The Virtues of praying Tahajjud - The Night Vigil Prayer

The_truth

Well-Known Member
Tahajjud - The the Night Vigil Prayer



In the name of Allah the most gracious most merciful


The Virtues of praying Tahajjud


Allah Most High said, "Establish worship at the going down of the sun until the dark of the night, and (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn is ever witnessed. And some part of the night awake for its recital, as voluntary worship for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised estate." [Qur'an, 17: 78-79]

Abu Hurayra (Ra) reports that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer." [Muslim]

Abu Hurayra (Ra) reports that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was asked, "What prayer is most virtuous, after the obligatory prayers?" He said, "Prayer in the depths of the night." [Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah]

Abd Allah ibn Salam (Ra) reports that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "O people! Spread the salams, feed others, maintain family ties, and pray at night when others sleep and you will enter Heaven safely." [Tirmidhi, Hakim]

Abu Umama al-Bahili (Ra) reports that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "Hold fast to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you, a way of drawing closer to your Lord, an expiation for wrong deeds, and a shield from sin." [Tirmidhi, and others] In some narrations, there is an addition, "And it repels sickness from the body."

Ibn Mas`ud (Ra) said, "The virtues of night prayer over day prayer is like the virtue of secret charity over open charity." [Tabarani]

The scholars explain that this refers to voluntary prayers. Imam Saffarini, the Hanbali faqih explained in his Sharh Mandhumat al-Adaab:

"Night prayer is superior to day prayer because: It is more concealed and closer to sincerity. The righteous early Muslims (salaf) used to strive hard to hide their secrets [f: i.e. the actions between them and Allah]."

Hasan [al-Basri] said, "It used to be that a person would have guests staying over and he would pray at night without his guests knowing."

And because night prayer is harder on the lower self, because night is a time of rest from the tire of day, so leaving sleep despite the lower self being desirous of it is a tremendous struggle (mujahada). Some have said, "The best of works are those the lower self is forced to perform."

And because recitation in night prayer is closer to contemplation, because things that busy the heart are mostly absent at night, so the heart is more attentive and is with the tongue in understanding, as Allah Most High said, "Lo! The night vigil is (a time) when impression is more keen and speech more certain. [Lo! You have by day a chain of business. So remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself with a complete devotion.]" (Qur'an, 73: 6-7) It is because of this that we have been commanded to recite the Qur'an in night prayer in a steady recital (tartil).

And it is because of this that night prayer is a shield from sin.

And because night vigil time is the best of times for voluntary worship and prayer, and the closest a servant is to his Lord.

And because it is a time when the doors of the sky are opened, supplications answered, and the needs of those who ask fulfilled.

Allah has praised those who wake up at night for His remembrance, supplication, and to seek forgiveness and entreat Him, saying:

"They forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of what We have bestowed on them. No soul knows what is kept hid from them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do." [Qur'an, 32: 16-17]

And He said, "Those who pray for pardon in the watches of the night." [Qur'an, 3: 17]

And, "[The (faithful) servants of the Merciful are they who walk upon the earth modestly, and when the foolish one address them answer: Peace;] And who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing" [Qur'an, 25: 63-64]

Allah most negated similitude between those who pray at night and those who do not: "Is the one who worships devoutly in the watches of the night, prostrate and standing, fearful of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (to be accounted equal with a disbeliever)? Say: are those who know equal with those who know know? But only people of understanding will pay heed." [Qur'an, 39: 9]" [Saffarini, Ghidha al-Albab Sharh Mandhumat al-Adaab]

Imam Abu Sa'id al-Khadimi said,

"There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that among the best of virtuous acts is the night vigil prayer." [al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya]


The scholars derived the following from the Qur'an and Prophetic hadiths:


1. The minimal night vigil prayer is 2 rakats. [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

2. Its optimal recommended amount is 8 rakats, because this was the general practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions). [Hindiyya, quoting Fath al-Qadir]

3. Lengthier recitation is superior to a larger number of rakats prayed. [Durr al-Mukhtar, Radd al-Muhtar]

4. If one divides the night in thirds, then the final middle third is most virtuous. [Durr al-Mukhtar]

5. If one divides the night in half, then the second half is more virtuous. [ibid.]

6. Voluntary (nafl) prayer at night is more virtuous than voluntary prayer during the day. However, the full reward mentioned in the Qur'anic verses and Prophetic hadiths refers to worship that was preceded by sleep. This is also understood from the very linguistic meaning of tahajjud, which is to struggle rid oneself of sleep. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, quoting Ibn Amir Haajj's Halba]

7. Ibn Nujaym and Haskafi both affirmed that night prayer is recommended. [al-Bahr al-Ra'iq, and al-Durr al-Mukhtar; chosen in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya] Kamal ibn al-Humam, the brilliant mujtahid who was the greatest Hanafi faqih of the latter half of Islamic history, however, wavered between it being recommended or a confirmed sunna. This is because while the spoken hadiths indicate recommendation, the continued practice of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would seem to indicate it being a confirmed sunna. This was also chosen by Ibn al-Humam's student, Ibn Amir Haaj in his Halba. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

8. It is disliked to leave the night vigil prayer for one who has made it their habit, unless there is an excuse, because the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him), "O Abd Allah! Do not be like so-and-so. He used to pray at night and then left it." [Bukhari and Muslim] Therefore, one should take on an amount of works one can sustain, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, "The most beloved of actions to Allah are the most constant, even if little." [Bukhari and Muslim] [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, from Ibn Amir Haajj's Halba]

9. It is recommended to start the night vigil with two short rakats, because of the hadith of Abu Hurayra that the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "It you get up for night prayer, start with two short rakats." [Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Dawud]

10. Supplications in the depths of the night are answered, as the hadiths have mentioned.


Here are a few tips to help us pray Tahajjud each night:


1. Practice Qayloola (short nap) which is to sleep even for half an hour after Dhuhr if we can for this has much benefit in terms of being able to awaken for Tahajjud. Onl;y a short nap will suffice from between 15-20 minutes and no more than 30 minutes. Anymore than this may have negative effects with regards to being able to sleep again at night after Isha.

2. Sleep straight after Isha particularly in the summer months and then awaken for Tahajjud.

3. For women in particular it is easier to pray Tahajjud as they could awaken half an hour or 40 minutes before Fajr starts. Pray Tahajjud and then a little while later pray Fajr. For men it is better to awaken earlier and then sleep and awaken for Fajr with jamaat. Which is better? Fajr with jamaat (congregation) so waking up to pray Fajr with congregation should be a priority for men. If a man knows they will not be able to attend Fajr with jamaat then they may do what is recommended for women and that is to awaken 30-40 minutes before Fajr begins.

4. Avoid major sins in particular because major sins stop a person from being able to stay awake praying and worshipping Allah in the night.

5. Another alternative is to pray Tahajjud after Isha before sleeping. This is less reward but nevertheless still rewarding. A great scholar suggested that if one knows that one will not be able to wake up for Tahajjud then one can pray it before sleeping. Witr should be the last prayer of the night, so after one has prayed 4 fard of Isha, 2 Sunnah and 2 nafil then one can do an extra nafil with intention of Tahajjud and then end the night with Witr.

Make effort and dua:

Therefore should try our best to pray Tahajjud as much as we can and if there was one habit that we would desire to gain then it is the habit of praying Tahajjud prayer every night for it is one of the best ways to get closer to Allah and gain high ranks in the hereafter as well as being able to make dua in the best part of the night. Once a person starts praying Tahajjud then they would NEVER want to go back or stop praying it because of the amazing feeling and sensation of elevation and hightened sense of satisfaction n contentment of the heart. There is no feeling like it and we should all aim to implement this prayer into our daily lives, no matter what it takes. Even if we can pray it once or twice a week then build up from there. The main thing is that we make the effort and most of all ask of Allah and beg of him to give us the ability to pray Tahajjud every night.

Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, "I cannot pray at night." He said, "Your sins have prevented you."


May Allah give all of us the ability to pray Tahajjud every single night in order that we get closer to him. Ameen
 

The_truth

Well-Known Member
In order to help us to awaken for Tahajjud prayer please read and implement the following beneficial tips:

Productive Muslim Sleep Routine


If you’ve started waking up early and working in those early hours of the day as we recommend at ProductiveMuslim.com, you’ll find that it’s pretty hard to be consistent each and every day with this routine. And when you search for the reasons for this inconsistency, you’ll realise that it’s mainly because it’s hard to regulate your sleep; one day you sleep well, so you wake up early and can work hard. Other days, you don’t sleep so well and those early hours are pretty difficult to maintain.

ProductiveMuslim Sleep Routine

Sleep, as any other activity we do as humans, can be optimized by planning well in advance and following a particular routine each night. You might think: “Dude, I just crash and sleep”. Well, that’s one way of doing it, but here’s another routine. Try it out and tell me if sleep doesn’t become a rewarding, spiritual and fulfilling experience for you after this.

The following sleep routine requires you to prepare for it at least 90 minutes BEFORE you actually sleep. And it’s basically dividing those 90 minutes into 3 parts:

1.One third for Your Lord
2.One third for Your Self
3.One third for Your Sleep

1. One third for Your Lord:

This starts with you making Wudhu, brushing your teeth, putting on nice clothes and perfume and praying Tahajjud and Witr for Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) (Note: If you prefer to wake up before Fajr to pray these night prayers then definitely go with that. However, if you can’t trust yourself to wake up that early, it’s better that you pray Tahajjud and Witr Salah BEFORE you sleep). This is my favourite part of the sleep routine and favourite part of the day!

It’s such a calming experience after going through a long hard day, to stand in front of your Lord, recite His verses, supplicate to Him and ask Him of whatever you desire in this world and the Next. Do this for a couple of nights and you wouldn’t want to give up doing it! In fact, throughout your day, you’ll be anticipating this moment and looking forward to it!

2. One third for Your Self:

This is where you prepare yourself for sleep by putting on your pyjamas, getting into bed and reading a good book for at least 30 minutes. If you’re like me, ideas and thoughts will keep popping into your head as you read, and you will want to save them for later. For these, I have a plain notebook and pen/pencil next to me to scribble anything (and I mean anything) that pops in my head! You’ll be surprised how many great ideas originate from these 30 minutes.
Alternatively, instead of reading, you may spend these 30 minutes brainstorming on a plain notebook any ideas, plans, and projects you have in mind. You don’t have to come up with the ‘perfect’ idea/solution, but simply brainstorm as much as you can then literally “sleep on it” (as the saying goes). In the morning, you’ll be surprised at what your sub-conscious mind brings forth for you.

3. One third for Your Sleep:

I’ve said that this is a third for your sleep, but truly this is a third for your Lord to bless your sleep, and basically this involves going through the duas and verses that one should recite before sleeping as per the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These include reciting Surah Al-Mulk and Surah Al-Sajdah and other supplications recommended before sleeping. For me, this last part of the routine is like the cherry on top of the cake! Nothing fills you with more tranquility than to sleep having uttered the words of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala).

So there you have it, the ProductiveMuslim routine for Sleep. You may think it’s lengthy, but there has been no day that I’ve followed it, except that I’ve slept peacefully and woken up peacefully.

Hope it works well for you and that you have a productive sleep – Sweet dreams!

Click to read more: http://productivemuslim.com/productivemuslim-sleep-routine/#ixzz2ZcmAZ2Re
 

The_truth

Well-Known Member
Surely those who forsaken their beds for Allah are most fortunate:

"They forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of what We have bestowed on them. No soul knows what is kept hid from them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do." [Qur'an, 32: 16-17]

Surely those who get up and forsake their beds in the depths of the night whilst others are asleep are truly fortunate and have a special closeness to Allah.
The best time to get into such a habit is during the month of Ramadan as we have to awaken from Suhoor which is the time of Tahajjud and if we continue to awaken before Fajr begins after Ramadan then we can pray Tahajjud and be one of these fortunate people.

The Tahajjud prayer can also be prayed straight after Isha prayer before going to sleep so at least one can gain some reward from implementing a voluntary act but there is far more reward to sleep first and pray Tahajjud in the depths of the night.

So let us make intention that we will try our best to continue to awaken for Tahajjud prayer before Fajr like we awakened for Suhoor during Ramadan. This is our best opportunity!
 
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