Ask Dr. Bilal Philips

How To Pray Tahajjud
✔️ First start off with reciting the Dua for Tahajjud before starting the salah.
✔️ Then Pray 2 rakats of Salah each (without iqamah) and it can be prayed till 8 rakat, how much of that you want to pray for example, 2 rakat or 4 rakat or 6 rakat or 8 rakat is upto you but more is always better.
✔️ After Tahajjud Salah is done, it is the sunnah to end with three rakat witr and if time is short (Fajr time is near) then end with one rakat of Witr Salah.
✔️ If you are going to pray Tahajjud then pray Witr prayer after Tahajjud Prayer, but if you have already prayed Witr after Isha Prayer then do not pray Witr Prayer again because there is only one Witr in a night.
✔️ Make Dua and ask for forgiveness and for Jannatul Ferdous and refuge against Hellfire.
✔️ It is best to pray Tahajjud Salah 1 to 1.5 hours (last one third of night) before Fajr starts.
✔️ We calculate time of Tahajjud by looking at the hours between Isha’a and Fajr Salah.
✔️ If Isha’a is at 9pm and Fajr is at 3am between them is six hours, divide those six hours by 3. So we have 2 hours 2 hours and 2 hours
So 9pm till 11pm is the first third of night
11pm till 1am is the second third of night
1am till Fajr is the last third of night
— Allah Descends to the First Heaven Every Night
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the heaven
of the world and says, ‘Is there anyone who invokes Me (demand anything from Me), that I may respond to his invocation; Is there anyone who asks Me for something that I may give (it to) him; Is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’ ”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6321
— Dua Before Tahajjud
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
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
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.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1120