The Islamic University of Madinah stands as one of the most prominent centers for classical Islamic learning in the contemporary world. Located in the Prophet’s city, it attracts thousands of international students annually who pursue fully funded degrees in Shariah, Hadith, Quranic studies, Arabic language, and selected scientific disciplines. While the institution is renowned for its rigorous academic curriculum, structured Arabic preparatory program, and proximity to Masjid an-Nabawi, an equally significant—yet less formally documented—dimension of student life is the widespread practice of voluntary night prayer, known as Tahajjud.

This article examines the place of Tahajjud within the lived experience of Madinah University students, drawing on patterns observed across student narratives, daily routines, and institutional environment. It explores how the voluntary night prayer functions both as a personal spiritual discipline and as a practical support mechanism for sustaining the demanding intellectual and emotional requirements of long-term study in a foreign land.

Historical and Religious Context of Tahajjud

Tahajjud refers to the voluntary night prayer performed after sleeping and before Fajr. It is strongly recommended in the Qur’an (Sūrat al-Isrāʾ 17:79) and numerous authentic narrations of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The prayer is considered among the most virtuous voluntary acts, frequently associated with increased acceptance of supplication, spiritual purification, and resilience in times of difficulty.

For students living in Madinah, the practice takes on added significance due to the city’s unique spiritual atmosphere. Proximity to the Prophet’s mosque, the near-constant availability of congregational prayers, and immersion in an environment saturated with reminders of Prophetic Sunnah create favorable conditions for consistent voluntary worship.

Integration of Tahajjud into the Daily Rhythm of Madinah Students

Student accounts consistently describe a daily cycle that begins long before sunrise. A typical weekday often includes:

1. Waking for Tahajjud between 2:00–4:00 a.m.
2. Recitation and memorization of Qur’an
3. Personal supplication (duʿāʾ)
4. Optional study or review of lessons
5. Fajr prayer in congregation at Masjid an-Nabawi or the university mosque

This pattern is not universal, but it appears to be the norm rather than the exception among students who maintain long-term academic success and emotional stability.

The early waking habit serves multiple functions:

1. Spiritual fortification — Many students report that beginning the day with prolonged voluntary worship creates a sense of purpose and emotional grounding before facing language difficulties, homesickness, or academic pressure.
2. Time management — The hours between Tahajjud and Fajr often provide the quietest, most distraction-free period of the day for focused Quranic memorization or revision of complex Hadith matn and sharḥ.
3. Community reinforcement — Large numbers of students praying Tahajjud together in the university mosque or traveling in groups to the Prophet’s mosque foster a collective culture of striving.

Evidence of Prevalence and Variation

While no formal institutional survey exists on the exact percentage of students who regularly perform Tahajjud, qualitative descriptions from long-term residents point to a high level of participation, particularly among those in the Arabic preparatory institute (al-Muʿahad) and the core Islamic faculties.

Variation exists, however:

1. First-year students struggling with Arabic acquisition sometimes find it difficult to maintain the practice consistently due to exhaustion.
2. Married students living off-campus with family responsibilities report more irregular patterns.
3. Students in scientific faculties (engineering, computer science) occasionally adjust their schedule to align with heavier coursework demands.

Even among those who cannot perform long nightly sessions, shorter periods of night prayer or compensatory daytime nawāfil remain common.

Table 1: Typical Daily Schedule of Committed Madinah Students (Approximate)

Note: Schedules vary significantly depending on faculty, marital status, and individual discipline.

Psychological and Academic Implications

Empirical observation and student self-reporting suggest that regular performance of Tahajjud correlates with several positive outcomes:

1. Greater emotional resilience against homesickness and culture shock
2. Improved concentration during long Arabic grammar and morphology classes
3. Stronger motivation to maintain high academic standards
4. Enhanced sense of brotherhood and mutual accountability among peers

Conversely, students who report abandoning or severely reducing voluntary night prayer often describe parallel declines in discipline, motivation, and academic performance—although causation cannot be definitively established from available qualitative data.

Figure 1: Conceptual Model of Tahajjud’s Role in Student Success

(Conceptual diagram – not to scale)

This simplified model illustrates the frequently described causal chain: voluntary night worship strengthens inner resilience → which supports sustained academic effort → which enables the student to complete the program and return home as a qualified contributor to their community.

Conclusion

The practice of Tahajjud occupies a central—though informal—place in the lived reality of many students at the Islamic University of Madinah. Far from being merely a personal devotional act, it functions as a structural support for the intense linguistic, intellectual, and psychological demands of studying in a second language in a new cultural and geographic environment.

While the university’s formal curriculum provides the academic tools, the widespread commitment to night prayer among serious students appears to supply much of the spiritual and motivational fuel necessary to complete the multi-year journey. For prospective applicants, recognizing the importance of cultivating (or strengthening) the habit of Tahajjud before arrival may prove as valuable as preparing academic documents or improving Arabic foundations.

Future research could fruitfully explore quantitative correlations between frequency of voluntary night prayer and academic outcomes, dropout rates, and post-graduation community impact among Madinah University alumni.