Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan, Assalamu alaikkum,

I know that tahajjat prayer is a prayer that should be prayed waking from sleep in the last 3rd of the night. What if a person who is awake all over the night and sleeps in the daylight due to his job, but still performs his tahajjat prayers in the last 3rd of the night, when he is awake. Does the prayer is accepted? or should he woke up in the daylight during the last third of the day and pray? considering that night and day is different in each part of the world due to its rotation. I heard that almighty Allah listens to the prayers of somebody who prays in tahajjat prayers, say
for someone in India it is night and for somebody in America it is daytime. Considering this allah, can we pray tahajjat in the daytime, as I had mentioned previously. Please guide me.

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Answer:

Praying tahajjud in day

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Al-Muwatta Hadith 15.30

Yahya related from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Abdullah al-Agharr and from Abu Salama from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Our Lord, The Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the heaven of this world when the last third of the night is still to come and says, 'Who will call on Me so that I may answer him? Who will ask Me so that I may give him? Who will ask forgiveness of Me so that I may forgive him?' "

Your Question: What if a person who is awake all over the night and sleeps in the daylight due to his job, but still performs his tahajjat prayers in the last 3rd of the night, when he is awake. Does the prayer is accepted?

The Messenger of Allah (saws) informed the believers that most opportune time for remembering one’s Lord and offering voluntary prayers are in the night hours, especially the last third of the night.

If one has to stay awake all night due to his job or for any other reason and offers the voluntary ‘tahajjud’ prayers of the night, indeed he will have his due reward from his Lord Most Gracious….but obviously, one living a normal life where one works in the day and rests at night, forsakes his bed and remembers his Lord in the last third of the night...although both are extremely good and meritorious, it is only obvious that the reward of the believer who forsakes his bed only to remember his Lord will be greater than the owe who is awake and remembers their Lord.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 32 Surah As-Sajdah verses 15-17:

15 Only those believe in Our Signs who when they are recited to them fall down in adoration and celebrate the praises of their Lord; nor are they (ever) puffed up with pride.

16 Their limbs do forsake their beds of sleep the while they call on their Lord in fear and in hope: and they spend (in charity) out of the sustenance which We have bestowed on them.

17 Now no person knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden (in reserve) for them as a reward for their (good) deeds.

Your Question: ….or should he woke up in the daylight during the last third of the day and pray?

Although the voluntary ‘tahajjud’ prayers are the prayers of the night, there is absolutely no restriction if a believer wishes to offer voluntary prayers in the day….it is expected that they will have their due and full reward for their worship in the Presence of their Lord Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Just because a person has an unusual job where he works nights and sleeps days will not change the actual and prescribed times of the voluntary ‘tahajjud’ prayers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan