Tahajjud (Arabic:تهجد‎), also known as the "night prayer" is a voluntary prayer, performed by followers of Islam. It is not one of the five obligatory prayers required of all Muslims, yet still, the Islamic prophet, Muhammad has been recorded as performing the tahajjud prayer regularly and encouraging his companions to offer it to God for its many rewards and benefits, and a way to purify the soul, enabling it to approach the realm of God.