Bismillaahirrahmaaniraahiim Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. #TAHAJJUD / #QIYAMULLAIL There is no difference between Tahajjud and Qiyam al-lail (the late night prayer). If the prayer is performed after one had slept then it is called Tahajjud otherwise it is called Qiyam-al-lail. Tahajjud prayer is performed after Isha and before Fajr. However, a person must sleep first and then perform Tahajjud. If he performed Isha, stayed awake and then hours later read Tahajjud, then this will not count as Tahajjud. There are many evidences in Quran and Sunnah proving the excellence and merits of Tahajjud. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Is one who is obedient to Allah, prostrating himself or standing (in prayer) during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord (like one who disbelieves) ? Say: Are those who know equal to those who know not? It is only men of understanding who will remember (i.e. get a lesson from Allahs Signs and Verses).} [Al.Quran 39:9]. Allah Praises those who perform the late night prayers : Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (in charity in Allahs 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 Quran 32:16-17]. The Prophet said: The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the prayer which is performed in the last part of the night. [Reported by Imam Muslim] Therefore, the night prayer is a confirmed Sunnah, its rule does not change even in the month of Ramadhan. However, performing it during Ramadhan is better than during other months. Ordering His Messenger to perform Tahajjud, Allah Almighty says what means: {And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory.} (Al-Israa’ 17:79) This order, although it was specifically directed to the Prophet, also refers to all Muslims, since the Prophet is a perfect example and guide for us in all matters. Moreover, performing Tahajjud Prayers regularly qualifies one as one of the righteous and makes one earn Allahs bounty and mercy. In praising those who perform the late night Prayers, Allah says what means: {And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.} (Al-Furqan 25:64) Next to these Quranic verses, there also exist a number of hadiths that reinforce the importance of Tahajjud. > Abdullah ibn Salam reported: Imam Tirmidzi narrates from Abdullah Ibn Salaam that When the Prophet (Sallallahu Alehi Wasallam) came to Madinah, the people gathered around him and I was one of them. I looked at his face and understood that it was not the face of a liar. The first words I heard him say were: O people, spread the salutations, feed the people, keep the ties of kinship, and pray during the night while the others are sleeping and you will enter paradise in peace. This is related by al-Hakim, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmidhi who calls it Hasan Sahih. > Salman Al-Farsi quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “Observe the night Prayer; it was the practice of the righteous before you and it brings you closer to your Lord and it is penance for evil deeds and erases the sins and repels disease from the body.” (At-Tabarani) **Etiquette of Prayer** The following acts are recommended for one who wishes to perform the Tahajjud Prayer: >> Upon going to sleep, one should make the intention to perform the Prayers. Abu Ad-Darda quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “Whoever goes to his bed with the intention of getting up and praying during the night, but, being overcome by sleep, fails to do that, he will have recorded for him what he has intended, and his sleep will be reckoned as a charity (an act of mercy) for him from his Lord.” (An-Nasai and Ibn Majah) >> On waking up, it is recommended that one wipes the face, use a toothbrush, and look to the sky and make the supplication which has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abu Hudhaifa reported: Whenever the Prophet intended to go to bed, he would recite: (With Your name, O Allah, I die and I live). And when he woke up from his sleep, he would say: (All the Praises are for Allah Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection.) (Al-Bukhari) >> One should begin with two quick rak`ahs and then one may pray whatever one wishes after that. A’ishah RA said: “When the Prophet prayed during the late-night, he would begin his Prayers with two quick rak`ahs.” (Muslim) >> It is recommended that one wakes up ones family. Abu Hurairah quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “May Allah bless the man who gets up during the night to pray and wakes up his wife and who, if she refuses to get up, sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah bless the woman who gets up during the night to pray and wakes up her husband and who, if he refuses, sprinkles water on his face.” (Ahmad) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: “If a man wakes his wife and prays during the night or they pray two rak`ahstogether, they will be recorded among those (men and women) who (constantly) make remembrance of Allah.” (Abu Dawud.) >> If one gets sleepy while performing Tahajjud, one should sleep. This is based on the hadith narrated by `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who quoted Allah’s Messenger as saying: “When one of you gets up during the night for Prayer and his Qur’anic recital gets mixed up to the extent that he does not know what he says, he should lie down.” (Muslim.) **Recommended Time for Tahajjud** The time of Tahajjud (Qiyam al-lail) starts after obligatory prayer of Isha and extends till dawn. There is no specific time for this prayer so it may be performed at any time of night but the preferred time is the last third of the night. Tahajjud may be performed in the early part of the night, the middle part of the night, or the latter part of the night, but after the obligatory `Isha’ Prayer (night Prayer). While describing the Prophet’s way of performing Prayer, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “If we wanted to see him praying during the night, we could see him praying. If we wanted to see him sleeping during the night, we could see him sleeping. And sometimes he would fast for so many days that we thought he would not leave fasting throughout that month. And sometimes he would not fast (for so many days) that we thought he would not fast during that month.” (Al-Bukhari, Ahmad and An-Nasa’i.) Commenting on this subject, Ibn Hajar says: “There was no specific time in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform his late night Prayer; but he used to do whatever was easiest for him.” **Best Time for Tahajjud** It is best to delay this Prayer to the last third portion of the night. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: “Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: ‘Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?’” (Al-Bukhari) `Amr ibn `Absah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “The closest that a slave comes to his Lord is during the middle of the latter portion of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah the Exalted One at that time, then do so.” (At-Tirmidhi) **The Number of Rak`ahs in Tahajjud** There is no specific number of Rakah of this night prayer but the Prophet never prayed more than thirteen Rakah during Ramadhan or any other time. Tahajjud Prayer does not entail a specific number of rak`ahs that must be performed, nor is there any maximum limit that may be performed. It would be fulfilled even if one prayed just onerak`ah of Witr after `Isha’. The Sunnah is to be performed in sets of two Rakah. It is recommended to shorten the first two Rakah making the remaining Rakah longer. And then one should end it with Witr prayer. One may also make Dua Qunoot in Witr if he likes. The amount of prayers can be between two and twelve Rakats. If a person is more-or-less sure that he will get up for Tahajjud prayer (as it is his habit), then he should delay performing the Witr and read it after the Tahajjud. The person who does not memorize much Quran may recite many short Surahs in one Rakah or he may read looking in the Mus-haf too. Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah ordered us to pray during the night, a little or a lot, and to make the last of the Prayer the Witr Prayer.” (At-Tabarani and Al-Bazzar). May we can make this sunnah become our habit and Allaah give us ability for do it. Amiin It better and get big rewards than spend whole night with surfing. ^__^ Allaah know best ...
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 10:27:55 +0000
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