Tahajjud is best prayed in the last third of the night. To find it, take the time from Maghrib (sunset) to the next Fajr, divide by three, and subtract one third from Fajr. Tonight in Lahore the night runs from 5:41 PM to 4:39 AM, which is 10 h 58 min, so the last third begins at about 1:00 AM.
What Tahajjud is
Tahajjud is a voluntary night prayer, prayed after sleeping and before Fajr. It is not one of the five obligatory prayers, but it holds a special place: according to a well-known hadith, the last third of the night is a time when prayers and requests are especially accepted. Many people pray two to eight rakat, then make dua before Fajr.
Tahajjud can be prayed at any time after Isha, and many scholars say any night prayer after sleep counts. The last third is simply the best part of that window.
Step-by-step method
- Find tonight’s Maghrib time.
- Find tomorrow’s Fajr time.
- Work out the length of the night between them in minutes.
- Divide by three. That is one third of the night.
- Subtract one third from Fajr. The result is when the last third begins.
The night here is the Islamic night, which starts at sunset, not at midnight on the clock. That is why the “middle of the night” in Islamic terms is usually well before 12 AM in Pakistan.
Worked example: Lahore and Karachi
For the night of Tuesday, October 6, 2026:
- Lahore: Maghrib 5:41 PM, Fajr 4:39 AM. Night length 658 minutes. One third is about 219 minutes, so 4:39 AM minus 219 minutes gives 1:00 AM.
- Karachi: Maghrib 6:14 PM, Fajr 5:10 AM. Night length 656 minutes. One third is about 219 minutes, so the last third starts at 1:31 AM.
The Islamic midnight, halfway between Maghrib and Fajr, falls at 11:10 PM in Lahore and 11:42 PM in Karachi tonight. Some scholars treat this as the latest preferred time for Isha.
Tonight’s Tahajjud times in five cities
| City | Maghrib | Fajr | Night length | Midnight | Last third starts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahore | 5:41 PM | 4:39 AM | 10 h 58 min | 11:10 PM | 1:00 AM |
| Karachi | 6:14 PM | 5:10 AM | 10 h 56 min | 11:42 PM | 1:31 AM |
| Islamabad | 5:45 PM | 4:43 AM | 10 h 58 min | 11:14 PM | 1:04 AM |
| Peshawar | 5:51 PM | 4:49 AM | 10 h 58 min | 11:20 PM | 1:10 AM |
| Quetta | 6:11 PM | 5:09 AM | 10 h 58 min | 11:40 PM | 1:30 AM |
These use the Karachi method, with Fajr at 18°.
The Isha-based view
Some people measure the night from Isha rather than Maghrib, since Tahajjud is prayed after Isha. This shortens the night and pushes the last third a little later. In Lahore tonight, counting from Isha at 7:02 PM gives a last third starting around 1:27 AM. The Maghrib-to-Fajr method is the more common one among scholars, and if you start at the earlier time you are inside the last third by either measure.
When the nights are short or long
Night length in Pakistan changes a lot through the year. In Lahore, the gap between Maghrib and Fajr is about 12 h 28 min in late December but only 8 h 8 min in late June. One third of the night is therefore about 4 h 9 min in winter and 2 h 43 min in summer. The clock time when it starts moves less, because Fajr shifts too: in Lahore it is about 1:22 AM in late December and 12:36 AM in late June. Recalculate every few weeks rather than using a fixed alarm time all year.
Practical tips
- Stop eating or praying voluntary prayers once Fajr begins. Keep a few minutes before Fajr for witr if you delayed it.
- Set your alarm 20 to 30 minutes after the last third begins so you have time for wudu and a calm prayer.
- In Ramadan, Tahajjud fits naturally before sehri. Check the exact cut-off on our Ramadan sehri and iftar timings.
- Going to sleep soon after Isha makes waking much easier.
For daily Maghrib and Fajr times, see prayer times for your city. You can read why apps differ on Fajr in how prayer times are calculated.
Frequently asked questions
What time is Tahajjud?
Tahajjud can be prayed any time after Isha until Fajr, but the best time is the last third of the night. Divide the time from Maghrib to Fajr into three and start the final part.
Can I pray Tahajjud without sleeping?
Many scholars say a night prayer after Isha without sleeping is still valid as qiyam al-layl, while the name Tahajjud usually refers to prayer after waking. Scholars differ on the wording, not on the reward of praying at night.
How many rakat is Tahajjud?
It is commonly prayed in sets of two, with two to eight rakat being common, followed by witr if not already prayed. There is no fixed minimum beyond two.
Is midnight the same as 12 AM?
No. Islamic midnight is halfway between Maghrib and Fajr, which in Pakistan is usually between about 11 PM and midnight on the clock.