Witr and Nawaafil

Not feeling the connection when making dua at the time of tahajjud

Q: Tonight I got up to pray tahajjud and when I started praying it felt like a tahajjud prayer though when I went into Sajda, I didn't feel the connection I thought I would, like I went to Allah in taha while crying and when I started praying all my tears were gone, I wasn't able to cry in my sujood. Does this mean I didn't pray it right?

As I checked that I did my wudu right and covered up my self right though still I feel something was missing.

Adding to that, I'm one day away from my periods and I also thought that the crying part was just from my mood swings which are a symptom of our period coming, because when I stood on the prayer mat all the tears went away.

Moreover, I had weird thoughts during the prayer like I wasn't praying right and had alot of skulls appearing in my thoughts (jinn like thoughts). Please share if there is a problem in this or am I just overthinking?

Musallee looking inside the Quraan during Taraweeh and correcting the Imaam

Q: Please advise with regard to the following:

Is it permissible for a Musallee to look inside the Quraan during Taraweeh? If not, is there any social occasion in which it would be permissible?

If we are 3 people in our Taraaweeh Jamaat - the Imaam and one Musallee is a Hafiz, but their dhor is not so good and plan to improve it by performing Taraaweeh - will it be permissible for the Musallee to look into the Quraan during the Salah?

Istikhaarah dua

Q: My son has seen a girl in our town and is interested in proposing to her. He would like to do it the correct way by approaching the parents to ask her hand.

However, he would like to first make Istikhara to see if she is a suitable spouse. As his parents, we feel she would be a good match as she is a homely girl who doesn't gallivant the streets and keeps to herself.

Please provide us with the Istikhara dua or namaaz that he can read in order for him to make his decision.

The reward of Ishraaq Salaah

Q: I have a question regarding Ishraaq salaah. I noticed a Hadeeth mention something to the effect that whoever offers the Fajr salaah in congregation and then remains seated, remembering Allah until sunrise, and thereafter he performs two rak’ahs, he will receive the reward of one complete Hajj and one complete Umrah.

My question is directed at the part that says 'remains seated remembering Allah until sunrise'. In our masjid, there is a tafsir program that takes place at the back of the masjid after the salaah is over, so I do not remain seated in the same place. I also drop my father off at home thereafter. Will the reward still be the same if I come back to the masjid afterwards and wait until the sunrise comes to read the Ishraaq Salaah?

Performing Tahajjud Salaah in pairs of 2 and 4

Q: We know that praying 8 rakaah in tahajud is sunnah but there is no limit on the number of rakaah.

My question is should we pray these 8 rakaah in pairs of 2 or 4 and if we want to pray in pairs of 4 for example 4+4 is 8 so should we recite another surah after fatiha in the third and fourth rakkah because we know that reciting a surah after fatiha in the third and fourth rakaah is wajib in sunnah e muakadah and ghair e muakadah.