Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Is it permissible to read from the mushaf for salaat al-tahajjud? I’m aware that in the Hanafi school, prayers are not valid if one reads from the mushaf during his/her salaah. But what about superogatory prayers like salaat al-tahajjud, in which longer recitation is preferred? If you don’t know that many long surahs, would it be ok to read from the mushaf until longer surahs are memorized?
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
I pray that this finds you well, and in the best of health and spirits. May Allah grant you all good and success in this life and the next.
In the Hanafi school, it remains impermissible to recite from the Qur’an in night prayer–this is not something the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) himself did; and it is excessive extraneous action (reading from a text). [ Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah ] Please search SunniPath Answers (http://qa.sunnipath.com) for related answers.
What one should do is:
(1) Perform tahajjud with the suras one knows;
(2) Recite Qur’an, outside prayer, at night–which is also very virtuous;
(3) Endeavor to memorize more Qur’an, in order to be able to pray longer at night.
And Allah alone gives success. Faraz Rabbani