The Prophet (sallalahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:
"There is no Muslim man who, when the time for a prescribed prayer comes, he does wudoo' properly, has the proper attitude of khushoo', and bows properly, but it will be an expiation for all his previous sins, so long as they were not major sins (kabeerah). And this is the case for life" (Reported by Muslim, 1/206, no. 7/4/2)
The reward recorded is in proportion to the degree of khushoo', as the Prophet (sallalahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:
"A slave may pray and have nothing recorded for it except a tenth of it, or a ninth, or an eighth, or a seventh, or a sixth, or a fifth, or a quarter, or a third, or a half." (Reported by Imam Ahmad; Sahih al-Jaami', 1626).
Only the parts of his prayer where he focused and concentrated properly will be of any avail to him. It was reported that Ibn 'Abbaas (radiyallahu 'anhu) said:
"You will only have from your prayer that which you focused on."Sins will be forgiven if you concentrate properly and have full khushoo', as the Prophet (sallalahu 'alayhi wasallam) said:
"When a slave stands and prays, all his sins are brought and placed on his head and shoulders. Every time he bows or prostrates, some of them fall from him." (Reported by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubraa, 3/10; see also Sahih al-Jaami')
Al-Manaawi said: "What is meant is that every time a pillar (essential part) of the prayer is completed, part of his sins fall from him, until when he finishes his prayer, all his sins will be removed. This is in a prayer where all the conditions are met and the essential parts are complete. What we understand from the words "slave" and "stands" is that he is standing before the King of Kings [Allah] in the position of a humble slave." (Reported by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubraa, 3/10; see also Sahih al-Jaami')
The one who prays with khushoo' will feel lighter when he finishes his prayer, as if his burdens have been lifted from him. He will feel at ease and refreshed, so that he will wish he had not stopped praying, because it is such a source of joy and comfort for him in this world. He will keep feeling that he is in a constricting prison until he starts to pray again; he will find comfort in prayer instead of wanting just to get it over and done with.
Those who love prayer say: we pray and find comfort in our prayer, just as their leader, example and Prophet (sallalahu 'alayhi wasallam) said, "O Bilaal, let us find comfort in prayer." He did not say "Let us get it over and done with."- The Prophet (sallalahu 'alayhi wasallam) said, "My joy has been made in prayer." So whoever finds his joy in prayer, how can he bear to look for joy anywhere else, or to keep away from it?(Al-Waabil al-Sayib, 37).
Striving to offer du'a' at the appropriate times during the prayer, especially in sujood
There is no doubt that talking to Allah, humbling oneself before Him, asking things from Him and earnestly seeking His help, all help to strengthen the slave's ties to his Lord and increase his khushoo'. Du'a' is an act of worship, and we are commanded to make du'a'. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "… call upon Him in humility and in secret…" [al-An'aam 6:63].
The Prophet (sallalahu 'alayhi wasallam) said: "Whoever does not call on Allah, Allah will be angry with him." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, Kitaab al-Da'waat, 1/426; classed as hasan in Sahih al-Tirmidhi, 2686).
How many of us today think of our salaah as a burden that comes 5 times a day, and we pray it so quickly that at the end of it we are huffing and puffing. it has become like a competition, the fastest wins. from reading the above we should all understand the importance of praying slowly and praying with khushoo, and think of it as a blessing and another step towards our goal, our home, PARADISE.
I pray that Allah helps us pray with more khushoo and that Allah the most high grants us Paradise. AMEEN
Showing posts with label Salaat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salaat. Show all posts
Saturday, 9 May 2009
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Lacking Khushoo' in Salaat
I rushed into the room and, checked the time, only 5minutes left for my break. I guess I should just pray the fardh salah and get out of there in time. Allaahu Akbar …hey this carpet design looks awkward! Allaahu Akbar...oh man, should’ve tied my belt lower, it’s too tight! Allaahu Akbar…When is the deadline for my project? What was I supposed to do before work? I wonder if my friends are waiting for me at the mall…better call them right after salah. Oh, wait which rakah am I at? Hmm is that three or four. Probably four. May Allah forgive me, I can’t remember! Salamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah. Did I have wudoo?!! Oh man, I’m already late! I got up and wore my shoes and jolted out of the room.
Sounds familiar?
Great, plenty of time to get ready. What should I wear? Oh yes, I like this suit; looks nice and it’s comfortable as well. I even feel nice in these! Ok, what else. My portfolio, check. My watch, check. Matching shoes, check. Ok let me review some of the notes now to get their early. Thirty minutes early! No problem, just sit here patiently till they call me in. Oh, wow time almost flew, it’s my turn! Ok, just be cool, and remember to concentrate on details! Better be careful, he might be my boss. Give him all the answers to get this job…''Yes sir, I’ll learn this as well. Yes sir, I have studied these concepts as well as applied them already''.…Hmm this isn’t bad, I actually know these things! Good thing I reviewed in advance!
Wow, that interview was long! He asked me so many questions. I think I did well. I hope I get the job! I better jot down the things I wasn’t able to understand. It will help significantly towards my next interview.
Sounds familiar?
Is it any surprise that most Muslims lack khushoo in salah? As described by the above two scenarios, where does salah lie in terms of our priorities? We strive to understand and implement everything that might benefit us in this dunya, yet how meagre the effort we put in for the required duties towards our Creator! No doubt, the salah we perform in such lack of concentration and effort is doomed for rejection! How much do we benefit from our salah? Or has salah in itself has become difficult to establish? Do we even know how to come closer to Allaah? We can come close to Allaah, by following his commands, and amongst the very first command following tawheed is to establish salah.
“Successful indeed are the believers, those who offer their salah (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness.” [al-Mu’minoon 23:1-2]
How can we attain Khushoo’?
In order to attain khushoo’ we must have knowledge of the main obstacles in our path. Shaytan’s number one project is diverting us from salah, as the prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned, the first thing that our religion loses will be khushoo’.
Khushoo’ means calmness, serenity, tranquility, dignity and humility. It comes from fearing Allah in a calm manner; the heart stands before the Lord in humility and submission. Salah is extremely difficult, except for the people who have khushoo.
“And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and most surely it is a hard thing except for the humble ones.” [al-Baqarah 2:45]
Every time the slave wants to turn his thoughts towards Allaah, thoughts of other matters come sneaking into his mind. The Shaytaan is like a bandit lying in wait to launch an ambush: every time the slave wants to travel towards Allaah, the Shaytaan wants to cut off his route.
When the slave stands up to pray, the Shaytaan feels jealous of him, because he is standing in the greatest position, one that is closest [to Allaah] and most annoying and grievous to the Shaytaan. So he tries to stop him from establishing prayer in the first place, then he continues trying to entice him and make him forget, and making assaults on him with his cavalry and infantry, until he thinks of prayer as less important, so he starts to neglect it, and eventually gives it up altogether.
If the Shaytaan fails to achieve this, and the person ignores him and starts to pray, the enemy of Allaah will come and try to distract him, by reminding him of things that he did not remember or think of before he started praying. A person may have forgotten about something altogether, but the Shaytaan will remind him of it when he starts praying, so as to distract him from his prayers and take him away from Allaah, so that his heart will no longer be in his prayers, and he will lose out on the honour and reward of Allaah turning toward him, which is only attained by the one whose heart is really in his prayer. Thus he will finish his prayer no better off than when he started, with his burden of sins not reduced at all by his salaah, because prayer only expiates for sins when it is done properly, with perfect khushoo, and the person stands before Allaah in body and soul. (Al-Waabil al-Sayib, p. 36).
How the Salaf used to Pray
When Saeed al-Tanookhi prayed, there would be tears rolling down his cheeks onto his beard. We heard that one of the Taabieen, when he stood up to pray, his colour would change, and he would say, Do you know before Whom I am going to stand and with Whom I am going to talk?
Who amongst us has fear and respect like this?
Abu Bakr al-Subghi said: I lived through the time of two imaams (leaders) although I was not fortunate enough to hear them in person: Abu Haatim al-Raazi and Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi. As for Ibn Nasr, I do not know of any prayer better than his. I heard that a hornet stung him on his forehead and blood started flowing down his face, but he did not move. Muhammad ibn Yaqoob al-Akhram said: I have never seen any prayer better than that of Muhammad ibn Nasr. Flies used to land on his ears, and he did not shoo them away. We used to marvel at how good his prayer and khushoo were. His fear [of Allaah] in prayer was so great that he would put his chin on his chest as if he were a piece of wood standing up. (Tazeem Qadr al-Salaah, 1/58).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), when he started to pray, used to tremble so much that he would lean right and left.
Compare this with what some of us do nowadays, looking at our watches, adjusting our clothes, fiddling with our noses, thinking of deals and counting our money whilst praying, or tracing the patterns of decorations on carpets and ceilings, or trying to see who is beside us. Think of how anyone would behave before some great leader of this world, would he dare to behave in such a manner then?!
Many methods exist to help improve your khushoo'—gain knowledge about all that benefits your salah and strive harder towards it inshaAllaah!
Lastly, the following is a reflection of what we all must strive to achieve while realising that we will always require more knowledge and practice in improving our salah and ourselves. May Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) help us perform our salah with proper khushoo’ and accept them from us. (Ameen!)
We have been studying here for hours, I can’t wait to relieve myself with salah! Is it time yet? Maaan, still half an hour! All this work makes me really realize that meaning of that hadith, seek comfort in salah.
Perfect, it’s time! “Hey guys, please excuse me. I have an obligatory prayer soon. I’ll be back shortly, please do not do my section of the assignment, I’ll come and take of that myself.” They all look up from behind their books, “Sure, Fatima.” The rest nodded.
Finally! Ok, do I have enough time? Yes. Let me do wudoo’ first before the rush begins. Bismillaah. Alhamdulilaah, the water feels great! I feel fresh again. SubhanAllaah. Ok, they haven’t yet started the salah. I guess I can read my mushaf till then. “Verily with every hardship there is ease.” Alhamdulilaah. That was so relevant to me! It’s like Allaah is talking directly to me through this Qur’an! Alhamdulilaah. They are giving the aqamah, finally.
And I prayed, how soon the salah ended. Let me pray two more rakats before I go back. Wow, I actually spent 15 minutes! Alhamdulillaah that felt so great. I have to return to studies. Allaah, I know I didn’t pray enough, for You deserve much more worship then what I offered. I wonder if You will accept it from me. Astaghfirullaaah, ya Rabb. Forgive me in my shortcomings. (Ameen)
Even though I felt sad for not having more time to finish nafl salah, I feel much better then before. The Qur’an reading and salah totally opened my mind and motivated me to try harder for finishing up my work. I left to join the study session.
Ok let’s get this done. Hmm hey you know what? I know how to solve this….before we knew it, we were done! The non-muslims asked, “Fatima, what exactly did you do in your prayer? You left so tired and you returned completed hyped up! Did they drug you?” And I smiled, before giving them my answer…
Sounds familiar?
Great, plenty of time to get ready. What should I wear? Oh yes, I like this suit; looks nice and it’s comfortable as well. I even feel nice in these! Ok, what else. My portfolio, check. My watch, check. Matching shoes, check. Ok let me review some of the notes now to get their early. Thirty minutes early! No problem, just sit here patiently till they call me in. Oh, wow time almost flew, it’s my turn! Ok, just be cool, and remember to concentrate on details! Better be careful, he might be my boss. Give him all the answers to get this job…''Yes sir, I’ll learn this as well. Yes sir, I have studied these concepts as well as applied them already''.…Hmm this isn’t bad, I actually know these things! Good thing I reviewed in advance!
Wow, that interview was long! He asked me so many questions. I think I did well. I hope I get the job! I better jot down the things I wasn’t able to understand. It will help significantly towards my next interview.
Sounds familiar?
Is it any surprise that most Muslims lack khushoo in salah? As described by the above two scenarios, where does salah lie in terms of our priorities? We strive to understand and implement everything that might benefit us in this dunya, yet how meagre the effort we put in for the required duties towards our Creator! No doubt, the salah we perform in such lack of concentration and effort is doomed for rejection! How much do we benefit from our salah? Or has salah in itself has become difficult to establish? Do we even know how to come closer to Allaah? We can come close to Allaah, by following his commands, and amongst the very first command following tawheed is to establish salah.
“Successful indeed are the believers, those who offer their salah (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness.” [al-Mu’minoon 23:1-2]
How can we attain Khushoo’?
In order to attain khushoo’ we must have knowledge of the main obstacles in our path. Shaytan’s number one project is diverting us from salah, as the prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned, the first thing that our religion loses will be khushoo’.
Khushoo’ means calmness, serenity, tranquility, dignity and humility. It comes from fearing Allah in a calm manner; the heart stands before the Lord in humility and submission. Salah is extremely difficult, except for the people who have khushoo.
“And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and most surely it is a hard thing except for the humble ones.” [al-Baqarah 2:45]
Every time the slave wants to turn his thoughts towards Allaah, thoughts of other matters come sneaking into his mind. The Shaytaan is like a bandit lying in wait to launch an ambush: every time the slave wants to travel towards Allaah, the Shaytaan wants to cut off his route.
When the slave stands up to pray, the Shaytaan feels jealous of him, because he is standing in the greatest position, one that is closest [to Allaah] and most annoying and grievous to the Shaytaan. So he tries to stop him from establishing prayer in the first place, then he continues trying to entice him and make him forget, and making assaults on him with his cavalry and infantry, until he thinks of prayer as less important, so he starts to neglect it, and eventually gives it up altogether.
If the Shaytaan fails to achieve this, and the person ignores him and starts to pray, the enemy of Allaah will come and try to distract him, by reminding him of things that he did not remember or think of before he started praying. A person may have forgotten about something altogether, but the Shaytaan will remind him of it when he starts praying, so as to distract him from his prayers and take him away from Allaah, so that his heart will no longer be in his prayers, and he will lose out on the honour and reward of Allaah turning toward him, which is only attained by the one whose heart is really in his prayer. Thus he will finish his prayer no better off than when he started, with his burden of sins not reduced at all by his salaah, because prayer only expiates for sins when it is done properly, with perfect khushoo, and the person stands before Allaah in body and soul. (Al-Waabil al-Sayib, p. 36).
How the Salaf used to Pray
When Saeed al-Tanookhi prayed, there would be tears rolling down his cheeks onto his beard. We heard that one of the Taabieen, when he stood up to pray, his colour would change, and he would say, Do you know before Whom I am going to stand and with Whom I am going to talk?
Who amongst us has fear and respect like this?
Abu Bakr al-Subghi said: I lived through the time of two imaams (leaders) although I was not fortunate enough to hear them in person: Abu Haatim al-Raazi and Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi. As for Ibn Nasr, I do not know of any prayer better than his. I heard that a hornet stung him on his forehead and blood started flowing down his face, but he did not move. Muhammad ibn Yaqoob al-Akhram said: I have never seen any prayer better than that of Muhammad ibn Nasr. Flies used to land on his ears, and he did not shoo them away. We used to marvel at how good his prayer and khushoo were. His fear [of Allaah] in prayer was so great that he would put his chin on his chest as if he were a piece of wood standing up. (Tazeem Qadr al-Salaah, 1/58).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), when he started to pray, used to tremble so much that he would lean right and left.
Compare this with what some of us do nowadays, looking at our watches, adjusting our clothes, fiddling with our noses, thinking of deals and counting our money whilst praying, or tracing the patterns of decorations on carpets and ceilings, or trying to see who is beside us. Think of how anyone would behave before some great leader of this world, would he dare to behave in such a manner then?!
Many methods exist to help improve your khushoo'—gain knowledge about all that benefits your salah and strive harder towards it inshaAllaah!
Lastly, the following is a reflection of what we all must strive to achieve while realising that we will always require more knowledge and practice in improving our salah and ourselves. May Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) help us perform our salah with proper khushoo’ and accept them from us. (Ameen!)
We have been studying here for hours, I can’t wait to relieve myself with salah! Is it time yet? Maaan, still half an hour! All this work makes me really realize that meaning of that hadith, seek comfort in salah.
Perfect, it’s time! “Hey guys, please excuse me. I have an obligatory prayer soon. I’ll be back shortly, please do not do my section of the assignment, I’ll come and take of that myself.” They all look up from behind their books, “Sure, Fatima.” The rest nodded.
Finally! Ok, do I have enough time? Yes. Let me do wudoo’ first before the rush begins. Bismillaah. Alhamdulilaah, the water feels great! I feel fresh again. SubhanAllaah. Ok, they haven’t yet started the salah. I guess I can read my mushaf till then. “Verily with every hardship there is ease.” Alhamdulilaah. That was so relevant to me! It’s like Allaah is talking directly to me through this Qur’an! Alhamdulilaah. They are giving the aqamah, finally.
And I prayed, how soon the salah ended. Let me pray two more rakats before I go back. Wow, I actually spent 15 minutes! Alhamdulillaah that felt so great. I have to return to studies. Allaah, I know I didn’t pray enough, for You deserve much more worship then what I offered. I wonder if You will accept it from me. Astaghfirullaaah, ya Rabb. Forgive me in my shortcomings. (Ameen)
Even though I felt sad for not having more time to finish nafl salah, I feel much better then before. The Qur’an reading and salah totally opened my mind and motivated me to try harder for finishing up my work. I left to join the study session.
Ok let’s get this done. Hmm hey you know what? I know how to solve this….before we knew it, we were done! The non-muslims asked, “Fatima, what exactly did you do in your prayer? You left so tired and you returned completed hyped up! Did they drug you?” And I smiled, before giving them my answer…
Thursday, 10 July 2008
I Want...I Want...I Want!!!
"I want Jannah man!"; "I wanna study overseas..."; "I want to bring peace to the world..." and so on. We all have these hopes, but do we really want them to come true?
At the recent Light Upon Light class in New York, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi marvellously summarised the relationship between our wants and salaatul tahajjud:
Perplexed, you might be thinking:
A closer examination of the Qur’anic text and Prophetic traditions reveals the truthfulness behind Shaykh Yasir’s genuinely enlightening statement. In describing His righteous servants, Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala says: “Verily, the Muttaqoon (the pious) will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs (in Paradise), taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinoon (good-doers). They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord and praying, with fear and hope].” [adhDhariyaat: 15-17]
And the Prophet (peace be upon him) beautifully described the golden opportunity awaiting those who forsake their beds at night: "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?" [alBukhari]
It is also reported by Imam Ahmad that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whenever a Muslim goes to bed in a pure state (with wudhu), falls asleep while mentioning Allah and then wakes up during the night and asks Allah for anything good, He grants it to him.”
So, if you really want something you will strive hard and get up in the middle of the night to ask Allah for it at that time when He is waiting to answer your prayers, and forgive your sins. If you are not willing to sacrifice some sleep, then you don’t really want it.
Think about the people who camp outside stores for a week when the new video game system is released. Why? Because they really want it, and they are doing whatever it takes to ensure that they get it, even if it means skiving off work or school.
The reasons and virtues of praying tahajjud are too numerous to mention here so Insha’Allah the aforementioned verse and hadeeth will suffice. In any case, the best way to learn about the blessings of tahajjud is to experience it yourself. Instead, the rest of this brief reminder will be better served providing helpful guidelines to facilitate the night prayer for yourself and family.
Sincerity
Every action begins with the proper intention. What makes the night prayer so beautiful is the sincerity that is innate to this act of worship: waking up in the middle of the night when everyone else is sleeping solely for the sake of Allah, weeping over your sins, seeking His Forgiveness and asking of His Infinite Bounties. Similar to fasting, nobody but Allah would know about it unless you went out of your way to advertise it, i.e. "Uncle, I'd definitely like to discuss my rishta (proposal) for your daughter, but I can't make it after midnight because I gotta pray tahajjud."
The salaf were very keen to conceal their acts of worship such as qiyaam al-layl. A man asked Tameem ibn Aws al-Daari (may Allaah be pleased with him), ‘How do you pray at night?’ He got very angry and said, ‘By Allaah, one rak’ah that I pray in secret in the small hours of the night is more beloved to me than praying the whole night long and then telling people about it.’
Ayyoob al-Sakhtiyaani used to spend the entire night in prayer, then when dawn approached, he would go back to bed and lie down, and when dawn came, he would raise his voice as if he had just woken up.
Ibn al-Qayyim brilliantly summarised the importance of sincerity: "The degree to which a person is helped and aided by Allah depends on the degree of his intention, drive, aim and hopes. Help from Allah comes to people in proportion to their drive, intention, hopes and fears, and failure comes to them in like manner."
Therefore, the greater your sincerity in praying tahajjud, the easier Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will make it for you to wake up and perform it, and the more you will benefit from it.
Avoid Sins
Sins deaden the heart and prevent it from receiving the Mercy of Allah, thus depriving a person the opportunity to stand before Allah and ask of His Infinite Blessings. A man said to Ibraaheem ibn Adham, "I cannot pray qiyaam al-layl, so tell me the cure for this." He said, "Do not commit sin during the day, and He will help you to stand before Him at night, for your standing before Him at night is one of the greatest honours, and the sinner does not deserve that honour."
A man said to al-Hasan al-Basri: “”O Abu Sa’eed, I sleep in good health, and I love to pray qiyaam al-layl, and I prepare water with which to purify myself, so why can I not get up?” Al-Hasan said: “Your sins are restricting you.” He said, may Allaah have mercy on him, “The slave who commits a sin will be denied the opportunity to pray qiyaam at night and to fast during the day.”
Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Ayaad said: “If you cannot pray qiyaam al-layl, or fast during the day, know that you are indeed deprived and restricted, chained by your sins.”
Fear of Punishment, Hope for Mercy, Fearing the torment that awaits the inhabitants of the Hellfire will surely wipe out your sleep, as will the prospect of having your sins forgiven by Allah who is waiting in the lowest heaven for your repentance. ‘Amri ibn al ‘Aas used to say ‘Weep, and if you cannot weep, then pretend to weep. I swear by Him in Whose hand my life is, that if any of you really knew, you would plead until your voice went, and pray until your back was broken’. When Allah forgives you of your sins, Allah puts Noor in your face. Hassan al-Basri was once asked, “Why are those people who pray the night prayer so beautiful?” He responded, “Because Allah beautifies them with His light while others are sleeping in the dark.”
`Abdullah bin Rawaaha said: "Verily, when the servant of Allah is reminded of Paradise, his longing for it increases, and when he is reminded of the Fire, his sleep immediately disappears."
Daytime Nap
Taking an afternoon nap is a sunnah that has been practiced by our own Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), his companions and scholars of all times. Even if for only 20 or 30 minutes, you will find this time-out to be vital to your ability to get up for tahajjud. It is reported by at-Tabarani that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Take a nap, for the shayaateen do not take naps.” Ishaaq ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: “Taking a nap is one of the deeds of good people. It revitalizes the heart and helps one to pray qiyaam al-layl.”
Sleeping on Time
This point may seem elementary, but it deserves mention because it is often overlooked. Although sleeping abilities vary from person to person, it is safe to say that if you stay up until 1:00am partying, you will have difficulty waking up to pray tahajjud.
Sunnahs of Sleeping & Waking
Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When you want to go to bed, do wudoo’ as for prayer, then lie down on your right side.” Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “There is a reason for his lying on his right side, which is that the heart is located on the left, so if a person lays on his left side, he will sleep too deeply, because the heart’s position will be too comfortable, but if he sleeps on his right side, he will not be too settled, so he won’t sleep deeply.” There are many other sunnahs related to sleeping and waking up that you can easily find and should adhere to, as they will keep you in a state that is conducive for praying tahajjud.
Avoid Excessive Eating
Ever go to a wedding and eat two plates of biryani, two ladoos, and drink three mango lassis? You probably slept the night away and felt like a massive ogre afterwards. Overeating causes laziness and promotes sleep, both of which are factors that hinder the night prayer. Therefore, to help yourself pray tahajjud, it’s best to follow the sunnah of eating only as much as you need to. Imam Sufyaanal-Thawri said: “You should eat little, so that you will be able to pray qiyaamal-layl.”
Striving
Praying tahajjud requires determination because it’s not easy to leave your soft pillow-top mattress and cosy blanket. Always remember that the more you strive, the more Allah will assist you, as He says: “And as for those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will surely guide them to Our Paths. And verily, Allaah is with the muhsinoon (good-doers).”
[al‘Ankabut: 69]
Shaykh Yasir’s encouragement for the night prayer is further emphasised by the following statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “When a man from my ummah gets up to pray at night, striving against his own self to get up and purify himself, there are knots on him. When he washes his hands in wudoo’, one knot is undone. When he washes his face, another knot is undone. When he wipes his head another knot is undone. When he washes his feet, another knot is undone. Then Allaah says to those who are veiled (in the Unseen): ‘Look at this slave of Mine, he is striving against his own self and asking of Me. Whatever My slave asks of Me shall be his.”
One of greatest blessings that a person can have is the honour of speaking to his Lord in the depths of the night. Are you taking advantage of this opportunity, or are you sleeping
away the time about which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The closest that the Lord is to His slave is in the later part of the night, so if you can be one of those who remember Allaah at that time, then do so.” [at-Tirmidhi]
So before you go to sleep tonight ponder the following: in the middle of the night, Allah will be there waiting for you; the question is: will you be there to meet Him?
When the night is completely dark,
It finds them staying up in the night
Fear has chased away their sleep
So they stay up
While those who feel secure in this life
Quietly sleep on.
Ibn al-Mubarak (part of a poem from 'purification of the soul')
At the recent Light Upon Light class in New York, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi marvellously summarised the relationship between our wants and salaatul tahajjud:
"If you want something and don't pray tahajjud, you don't really want it."
Perplexed, you might be thinking:
“What is that supposed to mean? I don’t pray tahajjud, but I still want Jannah.”
A closer examination of the Qur’anic text and Prophetic traditions reveals the truthfulness behind Shaykh Yasir’s genuinely enlightening statement. In describing His righteous servants, Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala says: “Verily, the Muttaqoon (the pious) will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs (in Paradise), taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinoon (good-doers). They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord and praying, with fear and hope].” [adhDhariyaat: 15-17]
And the Prophet (peace be upon him) beautifully described the golden opportunity awaiting those who forsake their beds at night: "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?" [alBukhari]
It is also reported by Imam Ahmad that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whenever a Muslim goes to bed in a pure state (with wudhu), falls asleep while mentioning Allah and then wakes up during the night and asks Allah for anything good, He grants it to him.”
So, if you really want something you will strive hard and get up in the middle of the night to ask Allah for it at that time when He is waiting to answer your prayers, and forgive your sins. If you are not willing to sacrifice some sleep, then you don’t really want it.
Think about the people who camp outside stores for a week when the new video game system is released. Why? Because they really want it, and they are doing whatever it takes to ensure that they get it, even if it means skiving off work or school.
The reasons and virtues of praying tahajjud are too numerous to mention here so Insha’Allah the aforementioned verse and hadeeth will suffice. In any case, the best way to learn about the blessings of tahajjud is to experience it yourself. Instead, the rest of this brief reminder will be better served providing helpful guidelines to facilitate the night prayer for yourself and family.
Sincerity
Every action begins with the proper intention. What makes the night prayer so beautiful is the sincerity that is innate to this act of worship: waking up in the middle of the night when everyone else is sleeping solely for the sake of Allah, weeping over your sins, seeking His Forgiveness and asking of His Infinite Bounties. Similar to fasting, nobody but Allah would know about it unless you went out of your way to advertise it, i.e. "Uncle, I'd definitely like to discuss my rishta (proposal) for your daughter, but I can't make it after midnight because I gotta pray tahajjud."
The salaf were very keen to conceal their acts of worship such as qiyaam al-layl. A man asked Tameem ibn Aws al-Daari (may Allaah be pleased with him), ‘How do you pray at night?’ He got very angry and said, ‘By Allaah, one rak’ah that I pray in secret in the small hours of the night is more beloved to me than praying the whole night long and then telling people about it.’
Ayyoob al-Sakhtiyaani used to spend the entire night in prayer, then when dawn approached, he would go back to bed and lie down, and when dawn came, he would raise his voice as if he had just woken up.
Ibn al-Qayyim brilliantly summarised the importance of sincerity: "The degree to which a person is helped and aided by Allah depends on the degree of his intention, drive, aim and hopes. Help from Allah comes to people in proportion to their drive, intention, hopes and fears, and failure comes to them in like manner."
Therefore, the greater your sincerity in praying tahajjud, the easier Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will make it for you to wake up and perform it, and the more you will benefit from it.
Avoid Sins
Sins deaden the heart and prevent it from receiving the Mercy of Allah, thus depriving a person the opportunity to stand before Allah and ask of His Infinite Blessings. A man said to Ibraaheem ibn Adham, "I cannot pray qiyaam al-layl, so tell me the cure for this." He said, "Do not commit sin during the day, and He will help you to stand before Him at night, for your standing before Him at night is one of the greatest honours, and the sinner does not deserve that honour."
A man said to al-Hasan al-Basri: “”O Abu Sa’eed, I sleep in good health, and I love to pray qiyaam al-layl, and I prepare water with which to purify myself, so why can I not get up?” Al-Hasan said: “Your sins are restricting you.” He said, may Allaah have mercy on him, “The slave who commits a sin will be denied the opportunity to pray qiyaam at night and to fast during the day.”
Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Ayaad said: “If you cannot pray qiyaam al-layl, or fast during the day, know that you are indeed deprived and restricted, chained by your sins.”
Fear of Punishment, Hope for Mercy, Fearing the torment that awaits the inhabitants of the Hellfire will surely wipe out your sleep, as will the prospect of having your sins forgiven by Allah who is waiting in the lowest heaven for your repentance. ‘Amri ibn al ‘Aas used to say ‘Weep, and if you cannot weep, then pretend to weep. I swear by Him in Whose hand my life is, that if any of you really knew, you would plead until your voice went, and pray until your back was broken’. When Allah forgives you of your sins, Allah puts Noor in your face. Hassan al-Basri was once asked, “Why are those people who pray the night prayer so beautiful?” He responded, “Because Allah beautifies them with His light while others are sleeping in the dark.”
`Abdullah bin Rawaaha said: "Verily, when the servant of Allah is reminded of Paradise, his longing for it increases, and when he is reminded of the Fire, his sleep immediately disappears."
Daytime Nap
Taking an afternoon nap is a sunnah that has been practiced by our own Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), his companions and scholars of all times. Even if for only 20 or 30 minutes, you will find this time-out to be vital to your ability to get up for tahajjud. It is reported by at-Tabarani that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Take a nap, for the shayaateen do not take naps.” Ishaaq ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: “Taking a nap is one of the deeds of good people. It revitalizes the heart and helps one to pray qiyaam al-layl.”
Sleeping on Time
This point may seem elementary, but it deserves mention because it is often overlooked. Although sleeping abilities vary from person to person, it is safe to say that if you stay up until 1:00am partying, you will have difficulty waking up to pray tahajjud.
Sunnahs of Sleeping & Waking
Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When you want to go to bed, do wudoo’ as for prayer, then lie down on your right side.” Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “There is a reason for his lying on his right side, which is that the heart is located on the left, so if a person lays on his left side, he will sleep too deeply, because the heart’s position will be too comfortable, but if he sleeps on his right side, he will not be too settled, so he won’t sleep deeply.” There are many other sunnahs related to sleeping and waking up that you can easily find and should adhere to, as they will keep you in a state that is conducive for praying tahajjud.
Avoid Excessive Eating
Ever go to a wedding and eat two plates of biryani, two ladoos, and drink three mango lassis? You probably slept the night away and felt like a massive ogre afterwards. Overeating causes laziness and promotes sleep, both of which are factors that hinder the night prayer. Therefore, to help yourself pray tahajjud, it’s best to follow the sunnah of eating only as much as you need to. Imam Sufyaanal-Thawri said: “You should eat little, so that you will be able to pray qiyaamal-layl.”
Striving
Praying tahajjud requires determination because it’s not easy to leave your soft pillow-top mattress and cosy blanket. Always remember that the more you strive, the more Allah will assist you, as He says: “And as for those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will surely guide them to Our Paths. And verily, Allaah is with the muhsinoon (good-doers).”
[al‘Ankabut: 69]
Shaykh Yasir’s encouragement for the night prayer is further emphasised by the following statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “When a man from my ummah gets up to pray at night, striving against his own self to get up and purify himself, there are knots on him. When he washes his hands in wudoo’, one knot is undone. When he washes his face, another knot is undone. When he wipes his head another knot is undone. When he washes his feet, another knot is undone. Then Allaah says to those who are veiled (in the Unseen): ‘Look at this slave of Mine, he is striving against his own self and asking of Me. Whatever My slave asks of Me shall be his.”
One of greatest blessings that a person can have is the honour of speaking to his Lord in the depths of the night. Are you taking advantage of this opportunity, or are you sleeping
away the time about which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The closest that the Lord is to His slave is in the later part of the night, so if you can be one of those who remember Allaah at that time, then do so.” [at-Tirmidhi]
So before you go to sleep tonight ponder the following: in the middle of the night, Allah will be there waiting for you; the question is: will you be there to meet Him?
When the night is completely dark,
It finds them staying up in the night
Fear has chased away their sleep
So they stay up
While those who feel secure in this life
Quietly sleep on.
Ibn al-Mubarak (part of a poem from 'purification of the soul')
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Saheeh al-Bukhari