Last Updated: 20 August 2026
Direct answer: Tahajjud Ki Dua is the supplication the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recited every single time he rose in the last third of the night — beginning with “Allahumma laka-l-hamd” — recorded word-for-word in Sahih al-Bukhari 1120, narrated by Ibn Abbas.
That’s the short version. Here’s the version that actually helps you use it.
Most articles on Tahajjud Ki Dua give you the Arabic, a shaky translation, and a “may Allah accept it” sign-off. That’s not a guide — that’s a copy-paste. This one gives you the authentic text, why it’s structured the way it is, when to say it, a repeatable framework, and the mistakes that quietly sabotage people’s night prayer routine. Let’s get into it.
What Does “Tahajjud Ki Dua” Actually Mean?
“Ki Dua” is Hindi/Urdu for “the supplication of.” So Tahajjud Ki Dua literally translates to “the dua of Tahajjud” — the specific prayer connected to the Tahajjud (night vigil) prayer.
Two clarifications people mix up constantly:
- Tahajjud is the salah (the physical prayer — the rak’ahs you pray).
- Tahajjud Ki Dua is the specific supplication the Prophet ﷺ said when he woke up to begin that prayer.
You don’t need to memorize a mystery formula. You need the actual hadith text, correctly transliterated, correctly translated — and that’s exactly what’s below.
The Authentic Tahajjud Ki Dua (Arabic, Transliteration, Meaning)
This is narrated by Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 1120) and Sahih Muslim (769) — two of the most rigorously verified hadith collections in Islamic scholarship, each cross-checked through unbroken chains of narration (isnad).
Tahajjud Ki Dua in Arabic
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ
أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ
وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ
فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ
Tahajjud Ki Dua in Roman English
Allahumma laka-l-hamd
Anta qayyimus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinna
Wa laka-l-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard
Anta-l-haqq wa wa’duka-l-Haqq
Allahumma laka aslamtu wa bika amantu
Faghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu
Tahajjud Ki Dua in English
O Allah, all praise is for You
You are the Sustainer of the heavens and earth and all within them
And all praise is for You, You are the Light of the heavens and earth
You are the Truth, and Your promise is true
O Allah, to You I submit, and in You I believe
So forgive me for what I have done before and what I will do after
The full hadith continues further, closing with “la ilaha illa Anta” — there is no god but You.
Why This Dua Is Structured the Way It Is (Not Just What It Says)
Here’s the part most guides skip: this dua isn’t a random string of praise. It follows a deliberate arc, and understanding it changes how you recite it.
- Praise first, requests later. The dua spends its first two-thirds acknowledging who Allah is (Sustainer, Light, Truth) before asking for anything. Classical scholars point to this as the model for effective dua generally — you orient yourself before you ask.
- “Sent before and after” forgiveness. The phrase “ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu” asks forgiveness for past and future sins — a detail that trips people up until they realize it’s less about prediction and more about total reliance on Allah’s mercy, not a one-time slate-wipe.
- It ends in surrender, not demand. The closing tone is submission (aslamtu), not negotiation. That’s a deliberate contrast to how people often treat dua — as a wish list.
Quranic and Hadith Foundation: Where Tahajjud Comes From
Tahajjud Ki Dua isn’t a cultural add-on. It’s rooted directly in scripture.
| Source | Reference | What It Establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Quran | Surah Al-Isra 17:79 | Commands the Prophet ﷺ to pray extra at night as a “praised station” |
| Quran | Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:17-18 | Describes the righteous sleeping little, seeking forgiveness before dawn |
| Quran | Surah As-Sajdah 32:16 | “Their sides forsake their beds” — night-prayer devotion |
| Hadith | Sahih al-Bukhari 1120 / Sahih Muslim 769 | The exact wording of Tahajjud Ki Dua, via Ibn Abbas |
| Hadith | Sahih al-Bukhari 1145 | The last third of the night as the time of greatest dua acceptance |
For scale: Sahih al-Bukhari contains roughly 7,563 hadith (with repetition) and Sahih Muslim around 7,500 — and this particular narration sits in both, which is one reason scholars treat it as one of the most reliably documented duas attributed to the Prophet ﷺ.
When to Recite Tahajjud Ki Dua
The “last third of the night” isn’t a vague poetic phrase — it’s a calculated window.
Quick formula: Divide the time between Maghrib (sunset) and Fajr (dawn) into three equal parts. The final third is your Tahajjud window.
Example — if Maghrib is 7:00 PM and Fajr is 5:00 AM (a 10-hour night):
- Night length: 10 hours → each third = 3h 20m
- Last third begins: 2:20 AM
- Window closes: at Fajr (5:00 AM)
| Prayer Type | Category | Typical Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Isha Sunnah | Nafl (voluntary) | Right after Isha |
| Witr | Sunnah mu’akkadah (strongly emphasized) | Anytime after Isha, often closing Tahajjud |
| Tahajjud | Nafl (voluntary, but highly praised) | Last third of the night |
| Qiyam al-Layl | General term for any night prayer | Any point after Isha before Fajr |
Tahajjud is technically a subset of Qiyam al-Layl — specifically the portion prayed after sleeping and waking again, which is what separates it from simply staying up late.
The W.A.K.E. Framework: A Repeatable Way to Actually Do This
Most people don’t fail at Tahajjud because they lack motivation. They fail because they have no system. Here’s a four-step framework you can copy tonight.
W — Wake with intention. Sleep in a state of wudu if possible, and set your alarm for the calculated last-third window, not “whenever I happen to wake up.”
A — Ask forgiveness first. Before anything else, say istighfar (Astaghfirullah) a few times. It’s the mental reset button.
K — Kick off with the Prophetic dua. Recite Tahajjud Ki Dua in full — Arabic if you can, transliteration if you’re still learning it.
E — Extend into personal dua. Pray two or more rak’ahs, then speak to Allah in your own words and own language. End the night’s voluntary prayers with Witr.
A Quick Before/After Example
Consider someone — call her Zara, a university student — who tried Tahajjud for a week using only a phone alarm and no plan. She woke up disoriented, skipped the dua because she “forgot the Arabic,” prayed two rushed rak’ahs, and quit by day four.
The fix wasn’t more willpower. It was structure: she pre-calculated her last-third window the night before, kept a transliteration card by her pillow, and used the W.A.K.E. sequence. Within two weeks, the prayer stopped feeling like an obstacle course and started feeling like a fixed part of her night — because the decision-making had already been done in advance, not at 2 AM half-asleep.
Common Mistakes People Make With Tahajjud Ki Dua
- Treating it as a magic formula. It’s an act of worship and reflection, not a spell — sincerity matters more than speed.
- Skipping it because Arabic feels intimidating. Reciting the transliteration while you learn is completely valid; don’t let perfectionism cancel participation.
- Guessing the last-third window. “Sometime late” isn’t a time. Calculate it.
- Praying Tahajjud but never actually saying Tahajjud Ki Dua. The rak’ahs and the dua are a pair, not interchangeable options.
- Giving up after one groggy attempt. Scholars consistently describe Tahajjud as a habit built in weeks, not one night.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Tahajjud Ki Dua and where does it come from?
Tahajjud Ki Dua is the specific supplication the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recited upon waking for night prayer, documented in Sahih al-Bukhari 1120 via the narrator Ibn Abbas.
2. Can I recite Tahajjud Ki Dua in English instead of Arabic?
Reciting it in Arabic is preferred where possible, but reading the transliteration or reflecting on the English meaning is a valid starting point while you learn the original text.
3. What is the best time to recite Tahajjud Ki Dua?
The last third of the night — calculated by dividing the time between sunset and dawn into three equal parts and using the final segment.
4. How many rak’ahs should I pray with Tahajjud Ki Dua?
There’s no fixed number; reports describe the Prophet ﷺ commonly praying around eight plus Witr, but scholars agree even two rak’ahs fulfill the practice.
5. Is Tahajjud Ki Dua the same as the Qiyam al-Layl dua?
They overlap — Tahajjud is a specific category of Qiyam al-Layl (night prayer after waking from sleep), so Tahajjud Ki Dua is one of the duas associated with that broader practice, not a separate, unrelated supplication.
Key Takeaways
- Tahajjud Ki Dua comes from an authentic, well-documented hadith (Sahih al-Bukhari 1120) — not folklore.
- It follows a deliberate structure: praise, truth, submission, forgiveness — in that order.
- The last third of the night is a calculable window, not a guess.
- A simple system (W.A.K.E.) beats motivation alone for building the habit.
- Consistency over weeks matters more than a single “perfect” night.
Summary
Tahajjud Ki Dua is the Prophet’s ﷺ own supplication for the night prayer — rooted in Quran and authentic hadith, structured around praise before petition, and meant to be paired with a calculated last-third-of-night window and a repeatable routine. Learn the text, calculate your timing, follow a simple framework, and treat consistency — not perfection — as the goal.
Thank you for reading!
Also Read:
Also check out “Wish Dua” for deeper insights into naming traditions.