Praying at night

Since 2012-11-17

Verily, praying at night is one of the best acts of obedience and the most exalted worship after the obligatory prayers

All praise is due to Allah, and prayers and peace of Allah be upon the Messenger of Allah.

 
O dear beloved young Muslim brother,
 
Your provision is in the daytime. On the other hand, the fuel of your movement toward Allah Almighty and the support for tolerating the hardships and heavy duties and the order of your Lord to His Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is staying awake at night. Yes, staying awake at night, but it is not any awakening; it is awakening for the sake of Allah; it is awakening at the dawn and silent nights to invoke your Lord and weep between the hands of your God; it is praying at night, which was the custom of our righteous forefathers. So, what is your share in it?
 
Let us learn and apply what we know, in order to have our affairs in its best status and have our Lord pleased with us.
 
Dear beloved brother, do you observe prayer at night?
 
Verily, praying at night is one of the best acts of obedience and the most exalted worship after the obligatory prayers. When the Truthful (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about the best prayer after the obligatory prayers, he said: “The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is praying at night.” [Reported by Muslim]
 
«أفضل الصلاة بعد الصلاة المكتوبة، الصلاة في جوف الليل» رواه مسلم
 
And it is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are three (kinds of people) who Allah loves, and there are three (kinds of people) Allah doesn’t love. The man who meets the enemy among a group, so he faces the enemy till he is killed or till he brings victory to his group; people travel for long time in night till they like having rest and get down, but one of them goes aside to pray then awakens them to continue their travel; and a man has a neighbor who abuses him, but he tolerates his abusing till death or decampment separates between them. As for those whom Allah doesn’t love; they are, the dealer who swears a lot, the arrogant poor person, and the stingy person who reminds others with his beneficence.” [Authenticated by Al-Albani]
 
«ثلاثة يحبهم الله، وثلاثة يشنؤهم الله: الرجل يلقى العدو في فئة فينصب لهم نحره حتى يقتل أو يفتح لأصحابه؛ والقوم يسافرون فيطول سراهم حتى يحبوا أن يمسوا الأرض فينزلون؛ فيتنحى أحدهم فيصلي حتى يوقظهم لرحيلهم، والرجل يكون له الجار يؤذيه جاره فيصبر على أذاه حتى يفرق بينهما موت أو طعن، والذين يشنؤهم الله: التاجر الحلاف، والفقير المختال؛ والبخيل المنان» صححه الألباني
 
Indeed, the merit of this prayer is known, because none could tolerate it except a pious person. And may Allah mercy Qatada ibn Du’ama who said: “Rarely, you could find a hypocrite awakes at night (for prayer).” Actually, he said the truth.
 
If praying ‘Isha` was heavy for the hypocrites, then what would you reckon would be for night prayer? In fact; to praying at night, the righteous servants hurry. Sheikh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, says: “Sometimes, I find an issue difficult, so I seek forgiveness from Allah thousand times or more till He makes it easy for me.” And he said: “and I may go to the open places to roll my cheeks in the dust and say; O Teacher of Ibrahim, teach me.”
 
So, where are the righteous people in our time? Where are the monks of the nights and the knights of the days? Actually, they seem absent!
 
O you, who seek safety on the Day of Judgment, hold fast to standing in the face of Qiblah, because it is the gate of straightness, and revive this Sunnah then remind who may take benefit from your guidance, in order that you may be counted on the Day of Judgment among those who revived their nights; Allah almighty said: {They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allâh) and praying, with fear and hope]} [Surat Adh-Dhariyat 51:17],
 
{كَانُوا قَلِيلاً مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ} الذاريات: 17
 
 

 

Transliteration: Kanoo qaleelan mina allayli mayahjaAAoona
 
and He Almighty said: {Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (in charity in Allâh’s Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them.} [Surat As-Sajdah 32:16]
 
{تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ} السجدة: 16
 
 

 

Transliteration: Tatajafa junoobuhum AAani almadajiAAi yadAAoona rabbahum khawfan watamaAAan wamimma razaqnahum yunfiqoona
 
It is narrated on the authority of Salim Ibn Abdullah ibn Omar ibn Al-Khattab that the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “How good Abdullah is, if he prayed at night!” Salim said: “So, Abdullah did not sleep at night but little” [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
 
«نعم الرجل عبد الله، لو كان يصلي بالليل. قال سالم: فكان عبد الله لا ينام من الليل إلا قليلا» رواه البخاري
 
And it is narrated on the authority of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-‘Aas that the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Abdullah, do not be like so-and-so; he used to pray at night, then he neglected it.” [Reported by Muslim]
 
«يا عبدالله، لا تكن بمثل فلان؛ كان يقوم الليل فترك قيام الليل» رواه مسلم
 
Dear beloved brother, praying at night is the provision of the patient and it is among the characteristics of the generation of the hoped victory. Furthermore, it is one of the things that the righteous forefathers hold fast to, and therefore, they became guided people and they guided others. O Allah, make us characterized with good, and do not make us just speakers of it. O Allah, make the little sleep sufficient to us, and provide us with awakening for obeying and invoking You. O Allah, help us to remember You, thank You and worship You well.
 
Dear beloved brother, care for observing night prayer, and begin by two Rak’as (or more) daily, and keep observing them.
 
And from Allah we seek success.
 
 
By: Mustafa Diyab
www.salafvoice.com
 
 

 

Mustafa Diyab