The Tahajjud Prayer

Virtues of Tahajjud

Virtues of Tahajjud

a. Practice of the believers:

Allaah saubhaana hu wa tala indicates that praying at night is a practice of the believers who deserve Jannah:

•Their (the believer’s) sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allaah's Cause) out of what We (Allaah) bestowed on them. Surah sajda, verse 16.

•They (righteous/ the pious) used to sleep but little of the night. Surah Dhariyat, verse 17.

b. Best of voluntary prayers:

Abu Hurairah (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "The best month for observing Saum (fasting) after Ramadan is Muharram, and the best Salat after the prescribed Salat is Salat at night." [Muslim].

c. Protection from Shiatan’s Magic:

Abu Hurairah (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "When any one of you sleeps, Satan ties three knots at the back of his neck. He recites this incantation at every knot: 'You have a long night, so sleep.' Ifhe awakes and remembers Allaah, one knot is loosened. If he performs Wudu', the (second) knot is loosened; and if he performs prayer, (all) knots are loosened. He begins his morning in a happy and refreshed mood; otherwise, he gets up in bad spirits and sluggish state." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Commentary: “Tying knots” can be literally, the way magicians do it in their magical exercises. With this practice Shiatan tries to withhold people from the worship of Allaah. Some people are of the opinion that it is a metaphor for sleepiness/dozing. In any case, Shiatan does his level best to withhold a person from the worship of Allaah. Shaitan experiences frustration if someone gets up at night for prayer, he also experiences happiness if he manages to keep someone asleep until dawn.

d. Sign of Gratitude:

'Aishah (May Allaah be pleased with her) reported: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kept standing (in prayer) so long that the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him: "Why do you do this, while you have beenforgiven of your former and latter sins?" He said, "Should I not be a grateful slave of Allah?" [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith tells us that:

1. The Nafl Salaah should be performed with full concentration and peace of mind.

2. The more one is endowed with gifts from Allaah, the greater gratitude and worship one should express for them to Allah.

3. The best time for showing one’s humility before Allah and for worship is the later period of night.

e. Sign of goodness:

Salim bin 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allaah bepleased with them) reported, on the authority of his father, that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaahbe upon him) said, "What an excellent man 'Abdullah is! If only he could perform optional prayers at night." Salim said that after this, (his father) 'Abdullah slept very little at night. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith points out the excellence of ‘Abullaah bin ‘Umar (May Allaah be pleased with him) as well as the merits of Qiyaam-ul-Layl.It also tells us that it is permissible to praise someone in his presence if one is surethat he will not become proud due to that praise. Another aspect of this of this Hadith is that it induces one to wish forothers welfare and happiness.

f. Means of entering Jannah:

'Abdullah bin Salam (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "O people, promote the greetings, feed (the poor and needy) and perform Salat when others are asleep so that you will enter Jannah safely." [At-Tirmidhi].

Commentary: This Hadith has glad tidings for those who enthusiastically do all the good works mentioned in this Hadith. “Entering Jannah in peace ” here means that they will enter Jannah without suffering any punishment in Hell.

g. Acceptance of supplications:

Jabir (May Allaah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying, "Every night there is a special time during which whatever a Muslim asks Allaah of any good relating to this life or the Hereafter, it will be granted to him; and this moment comes every night." [Muslim].

Commentary: Like the special moment in Jummah, the time when this special moment occurs every night is not determined. But it is generally in the late hours of the night because that is the best time for worship.

h. Prevents Shiatan from urinating in ear:

'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Mention was made before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) of a man who slept throughout the night till morning. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) remarked, "He is a man in whose ears Satan urinated." [Al- Bukhari and Muslim]