Accordingly, the optional prayers performed between Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ count as part of the night vigil, yet postponing one’s standing until the last portion of the night remains superior, as mentioned earlier. Allah the Exalted says, “Indeed, the rising at night is more conducive to steady tread and more upright in speech” (Q 73:6). The term nāshiʾat al-layl refers to standing in prayer after sleep, and true tahajjud is only after one has slept.

A Muslim should therefore set aside a share of the night for worship and keep to it, even if it is small, and he should make the intention to rise for the night prayer.

When he awakens, he should clean his teeth with a siwāk (tooth-stick), remember Allah, and say:

“lā ilāha illa Allāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr; al-ḥamdu lillāh, wa subḥāna Allāh, wa lā ilāha illa Allāh, wa Allāhu akbar, wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh” (There is no god but Allah alone, without partner; to Him belongs dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is capable of all things; praise be to Allah, glory be to Allah, there is no god but Allah, Allah is greatest, and there is no might nor power except through Allah),

and he should also say:

“al-ḥamdu lillāh alla dhī aḥyānī baʿda mā amātanī wa ilayhi al-nushūr; al-ḥamdu lillāh alla dhī radda ʿalayya rūḥī, wa ʿāfānī fī jasadī, wa adhina lī bidhikrih” (Praise be to Allah who gave me life after having caused me to die, and to Him is the resurrection; praise be to Allah who returned my soul to me, granted health to my body, and allowed me to remember Him).

It is recommended to open the tahajjud with two light units, for Abu Hurayrah narrated: “When one of you rises at night, let him begin his prayer with two light rakʿahs,” recorded by Muslim and others.

In the night prayer he ends with the salām after every two rakʿahs, because the Prophet said, “The night prayer is two by two,” reported by all the major collectors.