Prioritize tahajjud in the last third of the night, especially before Arafah and during Tashreeq nights — balance worship with adequate rest to maintain spiritual focus throughout Haji.
The nights of Haji present extraordinary opportunities for worship, as they fall within the first ten days of Dzulhijjah — the most sacred days of the Islamic calendar. Nabi (shallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said Allah descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of every night, asking: 'Who is calling upon Me so that I may answer? Who is asking of Me so that I may give?' (Bukhari and Muslim). This promise is amplified during these blessed nights.
Key nights to prioritize: the night in Mina before Arafah (8th Dzulhijjah) is a calm, reflective night ideal for tahajjud and preparing your heart for the Day of Arafah. The night at Muzdalifah is spent under the open sky after the emotionally intense day at Arafah — pray Maghrib and Isha (combined and shortened), then rest as needed while waking for Fajr. The nights of Tashreeq in Mina (11th-13th) are excellent for tahajjud and Al-Quran recitation. However, balance worship with adequate rest — Nabi himself rested during Haji and warned against excessive worship that leads to burnout. A short, focused tahajjud with sincere doa is better than a long, exhausted night with a wandering mind.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma'ad