Can I combine isha with Tahajjud?
Can Tahajjud be combined with ‘Isha?
Is it permissible to combine Tahajjud with the ‘Isha prayer, particularly in the summer when the window between ‘Isha and Fajr is short?
The short answer is: no, Tahajjud cannot be prayed immediately after ‘Isha and still be considered true Tahajjud. This is because Tahajjud is defined as voluntary night prayer prayed after sleeping, not simply a late-night prayer offered after ‘Isha.
What is Tahajjud?
The word Tahajjud comes from the root هجد, which means to give up sleep, or to wake up after sleeping. This linguistic meaning is essential to its legal definition.
Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah be pleased with him) writes:
“The Tahajjud prayer is the prayer that is performed at night after sleeping, even if the sleep is brief.”
(Sharh al-Muhadhdhab)
Allah says:
وَمِنَ ٱلَّیۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةٗ لَّكَۖ عَسَىٰۤ أَن یَبۡعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامٗا مَّحۡمُودٗا
“And during the night, wake up for prayer, an extra offering of your own, so that your Lord may raise you to a station of praise.”
(Surah al-Isra 17:79)
This verse clearly mentions “wake up for prayer”, not simply “pray at night.” That indicates sleeping must precede the prayer for it to be considered Tahajjud.
The Prophet ﷺ frequently woke up after sleeping in the night to pray Tahajjud. Among the most explicit hadith is:
عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَشُوصُ فَاهُ بِالسِّوَاكِ
Hudhayfah reported: Whenever the Prophet ﷺ stood for prayer at night, he would begin by cleaning his mouth with a miswak.
(Sahih Muslim)
This hadith shows he rose from sleep to begin his night prayers, affirming the necessary condition of sleep.
Another narration:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنَامُ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ، وَيَقُومُ آخِرَهُ، فَيُصَلِّي
Aishah (RA) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to sleep during the first part of the night and stand in prayer during the latter part.
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
This demonstrates that sleep was always part of his night routine before Tahajjud.
What if you stay awake all night?
Some scholars distinguish between Qiyam al-Layl and Tahajjud:
- Qiyam al-Layl: Any voluntary prayer performed during the night after ‘Isha, even without sleeping.
- Tahajjud: Specifically refers to Qiyam after sleeping.
So, if someone stays up all night and prays, they are performing Qiyam al-Layl, not Tahajjud.
In a nutshell
Tahajjud cannot be combined with ‘Isha or prayed immediately after it without sleep. It is a special form of night prayer that begins only after a person has gone to sleep and woken up again.
If someone wants to pray extra after ‘Isha but hasn’t slept yet, they are performing Qiyam al-Layl, which is also highly meritorious—but it does not carry the same classification or specific reward as Tahajjud.
Shaykh Haytham Tamim 2nd July 2025
Related posts
- Can you pray nawafil (duha) before the midday prayer (dhur)?
- Can I still pray maghrib if it is dark and about to be isha?
- Can you pray tahiyatul masjid between asr and maghrib or a forbidden time?
- Do you have to make up missed Fajr?