Quran Verses about Night prayer (tahajjud)
Allah commands the Prophet to rise for part of the night in tahajjud as an additional act of worship and to recite the Quran slowly, since rising at night leaves a deeper mark on the heart, and then eases the duty to reciting what is easy. The verses also praise believers who sleep little at night, forsake their beds to prostrate and stand, and seek forgiveness before dawn.
The command to pray at night given to the Prophet
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةٗ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبۡعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامٗا مَّحۡمُودٗا ٧٩
Wa minal-layli fatahajjad bihī nāfilatal laka ʿasā ay yabʿathaka rabbuka maqāmam maḥmūdā.
And from [part of] the night, pray1 with it [i.e., recitation of the Qur’ān] as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that2 your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.3
Footnotes (3)
- Literally, "arise from sleep for prayer."
- This is a promise from Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) to Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ).
- The position of intercession by permission of Allāh and the highest degree in Paradise.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُزَّمِّلُ ١
Yāʾayyuhal-muzzammil.
O you who wraps himself [in clothing],1
Footnotes (1)
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) addresses the Prophet (ﷺ), who was asleep, wrapped in his garments.
قُمِ ٱلَّيۡلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا ٢
Qumil-layla illā qalīlā.
Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little -
نِّصۡفَهُۥٓ أَوِ ٱنقُصۡ مِنۡهُ قَلِيلًا ٣
Niṣfahū awinquṣ minhu qalīlā.
Half of it - or subtract from it a little
أَوۡ زِدۡ عَلَيۡهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ تَرۡتِيلًا ٤
Aw zid ʿalayhi wa rattilil-qurʾāna tartīlā.
Or add to it, and recite the Qur’ān with measured recitation.
إِنَّا سَنُلۡقِي عَلَيۡكَ قَوۡلٗا ثَقِيلًا ٥
Innā sanulqī ʿalayka qawlan thaqīlā.
Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.1
Footnotes (1)
- i.e., the revelation, which when descending on the Prophet (ﷺ) bore down upon him with a great weight. Another meaning is "important ordinances."
إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطۡـٔٗا وَأَقۡوَمُ قِيلًا ٦
Inna nāshiʾatal-layli hiya ashaddu waṭʾaw wa aqwamu qīlā.
Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue]1 and more suitable for words.2
Footnotes (2)
- Another accepted interpretation of the same words is "Indeed, arising at night is more difficult...," meaning that it will only be done by sincere believers and not others.
- i.e., for recitation of the Qur’ān and for hearing and understanding it.
إِنَّ لَكَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ سَبۡحٗا طَوِيلٗا ٧
Inna laka fin-nahāri sabḥan ṭawīlā.
Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ فَٱسۡجُدۡ لَهُۥ وَسَبِّحۡهُ لَيۡلٗا طَوِيلًا ٢٦
Wa minal-layli fasjud lahū wa sabbiḥhu laylan ṭawīlā.
And during the night prostrate to Him and exalt [i.e., praise] Him a long [part of the] night.
Easing the length of the night prayer
۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعۡلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدۡنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَيِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَنِصۡفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةٞ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحۡصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ فَٱقۡرَءُواْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرۡضَىٰ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضۡرِبُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَبۡتَغُونَ مِن فَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَٱقۡرَءُواْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنۡهُۚ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقۡرِضُواْ ٱللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنٗاۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٖ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيۡرٗا وَأَعۡظَمَ أَجۡرٗاۚ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمُۢ ٢٠
Inna rabbaka yaʿlamu annaka taqūmu adnā min thuluthayil-layli wa niṣfahū wa thuluthahū wa ṭāʾifatum minal-ladhīna maʿak, wallāhu yuqaddirul-layla wan-nahār, ʿalima al lan tuḥṣūhu fatāba ʿalaykum, faqraʾū mā tayassara minal-qurʾān, ʿalima an sayakūnu minkum marḍā wa ākharūna yaḍribūna fil-arḍi yabtaghūna min faḍlillāhi wa ākharūna yuqātilūna fī sabīlillāh, faqraʾū mā tayassara minh, wa aqīmuṣ-ṣalāta wa ātuz-zakāta wa aqriḍullāha qarḍan ḥasanā, wa mā tuqaddimū liʾanfusikum min khayrin tajidūhu ʿindallāhi huwa khayraw wa aʿẓama ajrā, wastaghfirullāh, innallāha ghafūrur raḥīm.
Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muḥammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allāh determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it1 and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’ān. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allāh and others fighting for the cause of Allāh. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakāh and loan Allāh a goodly loan.2 And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allāh. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Footnotes (2)
- Allāh has known that if they were to continue in such long periods of worship each night, the people would be caused much hardship.
- In the form of charities and contributions to His cause.
Believers who spend the night in worship
۞ لَيۡسُواْ سَوَآءٗۗ مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أُمَّةٞ قَآئِمَةٞ يَتۡلُونَ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَهُمۡ يَسۡجُدُونَ ١١٣
Laysū sawāʾā, min ahlil-kitābi ummatun qāʾimatuy yatlūna āyātillāhi ānāʾal-layli wa hum yasjudūn.
They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community1 standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allāh during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer].
Footnotes (1)
- Of people who accepted Islām.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمۡ سُجَّدٗا وَقِيَٰمٗا ٦٤
Wal-ladhīna yabītūna lirabbihim sujjadaw wa qiyāmā.
And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer]
تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمَضَاجِعِ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُمۡ خَوۡفٗا وَطَمَعٗا وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ ١٦
Tatajāfā junūbuhum ʿanil-maḍājiʿi yadʿūna rabbahum khawfaw wa ṭamaʿaw wa mimmā razaqnāhum yunfiqūn.
Their sides part [i.e., they arise] from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.1
Footnotes (1)
- In the cause of Allāh.
أَمَّنۡ هُوَ قَٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيۡلِ سَاجِدٗا وَقَآئِمٗا يَحۡذَرُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَيَرۡجُواْ رَحۡمَةَ رَبِّهِۦۗ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِي ٱلَّذِينَ يَعۡلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ ٩
Amman huwa qānitun ānāʾal-layli sājidaw wa qāʾimay yaḥdharul-ākhirata wa yarjū raḥmata rabbih, qul hal yastawil-ladhīna yaʿlamūna wal-ladhīna lā yaʿlamūn, innamā yatadhakkaru ulul-albāb.
Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّٰتٖ وَعُيُونٍ ١٥
Innal-muttaqīna fī jannātiw wa ʿuyūn.
Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs,
ءَاخِذِينَ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمۡ رَبُّهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَبۡلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُحۡسِنِينَ ١٦
Ākhidhīna mā ātāhum rabbuhum, innahum kānū qabla dhālika muḥsinīn.
Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good.
كَانُواْ قَلِيلٗا مِّنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ مَا يَهۡجَعُونَ ١٧
Kānū qalīlam minal-layli mā yahjaʿūn.
They used to sleep but little of the night,1
Footnotes (1)
- i.e., spending a portion of the night in prayer and supplication.
وَبِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ هُمۡ يَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ ١٨
Wabil-asḥāri hum yastaghfirūn.
And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness,