How do you perfom the night prayer?

[amira87]

SaLaM AlAiKuM, I have been muslim a little over a year now and I stilll don't know how to pray the night prayer. How many rakat is it? What do we do? When should we pray it? Especially because it is ramadan, and the last ten days are very important to pray the night prayer. Please give me some advice.

 

[rizzumd]

sister,
Night prayer(Qiyam-al-layl) is similar to any other prayer except it is prayed in the night after Isha and before Fajr time.
You can perform many 2 rakats as long as you wish and finally when you decide to end you have to finish with one rakat. This is because Allah likes witr(odd) number.Qiyam-al-Layl is known with different names like Taraweeh(performed in Ramadan first part of the night), Tahajjud(performed in 3rd part of the night) and witr(odd paryer, this name is commonly used in indian subcontinent). Many people think it is part of Isha prayer but in reality it is not. According to many madhabs it is sunnah but according to Abu Hanifa(r.a) it is wajib to perform witr prayer.
If you dont have time or got tired, atleast you can perform one rakat and finish the prayer. Last days of Ramadan are very important and blessed days. So it is best to perform as many rakats as possible.
I recently saw the big article in TTI abt qayam-al-layl, you can search and read the entire information.

 

[NasTara]

:salam2:

Here's some additional fatwas about night prayer:


Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.


Question:
1- What is Qiyaam al-Layl?
2- What is the difference between the Salat at-Taraweeh, Salat al-Qiyam, Salat al-Lail and Salat al-Tahajjud? Explain me also these Salat in light of Ramadhan.
3- According to Sunnah of the Prophet, What is the actual Rakahs for the Taraweeh prayer? Usually, 90% of people including me praying 20 Rakahs, but 10% pray 8 Rakahs only, what's this? And in Makkah, they lead 20 Rakahs. Please explain briefly, as I am a new Muslim.



Fatwas answer:

The night prayer is any voluntary prayer performed at night, i.e. between Isha prayer and dawn.
So, Al Tarawih, Al Tahajjud, Al Qiyyam are all from the night prayers.

Al Tahajjud is the prayer performed following a period of sleep after which the person awakens especially for it which is also called Nashia al-Lail. See 6:73).
Aisha ( ) said: "Al Nashia (Al Tahajjud) is one performed after rising by night". The night prayer is a confirmed Sunnah. But it is more insisted on during Ramadhan for the Hadith that the
Prophet said
:"Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadhan [Tarawih] with a firm belief and hoping for reward, all of his previous sins would be forgiven.

Praying Tarawih just after Isha or later on is considered as Qiyyam in Ramadhan. But it is better to delay the Tarawih until the last third of the night - if this is not difficult for the Jamaa (Muslims) - for the following narration in Sahih Bukhari from 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Abdul Qari who said, "One night during Ramadhan, I went with 'Umar to the mosque and the people were praying in different groups. Some were praying by themselves and others were praying in small groups. 'Umar said: 'I think it would be better if I gathered them under one imam.' Then he did so and appointed Ubayy ibn Ka'b as the leader of the prayer. Then I went out with him on another night and all the people were praying behind one imam and 'Umar said: 'What a good innovation (bid'ah) this is,' but, it is better to sleep and delay it until the latter portion of the night." 'Umar remarked, the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time is better than the one they are offering.' He meant the prayer in the last part of the night. (In those days) people used to pray in the early part of the night."

"The Prophet said: "The Salah (prayers) of the night are two Rakah (2 bows)followed by two Rakah and so on..., and when you apprehend the approaching dawn offer one Rakah (1 bow) as Witr".


'Aa'ishah had narrated saying: "The Messenger of Allaah never prayed more than 11 Rak'as during Ramadhaan or otherwise. He would pray 4 Rak'as, Then, he would pray 4 Rak'as, and don't ask about how excellent they were or how lengthy they were, then he would pray 3 Rak'as." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
But it is more appropriate to conclude the prayer after every 2 Rak'as for many reasons:

Firstly, this is the number of Rak'as the Prophet predominantly used to perform in night prayers, meaning that he used to conclude the prayer after every 2 Rak'as(2 bows). The evidence about this is the saying of the Prophet : "The night prayer is performed in twos." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The second evidence is what Zayd Ibn Khaalid had said: 'Indeed I am going to watch the prayer of the Prophet tonight…..' At the end of the narration he stated that the Prophet prayed in twos.


The Excellence of Qiyaam al-Layl

Numerous Ahaadeeth and Qur'aanic verses mention the excellence of Qiyaam al-Layl and the merit of those who perform it regularly. Umm al-Mumineen, Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most constant, even if they were little." [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] and she said in another narration: "Do not ever stop praying Qiyaam. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) never ceased praying it. When he was sick or weak, he prayed sitting." [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslims] He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said:

"You should pray Qiyaam al-Layl, for it is the habit of the righteous people who came before you, and it will bring you closer to your Lord, expiate for bad deeds, prevent sin, and expel disease from the body." [At-Tirmidhee and Musnad Ahmad]

Narrated Mu'adh Ibn Jabal (radhi allahu anhu): 'The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said to him: "May I show you the gates of goodness?' (they are), "(a) Fasting is screen from Hell, (b) As-Sadaqah extinguishes the sins, as water extinguishes fire, (c) Standing in Salaat (prayer) by a slave of Allah during the last third part of a night." Then the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) recited the verse: "Their (believer's) sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope; and they spend out of what We have bestowed on
them."' [Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhee]

Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "The best of prayer after those prescribed (i.e. obligatory prayer) is that in the depth of night." [Saheeh Muslims]

Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "May Allah have mercy on a man who wakes up at night, prays, and wakes his wife to pray; and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah have mercy on a woman who wakes up at night, prays, and wakes her husband to pray; and
if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face." [(Hasan) Abu Dawood ]

Abdullah Ibn Bashr (radhi allahu anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying: "Whoever prays Qiyaam reciting ten verses, he will not be recorded among the negligent. Whoever prays Qiyaam reciting one hundred verses, he will be recorded among the devout. And whoever prays Qiyaam reciting one thousand verses, he will be recorded among those with a multitude of good deeds." [(Hasan) Abu
Dawood]

Allah knows best.

source:
fatwas Islamweb

SaLaM AlAiKuM, I have been muslim a little over a year now and I stilll don't know how to pray the night prayer. How many rakat is it? What do we do? When should we pray it? Especially because it is ramadan, and the last ten days are very important to pray the night prayer. Please give me some advice.

sister,
Night prayer(Qiyam-al-layl) is similar to any other prayer except it is prayed in the night after Isha and before Fajr time.
You can perform many 2 rakats as long as you wish and finally when you decide to end you have to finish with one rakat. This is because Allah likes witr(odd) number.Qiyam-al-Layl is known with different names like Taraweeh(performed in Ramadan first part of the night), Tahajjud(performed in 3rd part of the night) and witr(odd paryer, this name is commonly used in indian subcontinent). Many people think it is part of Isha prayer but in reality it is not. According to many madhabs it is sunnah but according to Abu Hanifa(r.a) it is wajib to perform witr prayer.
If you dont have time or got tired, atleast you can perform one rakat and finish the prayer. Last days of Ramadan are very important and blessed days. So it is best to perform as many rakats as possible.
I recently saw the big article in TTI abt qayam-al-layl, you can search and read the entire information.

 

[amira87]

jazak allah 7air

May allah reward you for your help and I now know the benefits of night prayer, and how to perform it. Inshallah these last 10 days of ramadan we shall take advantage of it so that our past sins will be fogiven and our hearts will be cleaner. Inshallah 7air for you and I wish you the best of ramadan.........and this goes for the sister above too.....thankyou guys very much. wasalam