Tahajjud

[tangents]

Salams,

Well, My college semester has finally ended and now I really want to make an effort of reading fajr on time and starting tahajjud. Can anyone quickly fill me on as to how exactly it is read, the niyaat for it, and the amount of rakats? Can I read b/w 12-2am? Also I remember that usually people read a whole juz in 2 rakat but I hardly know around 27 Surah's (last juz surahs). Any advice/info would greatly be appeciated

[Sulaiman Harun]

There are many ahadit regarding tahajjud, I am only mentioning the ahadith from Sahih al-Bukhari:

Volume 2, Book 21, Number 237:

Narrated Hudhaifa :
Whenever the Prophet got up for Tahajjud prayer he used to clean his mouth (and teeth) with Siwak.

Volume 2, Book 21, Number 239:
Narrated Ibn Abbas: The prayer of the Prophet used to be of thirteen Rakat, i.e. of the night prayer.
Volume 2, Book 21, Number 240:

Narrated Masruq:
I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Apostle and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven Rakat besides the two Rakat of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna). "

Volume 2, Book 21, Number 241:
Narrated 'Aisha, The Prophet (p.b.u.h) used to offer thirteen Rakat of the night prayer and that included the Witr and two Rakat (Sunna) of the Fajr prayer.

[Sulaiman Harun]

Salams,

Well, My college semester has finally ended and now I really want to make an effort of reading fajr on time and starting tahajjud. Can anyone quickly fill me on as to how exactly it is read, the niyaat for it, and the amount of rakats? Can I read b/w 12-2am? Also I remember that usually people read a whole juz in 2 rakat but I hardly know around 27 Surah's (last juz surahs). Any advice/info would greatly be appeciated

At what time is the Maghrib and Fajr prayer in your area?

[tangents]

Maghrib is about 8pm and Fajr is about 4am

[M. Siddiqi]

As Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah,

May Allahu subhanahu wa ta'ala reward you for your good intentions and enable you to carry them out, insha'Allah ta'ala.

The minimum of tahajjud, as any salaah except witr, is two rakaat. There is no minimum of ayat you must recite except what is fard in all other salawat, which is at least three ayat in each rakaah.

The most important thing is intention and the quality (ikhlaas, khushu, sunnah), not quantity, of your salaah.