Confused about Tahajjud - and how Taraweeh Witr might affect it

Two things:

Saying the Niyyah out loud for salat or any other act of 'ibadah is Bidah (innovation). We South Asians have been taught to say it and it's wrong.
And Rasulullah has said:
Wa sharrul Umoori Muhdathaatuhaa, Wa kulla Bid'atin dhaialah, wa kulla dhalatin fin-naar" Al-Hadith (Sahih Muslim). Translation of the above Hadith: Every innovation is a misguidance and every misguidance goes to Hell fire.

Fatwa Regarding saying Niyyah out loud.

Ruling on uttering the intention (niyyah) in acts of worship (Islam Q&A)
Should a Muslim utter the intention (niyyah) when he starts to do an act of worship, such as saying, “I intend to do wudoo’”, “I intend to pray”, “I intend to fast” and so on?


Praise be to Allaah.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about the intention when starting to do an act of worship such as praying etc., do we need to utter it verbally, such as saying, “I intend to pray, I intend to fast”?

He replied:

Praise be to Allaah.

The intention of purifying oneself by doing wudoo’ ghusl or tayammum, of praying, fasting, paying zakaah, offering kafaarah (expiation) and other acts of worship does not need to be uttered verbally, according to the consensus of the imaams of Islam. Rather the place of intention is the heart, according to the consensus among them. If a person utters something by mistake that goes against what is in his heart, then what counts is what he intended, not what he said.

No one has mentioned any difference of opinion concerning this matter, except that some of the later followers of al-Shaafa’i expressed approval of that, but some of the leaders of this madhhab said that this was wrong. But in the dispute among the scholars as to whether it is mustahabb to utter one’s intention, there are two points of view. Some of the companions of Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa’i and Ahmad said that it is mustahabb to utter the intention so as to make it stronger.

Some of the companions of Maalik, Ahmad and others said that it is not mustahabb to utter it, because that is a bid’ah (innovation). It was not narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his Sahaabah did it or that he commanded anyone among his ummah to utter the intention. That is not known from any of the Muslims. If that had been prescribed then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions would not have neglected it, as it has to do with worship which the ummah does every day and night.

This is the more correct view. Indeed, uttering the intention is a of irrational thinking and falling short in religious commitment. In terms of falling short in religious commitment, that is because it is bid’ah (an innovation). In terms of irrational thinking, that is because it is like a person who wants to eat some food saying, “I intend to put my hand in this vessel, take out a morsel of food, put it in my mouth and chew it, then swallow it, and eat until I have had my fill.” This is sheer foolishness and ignorance.

Intention is connected to knowledge. If a person knows what he is doing then he has obviously made an intention. It cannot be imagined, if he knows what he wants to do, that he has not formed an intention. The imaams are agreed that speaking the intention out loud and repeating it is not prescribed in Islam, rather the person who has made this a habit should be disciplined and told not to worship Allaah by following bid’ah and not to disturb others by raising his voice. And Allaah knows best.

Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 1/214, 215

Therefore brother I urge you to refrain from doing to immediately!

There is also a discussion regarding witr prayer is this thread:
http://www.islamicboard.com/fasting-...-question.html

format_quote Originally Posted by abbas_ali

Jazakallah.

Your post has been very helpful. I do pray Witr according to one tashahud and one salam - i believe this is the predominant view of the Hanafi school.

So for example, tonight i am just back home after Taraweeh and read my Witr too with congregation. Now there is some time until Fajr, i can read say for example 4 'Nafl' salat (2 rakats then say salaam; another 2 rakats and say salaam) and that will be Tahajjud?

Also one final question: what would my intention be for Tahajjud? Would the following be acceptable?

'I intend to perform two rakat Tahajjud salat, praying to Allah facing the Holy Kabba'

then repeat for the next cycle (if you know what i mean?)

Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, If one is certain that they will awaken for Tahajjud before Sehri ends then one should not pray the Witr with jamaat after tarawee and instead pray the witr after Tahajjud as Witr should be the last prayer of the night and it is more rewarding to delay it until the latter part of the night. But if one is uncertain if one will wake up on time then one should just pray the witr with jamaat after Tarawee.

Tahajjud can be read anytime after tarawee however it is much more rewarding to pray it after having some sleep and then awaken to pray it in the last third of the night. Du'as are also readily accepted around this time. Minimum for Tahajjud is 2 raka'ah but 8 is recommended to pray if you have the time but if you don't then 4 is fine.

Niyyah of any prayer is done by the heart but there is nothing wrong with making by whispering to oneself if it will help one to affirm the niyyah in one's heart. There is no specific niyyah for any prayer as long as in your heart that you are doing it solely for Allah.

Imam Abu Sa'id al-Khadimi said,

"There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that among the best of virtuous acts is the night vigil prayer." [al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]

The scholars derived the following from the Qur'an and prophetic hadiths:

1. The minimal night vigil prayer is 2 rakats. [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 rakats, because this was the general practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions). [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

3. Lengthier recitation is superior to a larger number of rakats prayed. [Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar]

4. If one divides the night in thirds, then the final middle third is most virtuous. [Durr al-Mukhtar]

5. If one divides the night in half, then the second half is more virtuous. [ibid.]

6. Voluntary (nafl) prayer at night is more virtuous than voluntary prayer during the day. However, the full reward mentioned in the Qur�anic verses and Prophetic hadiths refers to worship that was preceded by sleep. This is also understood from the very linguistic meaning of tahajjud, which is to struggle rid oneself of sleep. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, quoting Ibn Amir Haajj's Halba]

7. Ibn Nujaym and Haskafi both affirmed that night prayer is recommended. [al-Bahr al-Ra'iq, and al-Durr al-Mukhtar; chosen in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya] Kamal ibn al-Humam, the brilliant mujtahid who was the greatest Hanafi faqih of the latter half of Islamic history, however, wavered between it being recommended or a confirmed sunna.

This is because while the spoken hadiths indicate recommendation, the continued practice of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) would seem to indicate it being a confirmed sunna. This was also chosen by Ibn al-Humam's student, Ibn Amir Haaj in his Halba. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

8. It is disliked to leave the night vigil prayer for one who has made it their habit, unless there is an excuse, because the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him), "O Abd Allah! Do not be like so-and-so. He used to pray at night and then left it". [Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, one should take on an amount of works one can sustain, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, "The most beloved of actions to Allah are the most constant, even if little." [Bukhari and Muslim] [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, from Ibn Amir Haajj�s Halba]

9. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short rakats, because of the hadith of Abu Hurayra that the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "It you get up for night prayer, start with two short rakats." [Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud]

10. Supplications in the depths of the night are answered, as the hadiths have mentioned.

Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, "I cannot pray at night." He said, "Your sins have prevented you."

We should pray as many nafil prayers as we can in these last few days of Ramadan as EVERY nafil gains the reward of a Fard! Subhanallah that cannot be gained in any other part of the year! So let us not waste a second more!!!