer in its original sense is an addition. Every voluntary act of worship, whether prayer, fasting, charity, or Hajj, is a nafilah because it is in addition to what Allah has made obligatory upon the servant. Let it be known that voluntary acts complete the obligatory acts on the Day of Resurrection. Voluntary prayer completes the obligatory prayer, voluntary charity completes the zakah, voluntary fasting completes the fasting of Ramadan, and voluntary Hajj completes the Hajj. This is because a person is not free from deficiency in performing what Allah has made obligatory upon him of acts of worship. So Allah the Exalted prescribed these voluntary acts for him as a mercy to him and a kindness to him, and Allah is the Owner of immense bounty.
And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.
وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَكَ عَسَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًاThe Shaykh : Tahajjud is the standing in night prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not exceed eleven rak'ahs in his night prayer, neither in Ramadan nor in any other time. Sometimes he would pray thirteen rak'ahs. This is the number that a person should limit himself to, but with lengthening the recitation, the bowing, and the prostration. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to lengthen the recitation in the night prayer, as mentioned in the hadith of Hudhayfah and the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) one night, and he recited Surat al-Baqarah, then Surat al-Nisa, then Surat Aal 'Imran. Likewise, Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed with him one night, and he stood for a long time until 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said: “I was about to do something bad” They asked: What were you about to do, O Abu 'Abd al-Rahman? He said: “I was about to sit down and leave him” This indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to lengthen the night prayer, and this is the best and it is the Sunnah. If it is difficult for a person to lengthen it, let him pray as much as he is able.
As for voluntary prayer, tahajjud is part of voluntary prayer, because voluntary prayer in its original sense is an addition. Every voluntary act of worship, whether prayer, fasting, charity, or Hajj, is a nafilah because it is in addition to what Allah has made obligatory upon the servant. Let it be known that voluntary acts complete the obligatory acts on the Day of Resurrection. Voluntary prayer completes the obligatory prayer, voluntary charity completes the zakah, voluntary fasting completes the fasting of Ramadan, and voluntary Hajj completes the Hajj. This is because a person is not free from deficiency in performing what Allah has made obligatory upon him of acts of worship. So Allah the Exalted prescribed these voluntary acts for him as a mercy to him and a kindness to him, and Allah is the Owner of immense bounty.