How To Pray A Short Night Prayer?

The night prayer consists of 11 units, performed in 6 separate prayers. Among all these prayers, the Shafa (even) prayer is the most important. Therefore, when there isn't enough time for all prayers, one can perform just the Shafa prayer, and it isn't necessary to perform the others.

The night prayer can also be performed while sitting. However, in this case, the number of units doubles. If performing the night prayer while sitting can help shorten it, believers may use this method and perform a shortened night prayer.

To do this, one should perform eight units (two rak'ahs sitting) which total sixteen units, with the intention of performing the night prayer, followed by two units with the intention of Shafa prayer and two single units with the intention of the Witr prayer. This completes the night prayer. In situations of necessity or illness, the standard 11 units suffice.

Reciting Surahs after Surah Al-Fatiha during the night prayer is not obligatory, and one can simply recite Surah Al-Fatiha. The Qunoot (supplication) in the second rak'ah is recommended but not obligatory, and it can be omitted, making the prayer shorter while still valid. The Witr prayer, which is one rak'ah, can also be recited without Qunoot.

Another point is that in the rules of prayer, reciting the rak'ahs consecutively is not required. Therefore, one can perform them with breaks, making the night prayer easier to perform.

By following these juristic guidelines mentioned in the night prayer teachings, one can perform a shorter yet rewarding night prayer, which, according to the Imams (AS), leads to spiritual advancement and ascension to divine ranks.

Night Prayer Rules

1. You can perform the night prayer from midnight until dawn, but it is better to do it during the third part of the night, closer to dawn.

2. It is recommended to recite the night prayer aloud, so those sleeping may wake up to perform this virtuous prayer. However, ensure that your loud recitation does not cause ostentation or disturb others.

3. It is better to perform the night prayer standing, but if it is difficult for someone, they may pray sitting. They may even pray while walking or in a vehicle, as Imam Khomeini did in an airplane and the late Tarbati performed while walking during travel.

4. If someone is performing the night prayer sitting, it is better to double the number of rak'ahs, as two sitting rak'ahs count as one standing rak'ah. There is no obligation, so performing 11 sitting rak'ahs is acceptable. If one cannot perform all 11 rak'ahs, they should perform the two rak'ahs Shafa prayer and one rak'ah Witr prayer, and if that is also not possible, performing one rak'ah of Witr is sufficient.

5. If someone wakes up and does not have enough time to perform the entire night prayer, they can perform the Shafa and Witr prayers. If they realize after performing 4 out of 11 rak'ahs that it is dawn, they may complete the rest of the night prayer after dawn, then perform the morning Nafila and the Fajr prayer.

6. The Shafa prayer does not have Qunoot, but if someone wishes, they may perform Qunoot for reward and hope for its blessings.

7. A traveler or someone who finds it difficult to perform the night prayer in the middle of the night can perform it in the early part of the night.

8. If someone is unable to perform the night prayer before dawn, they can make up for it after the Fajr prayer, until after sunrise.

9. All recommended prayers are two rak'ahs, except for Witr, which is a single rak'ah.

10. The time for the Nafila of Fajr extends from the middle of the night until sunrise, so it is best performed before the Fajr prayer and followed by the Fajr prayer itself.