My friends! Are you looking for an description regarding Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah? If your answer is “Yes”, congratulations! Now you’re reading the right article. Why? Because that’s what I will discuss in this article. As Muslims, we must understand that. That’s why I wrote this article. So, you must read it to the end!
Specifically, there are a number of crucial aspects of Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah which I will discuss in this article. Some of the important features I indicate are as adheres to:
What Is Niyyat in Islam?
The first significant point about Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah that I will explain now is “what is Niyyat in Islam?”. I want you to understand that first before you read more explanation in this article because that’s one of the necessary parts in this discussion that has to be well understood.
Before I describe about “what is Niyyat in Islam?”, I will quote a hadith that is especially connected to this question. The hadith I mean is as follows:
عَنْ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهم عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ وَلِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ
From Umar radliyallahu anhu, that the Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Action depends on his intention (Niyyat), and a person only gets something according to his intention. Whoever emigrated to Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration was to Allah and His Messenger, and whoever emigrated for the sake of the world or because of the woman he wanted to marry, then his emigration was according to where he migrated.”
My friends! If we understand the hadith over, we can conclude that “Niyyat in Islam” is the intention or purpose of an action. That’s what differentiates one action from another. In Islam, everything depends on Niyyat. If the Niyyat is good, the action is good. If the Niyyat bad, the action bad.
That’s a quick description of “what is Niyyat in Islam?”. As Muslims, we must understand that.
What Is Niyyat for Tahajjud?
The second vital aspect of Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah that I will clarify now is “what is Niyyat for Tahajjud?”. I want you to understand that now because that’s among the necessary points in this discussion that has to be well understood.
In the previous couple of paragraphs, I have discussed that Niyyat in Islam is the intention or purpose of action. That is what differentiates one action from another. That is the basic explanation of Niyyat that you need to understand.
Currently, if you ask me, “what is Niyyat for Tahajjud?”, the answer is the intention to perform Tahajjud prayer. That’s what Niyyah means for Tahajjud.
That is a short description of “what is Niyyat for Tahajjud?”. As Muslims, we must understand that.
Is Niyyat for Tahajjud Important?
The third necessary thing about Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah that I will discuss now is “is Niyyat for Tahajjud important?”. I want you to understand that now because that’s one of the significant thing in this discussion that has to be well understood.
Do you still remember? Just now, I described that Niyyat in Islam is distinguishing the intention of one action from another. Niyyat explains the distinction between intent and purpose of an action. That is why, sometimes, there are several activities that are almost the same. But if we understand all that thoroughly, we’ll find a large distinction. We can do that by understanding Niyyat.
For example, there are many types of prayer in Islam. There are great deals of movements and recitations in prayer. Movements and recitations must be performed in all types of prayers. Some of the movements I mean are standing, Takbir Ihram, Sujud, Rukuk, sitting in between two Sujud, Salaam, and so on. When it comes to the readings I imply, reading the Iftitah prayer, Surah al-Fatihah, Surah al-Ikhlas (this doesn’t absolutely need to be surah al-Ikhlas), Tahiyyat, and so on.
But have you ever thought, what is the distinction in between the movements and readings in Tahajjud and in various other prayers, such as the Fajr prayer, Duhr prayer, Asr prayer, Maghrib prayer, Isha prayer, Qabliyah prayer, Ba’diyah prayer, Witr prayer, and so on? All movements and recitations are the same. The just thing that sets all that apart is Niyyat.
In Islam, Niyyat for each prayer is various. Niyyat for Tahajjud prayer is various from Niyyat for Witr prayer. Niyyat for Fajr prayer is various from Niyyat for Isha prayer. Niyyat for Janazah prayer is various from Niyyat for Zuhr prayer. Niyyat for Zuhr prayer, various from Niyyat for Asr prayer. Niyyat for Qabliyah prayer is various from Niyyat for Ba’diyah prayer. Niyyat for the lunar eclipse prayer is different from Niyyat for the solar eclipse prayer. Niyyat for the Duha prayer is various from Niyyat for the Repentance prayer, and so forth. As Muslims, we must understand that.
Currently, if you ask me, “is Niyyat for Tahajjud important?”, the answer is “Yes. Niyyat for Tahajjud is important. The reason is because that (among them) is what differentiates the Tahajjud prayer from other prayers.
That’s a brief explanation of “is Niyyat for Tahajjud important?”. As Muslims, we must understand that.
Niyyat for Tahajjud in Arabic and English
The fourth vital aspect of Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah that I will describe now is Niyyat for Tahajjud in Arabic and English. I want you to understand that now because that is among the essential points in this discussion that has to be well understood.
The Niyyat for Tahajjud prayer is as complies with:
أُصَلِّى سُنَّةَ التَّهَجُّدِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مُسْتَقْبِلَ الْقِبْلَةِ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى
I intend to perform the Sunnah Tahajjud prayer, two Rakats, by facing Qiblah, because of Allah Taala.
Readers! If we understand Niyyat’s content for Tahajjud as I have estimated above, we can conclude several things as adheres to:
One: when we say Niyyat for Tahajjud, we explain that the prayer we are going to perform is the Tahajjud prayer, not other prayer.
Two: when we say Niyyat for Tahajjud, we describe that the Tahajjud prayer we will be doing is two Rakats.
Three: when we say Niyyat for Tahajjud, we describe that we are facing the Qiblah during the time we perform the Tahajjud prayer.
Four: when we say Niyyat for Tahajjud, we are making it clear that our supreme aim is Allah Taala, nothing else.
That is a quick explanation of Niyyat for Tahajjud in Arabic and English. As Muslims, we must understand that.
When Should You Say Niyyat for Tahajjud?
The fifth important point about Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah that I will clarify now is “when should you say Niyyat for Tahajjud?”. I want you to understand that now because that is among the crucial elements in this discussion that has to be well understood.
If we read some Islamic literature about Niyyat, we will find explanations that Niyyat must be said when we do the first component of something we are going to do. So you do Tahajjud, then you have to say Niyyat for Tahajjud when you do Takbir Ihram. After that you need to do all the commitments in prayer, such as reading surah al-Fatihah, bowing (Rukuk), I’tidal, prostration, sitting between 2 prostrations (two Sujud), Tashahhud, reading true blessings, Salaam, and more.
That’s a brief information of “when should you say Niyyat for Tahajjud?”. As Muslims, we must understand that.
That’s a quick explanation of Niyyah for Tahajjud salaah and some vital things about it. Do you understand? If you have actually questions, feel free to ask!
I think that is enough for this article. Hope it is useful. Amen.
See you again in the next article!