Qiyamul Lail is also called the night prayer. It’s one of the prayers that were mentioned in the holy Quran more than once.
Allah said in the holy Quran: “And during the night wake up and pray, as an extra offering of your own, so that your Lord may raise you to a [highly] praised status.” (17:79)

 “You [Prophet], enfolded in your cloak! Stay up throughout the night, all but a small part of it, half, or a little less, or a little more; recite the Qur’an slowly and distinctly: We shall send a momentous message down to you. Night prayer makes a deeper impression and sharpens words” (73:1-6)
 In this article we will understand everything about it, starting from its meaning all the way to how to pray for it. Let’s get started.
Qiyamul lail meaning.
The word Qiyam means standing and “qiyam al layl” literally means “standing during the night”. Night prayer is a two Rakat prayer that we perform at night. Just like the prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) used to do.
Qiyamul lail prayer time.
There is no specific Qiyamul Lail time you can pray it at any time after Isha prayer. You should sleep for a while and then wake up in the night to pray the night prayer.

Now you may be asking yourself “should I sleep and wake up at night to pray qiyam prayer? “it’s not necessary to sleep and wake up at night to pray Qiyam. You can pray it after Isha prayer or before going to bed. But you should know that it’s better to sleep and wake up in the last third of the night to perform Qiyam prayer.

The best time to pray Qiyam allail is the last third of the night, here’s a hadith stating that:

Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “When half of the night or two-thirds of it is over. Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there any beggar so that he be given? Is there any supplicator so that he be answered? Is there any beggar of forgiveness so that he be forgiven? (And Allah continues it saying) till it is daybreak.”
How many rakat qiyamul lail?
The total number qiyamul lail rakaatis 12 rakat in addition to 1 witr Raka, in total they are 13 raka.

It is prayed in pairs meaning two Rakat then two Rakat until you finish all the 12 Rakat then you pray one Witr Rakah.

However, you don’t have to pray all 13 Raka, praying only two is more than enough. If you are capable of praying the 13 Rakat then pray if you aren’t then pray as much as you can.
How to perform qiyamul lail?
The Qiyamul Lail prayer is prayed in pairs meaning two Rakat followed by another two Rakat. Here is how to pray Salah Qiyam Lail.
How to pray qiyamul lail?
Here’s how to perform qiyamul lail step by step.

In the first Raka:

•     The first thing to do is to make the Niyyah (intention) by saying “I intend to perform two Rakats of the salat Qiyam Lail”
•     Then say the takbir “Allahu Akbar” and start praying and say “Audhu billahi min-ash-shayta -nir-rajeem Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-raheem”.
•     Start reciting surah al fatiha.
•     After reciting surah al Fatiha recite any surah you know by heart.
•     Then bow and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Azeem” three times, this is what is called Ruku.
•     Stand up again and say “Allah listens to those who praise him” then make the first sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times.
•     Sit up then go to the second sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times.
•     Now rise up to continue to the second Raka.

What to do during qiyamul lail in the second Raka?
Second Raka:

•     say “Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-raheem”
•     Recite Surah Al-Fatiha
•     Read another surah you know by heart.  You can repeat the same surah you said in the first Raka if you don’t know any other Surah.
•     Go into Ruku and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Azeem”
•     Stand up again and say “Allah listens to those who praise him” then make the first sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times.
•     Sit up then go to the second sajdah and say “Subahaana Rabbiyal Aa’la” three times.
•     Then sit for Tashahud:

التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَى النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِين. أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ. اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيد

Attahiyyaatu lillaahi wassalawaatu wattayyibatu. Assalaamu ‘alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyi warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh. Assalaamu ‘alyna wa ‘ala ‘ibaadillaahis saaliheen. Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallaah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh.

Allaahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kama sallaita ‘ala Ibraaheem wa ‘ala aali Ibraaheem innaka Hameedun Majeed, wabaarik ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhamaad kama baarakta ‘ala Ibraaheem wa ‘ala aali Ibraaheem innaka Hameedun Majeed.

“All the compliments are for Allah and all the prayers and all the good things (are for Allah). Peace be on you, O Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings (are on you). And peace be on us and on the good (pious) worshipers of Allah. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Apostle.

O Allah! Praise Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as You Praised Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem; you are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory. And send blessings on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as you sent blessings on Ibraaheem, and the family of Ibraaheem; you are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory.”

 After finishing al Tashahud turn your face to the right and say “Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah” and then turn your face to the left and say the same.
What to recite in qiyamul lail?
You can recite any short surah that you know by heart after reciting surah Fatiha. You could recite surah Ikhlas, surah kafirun, Falaq, Nas, or any other short surah.
Is qiyamul lail sunnah or nafl?
According to Muslim sayings, Qiyam Lail is the night prayer and is one of the nafl prayers, not praying it is not a sin. 

Allah told us about the Night prayer in the Holy Quran:
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

“and during the night wake up and pray, as an extra offering of your own, so that your Lord may raise you to a (highly) praised status.”
Qiyamul lail dua.
 There is no specific Dua to say you could ask Allah for anything you want, ask for forgiveness, or thank god.

So after you finish praying Qiyam Lail ask Allah for anything even if you think it is something impossible. Nothing is impossible to Allah. Talk all your worries to Allah and ask for his help to overcome what’s troubling you, Allah will always listen to you.

You could say the following Dua:
“O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You;
You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth, And the Paradise is true, And Hellfire is true, And all the Prophets are true, And Muhammad s.a.w. is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true.
O Allah! to You I submit, in You I believe, and to You do I rely upon. And to You, I repent, And by You I face my adversaries, And to You, I will be judged. So forgive me my previous and later sins, and that which I concealed and revealed; You are the One Who brings forth and suspends. There is none to be worshiped but you.”
Benefit of qiyamul lail.
Qiyamul lail is known to have many benefits to the one who prays it. Its importance comes in second after obligatory prayers. We can see its benefits in the holy Quran and in the hadiths.
“And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.” (Quran, 17:79)
When you pray Salah al Qiyam regularly Allah will bless you, and it will bring you closer to Allah. You will have a feeling of calmness and peace; all your worries and anxiety will go away.
“And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.” (Quran, 25:64)
“The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’”

The prophet said:

“The most virtuous prayer except the obligatory prayers is the one offered by becoming awake after sleep at night (qiyamul lail prayer).”

“Two units of prayer performed at night are more beneficial than anything in the world. If I thought that it would not be a burden on my people, I would enjoin it on them.”  

The prophet said to Abu Hurayra about the importance of praying qiyamul lail the following:
“O Abu Hurayra! If you want the company of the Mercy of Allah when in the grave and on the Doomsday, wake up at night to offer a prayer for Allah’s sake. O Abu Hurayra! If you pray at the corner of your house, your house lightens as a constellation in the sky, and it becomes like a star for the people of the world.”