suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allaah). Verily, there is for you by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties. And remember the Name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with a complete devotion.” Brethren in Islaam! These verses were addressed to the Messenger so that he could get prepared for the weighty Word and the Greatest Message. The night was made the crèche of preparation because it is in it that the heart mostly opens and its relation with Allaah becomes stronger. The Messenger of Allaah is the most knowledgeable about his Lord and the most pious. He would always go into seclusion to remember his Lord whenever he had opportunity. When the night came, he would move closer to his Lord and submissively beseech Him standing, bowing and prostrating so much so that the night was almost gone while he would not know as a result of long standing. How could he know since he was alone with Allaah, the King of all kings and was enjoying his meditation with Him. His condition was like that of those whom Allaah describes thus,

“Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (in charity in Allaah’s Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.”

Al-Hasan Al-Basree was asked: ‘Why is it that those who pray at night have most beautiful faces?’ He said: ‘Because they stayed in seclusion with Allaah so He showered on them of His Light.’ Rising up to pray in the night softens the heart and gives it light. ‘Ataa Al-Khuraasaanee said’ “Rising up for prayer in the night gives life to the body, light to the heart, illumination to the vision and power to the limbs. When man wakes up in the night and prays he will feel a kind of joy in his heart, but if he is overcome by sleep, he will feel sad as if he has lost something, though he has missed one of the most beneficial thing to him.”

Your Lord is pleased with him who prays in the night. The Messenger of Allaah said, “Our Lord is pleased with two men. One: a man who wakes up from his bed and leaves his family and prays. Our Lord will tell His angels: ‘Look at My slave who wakes up from his bed and leaves his family and prays seeking for what is with Me and afraid of My punishment..” (Ahmad and others) What a great deed is rising up to pray in the night! A deed which Allaah is pleased with its doer!

Let him who seeks for spiritual elevation and glory persist in observing night prayers. The Prophet said, “The believer’s glory lies in his observation of night prayers.” Night prayer is the habit of righteous men. It brings man closer to Allaah, prevents him from committing sins, erases iniquities and drives diseases away from the body.

Observing night prayer elevates man’s position and it is one of the gates of good. The Messenger of Allaah said, “Should I not direct you to the gates of good? Fasting is a protection, charity extinguishes sins as water extinguishes fire and the man’s prayer in the middle of night (is also a gate to good).” (Ahmad)

When a Muslim wakes up from his bed in the darkness of the night, performs ablution with cold water and then stands in front of his Lord in meditation and beseeches Him in his prayer, the Lord will mention his name proudly in front of His angels and makes them hear his supplication, seeking for forgiveness and his glorification of Him at a time when other people are asleep. The Lord of the people and their Creator will say: “Is there any repentant slave so that I can accept his repentance?”

Our Lord descends to the nearest heaven every night when there remains the last third part of the night and answers the call of the supplicant, gives the asker and forgives the sinner. The Prophet said, “Allaah descends on to the nearest heaven every night after the passage of the first third of the night and says: ‘I am the Lord, I am the Lord. Who is he that will call on me so that I can answer him? Who is he that will ask from Me so that I can give to him? Who is he that will seek My forgiveness so that I can forgive him.’ He will continue saying that till dawn.” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

The Messenger of Allaah also said, “There is an hour in the night in which no Muslim man will succeed in attaining it and then ask Allaah in it of the good of this world and the Hereafter except that Allaah gives him what he wants. This hour is in every night.” (Muslim)

The Prophet also mentioned Paradise and said, “There is chamber in Paradise which its exterior is seen from inside and its interior is seen from outside.” Aboo Moosaa asked, “It belongs to whom, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “It belongs to him who speaks nicely, feeds the poor and wakes up to pray in the night while other people are fast asleep.” (Ahmad)

Al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyaad said, “If you can’t wake up to pray in the night and fast in the day while your sins are many, know that you are deprived.” A man told Al-Hasan Al-Basree: “I go to sleep in the night healthy but I love to pray in the night and I prepare water for my ablution. Why do I find it difficult to wake up?” Al-Hasan answered him: “It is your sins that tied you down.”

Brother in faith! If you are not blessed with night prayer, do not then disobey your Lord in the daytime.

Salh bin Sa‘d said, “Jibreel came to the Messenger of Allaah and said: ‘O Muhammad! Live as you like for you are going to die; love whoever you like for you are going to part with him; and do whatever you like, for your are going to be rewarded for it. O Muhammad! The believer’s glory is rising up to pray in the night and his honour lies in his ability to be in no need of the people.”

Brethren in faith! Ramadaan is an opportunity to learn a lesson that can prepare us for night prayer. Let us prepare ourselves for night prayer in the month of Ramadaan and other months especially that the last ten days of Ramadaan have come with their great blessings among which is the Night of Decree which is better than a thousand months. Whoever wakes up in this night and prays with faith and hoping to reward from Allaah, all his past sin will be forgiven.

These last ten nights are periods of acceptance of invocations and times of liberation from Hell. They are periods in which slaves must beseech their Lord humbly and submissively. Allaah says,

“And your Lord says: ‘Invoke Me, I will answer your invocation.”

It is a deprivation that Satan should overwhelm some people and prevent them from remembering Allaah, doing acts of worship and rising up in the night to pray in these seasons of good and mercy. Let us emulate our Messenger. ‘Aaishah said: “When the last ten days of Ramadaan come, the Messenger of Allaah would exert all his efforts in acts of worship, rise up and pray in the night and wake up his family.”

A truthful Muslim carries out different kinds of worship day and night. When he finishes from prayer, you see him reciting the Qur’aan, remembering Allah or seeking for His forgiveness. He then raises his hand up in supplication. His heart is submitting to Allaah as he is preoccupied by the worship. This was actually the condition of the Messenger of Allaah out of his quest for the night of Qadr about which Allaah says,

“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr is? The night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Holy Spirit (Jibreel), by Allaah’s permission with all Decrees. (All the night), there is Peace (and Goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.”

mashaallah thank you. may allah bless u

Jazakumullahul-khair..!

Salaam Alikum,

Mashallah Zak, what a wonderful read.

thank you.