Qiyam al Layl and Tahajjud prayers are types of voluntِary worships performed by Muslims in the middle and the last parts of the night. Qiyam Al Layl Prayer and Tahajud prayer are voluntary prayers that are not mandatory but highly recommended in Islam.
In This article, you will learn all about Qiyam Al Layl Prayer and Tahajud with the difference between them. You will also learn the benefits of Qiyam Al Layl Prayer and the hadiths on that topic.
What is Qiyam Prayer (Qiyam al-layl)?
Qiyam al Layl is a time when a Muslim can seek forgiveness from Allah and make dua to Allah, and reflect on the deeds conducted trying to fix the bad ones.
Qiyam al-layl means to spend a part of the night worshiping and praying. During Qiyam al-layl, you can spend a third or two-thirds, less or more or the whole night, even if you spend just only an hour doing prayers (Salawat), reciting the Holy Quran, or reciting the remembrance of Allah the Almighty (Dhikr), glorifying Him (Tasabeh) or sending blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad, and doing other acts of obedience and deeds of worship.
Qiyam al-layl is not an obligation to stay up the hole night in Islam. Allah (SWT) says in the Quran:
“O you Enwrapped One. Stay up the night, except a little, for half of it, or reduce it a little, or add to it; and chant the Quran rhythmically.”
learn more about how to pray qiyam al-layl
What is Tahajud?
Tahajjud is a voluntary prayer performed by pious Muslims in between Fajr and Ishaa Prayers. Tahajjud usually happens after a Muslim wakes up from sleep. Tahajud is to make special prayers (salah) at night. some scholars specified the kind of these prayers as the prayers that are fulfilled at night after someone sleeps then wakes up at night to pray.
Tahajjud is not obligatory (Fard), but rather a highly recommended act of worship (Sunnah Muakadah) in Islam as it is considered to be one of the most virtuous acts of worship.
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What is the Difference Between Tahajud and Qiyam Al-Layl?
The main difference between Tahajud and Qiyam Al-Layl is that Qiyam Al-layl is an exhaustive deed. It is more general and more broadly than Tahajud, as it encompasses prayer (Salah) and other righteous acts.
But Tahajud is an exclusive worshiping act. It means waking up after sleeping. The one who gets up to do it, is called mutahajjid.”
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There are two points of view concerning it, the first group of scholars see that you can pray at any time of the night, and this is the point of view of the majority of Islamic scholars.
The second group sees that you must wake up to pray after you have been sleeping. Allah said, “And keep vigil with it during parts of the night, as an extra prayer. Perhaps your Lord will raise you to a laudable position”.
Allah also says in the Quran:
“They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope]”
Benefits and Virtues of Qiyam Al Layl (The night prayer)
The night prayer is known to spend the night or some of it in praying or other worship, Ibn Abbas said, Qiyam al layl is achieved by the performance of Al- Ashia prayers in a companion and the determination to pray the dawn (Al-Fajr) in a companion as well.
Allah recommended this great worship, and made it has many virtues:
1. To Be One of the Pious Servants
Whoever is chosen by Allah to do it is one of the pious and nobles: for he is able to get up at night. No one can do it except for the one who Allah blesses
Allah said:
“The servants of the Merciful are those who walk the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace.”
2. High Praiseworthy By Allah
One of the virtues of night prayer is that Allah, the Almighty, promised those who perform the night with high and praiseworthy status, and this is evidence of the consequences of the night prayer of great reward.
3. An Hour in Which Dua is Accepted
The night prayer is the time for duas acceptance. There is an hour at which the Muslim asks nothing of the world or of the afterlife from Allah, then he the most Merciful grants it to the one who asked.
4. The Best Prayer After the Five Daily Prayers
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“The best prayer after the prescribed prayers is a prayer offered in the middle of the night.”
(Muslim)
5. Qiyam Al Layl Believer’s Honor
The night Prayers are the honor of the believer. The Prophet (saw) said:
“Qiyam al-Layl is the honor of the Muslim”
شرف المؤمن قيام الليلNarrated in Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, by Al-Hakim
6. Qiyam Al Layl is A Gate to paradise
Praying at night is one of the greatest reasons to enter paradise.
7. Qiyam Al Layl Doers Get High status in paradise
Qiyam Al Layl is one of the reasons for raising your rankings in Janah.
8. Qiyam Al Layl Erases Sins
Qiyam Al Layl is known as the prayer that omits sins and guilts.
9. Folk of Remembrance
The people who do Qiyam Al Layl are folk of remembrance, not inattentive people. Allah mentioned them in the Holy Quran:
“Men who remember God frequently and women who remember—God has prepared for them a pardon, and an immense reward”
10. The Prophet Prayed for Qiyam Al Layl Performers
The Prophet asked Allah to forgive and pour His Mercy on the people who do Qiyam Al Layl and wake their household to pray.
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Hadiths On Qiyam Al layl:
There are so many ahadith talking about Qiyam al layl, we only chose the following three Ahadith:
1. Warning not to leave Qiyam Al Layl
In this hadith, the Prophet warns us not to follow the devil’s steps and leave Qiyam.
It was narrated that Abdullah bin ‘Amr said:
“The Messenger of Allah) said to me: ‘Do not be like so-and-so; he used to pray Qiyam Al-Lail then he stopped.’
2. A reward for Doing Nothing
This hadith shows how good intentions are very amazing
Aishah, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with her said, the Messenger told her that (there is no man who habitually prays at night then sleep overwhelms him), but Allah (SWT) will record for him the reward of his prayer, and his sleep is a charity given to him.”
3. You Can Pray Qiyam During the Day
This hadith shows how the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was so careful to pray qiyam al layll.
It was narrated from Aishah that:
“When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pray at night because he was prevented from doing so by sleep- meaning, sleep overwhelmed him- or by pain, he would pray twelve Rakats during the day”
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