Night Prayers

O you whose nature is unyielding and whose heart is inclined towards his nature: think of the purpose for which you were created, and what it is that Allāh made incumbent upon you. If you wish to ride the stallion that is your soul, then you must tame it, and counteract the effect of your mercurial nature, so that you can harness it for proper use. Look for the dawn of reward during the night, and pour out the intoxicant of your desires, so that you do not get caught by the One in authority [i.e. Allāh].

The water of your nature is brine, whereas the water of your heart is sweet, your intellect standing between the two as a barrier, just as al-Khidr’s firm stance. So be like Musā (‘alayhi as-salām), and do not abandon your self-discipline until you arrive at the meeting point of the two oceans. Stand on the leg of patience [praying all night] even if standing is too wearisome, as it is better than sitting down. O you who has been asleep all night long, the company has already left, and the sun of old-age is upon you and yet your sleep does not end. If you had been awake in the last part of the night, you would have seen how the road of the pious slaves is crowded and had you gone to drink from the well of Madiyan [1], you would have many people quenching their thirst from it.

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Whilst the People Sleep

Praying at night necessitates Jannah as was previously mentioned. Allah said: Verily, the pious will be in the midst of gardens and springs, taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinun. They used to sleep but little of the night. And in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness, and from their properties was [given] the right of the beggar, and the deprived. (Adh-Dhariyat 15-19)

Thus He described them as being awake at night, seeking forgiveness in the early hours of the morning, and spending from their wealth. Some of the Salaf would be asleep and something would come to them saying: Stand and pray. Don’t you know that the keys to Jannah lie with those who stand at night? They are its treasurers.

Standing at night entitles one to the highest levels in Jannah. Allah said to His prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasallam), “And in some parts of the night offer the Salah with it (ie. recite the Qur’an), as an optional salah for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to the highest level in Jannah.” (Isra: 79) Hence, He made the highest level in Jannah the reward for his (salAllahu alayhi wasallam) tahajjud at night.

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Being Attentive in Prayer

al-Hasan, may Allāh mercy on him, said, ‘When you stand in prayer, stand in due obedience as Allāh has ordered you, beware of negligence and looking (here and there), beware that Allāh be looking at you while you are looking at something else, asking Allāh for Paradise and taking refuge with Him from the Fire, yet your heart is heedless, not knowing what the tongue is saying.’ It was recorded by Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi , may Allāh have mercy on him. (1)

Isam ibn Yusuf, may Allāh have mercy on him, passed by Hatim al-Asamm who was talking in his gathering . He asked, ‘Hatim, have you made your prayer good?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘How do you pray?’ He replied, ‘I stand at the command, I walk in fear, I commence with the intention, I perform the takbir bearing in mind His greatness, I recite at a measured pace, carefully and with contemplation, I bow with khushu‘, I prostrate in meekness, I sit and read the whole tashahhud, and then I perform the salam in accordance to the Sunnah. I pray with sincerity to Allāh, Mighty and Magnificent, and yet I fear that it will not be accepted of me; however I will preserve it as much as I can until I die.’ He said, ‘Keep talking for you have indeed excelled in your prayer.’

Footnotes:

1. Marwazi, Ta’zim al-Qadr al-Salah # 140

• Transcribed from: The Humility in Prayer | al-Khushu’ fi’l Salah | Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali

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Salaah: Step by Step

Prayers: Step by Step

An excellent resource on Salaah – its meaning, its merits, and a step by step guide on its performance (complete with illustrations and audio – maashaAllaah).

Compiled by: Dr. Saleh As-Saleh rahimuhullaah

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Why We Can’t Attach Our Feet In Salaah

…and from it is the saying of Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, in a Sunnah from the Sunan of Salaat; and it is the spacing in the Salaat; that a Muslim stands beside his Muslim brother and attaches his feet, knees and shoulders to his brother without being excessive or negligent, as was legislated by the Messenger – salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam – who said:

“You will straighten your lines or Allaah will separate between your hearts or faces.”

This is why when the hearts have become separated during this time, so did the feet. Why is it that we can’t attach our feet to each other’s feet? It is because our hearts are detached from one another, if our hearts were attached to one another, our feet would also be attached. This is why if a person who loves you and whom you love were to put his foot over yours, you would not get upset, you would not say; ‘why is he bothering me’, this is because your heart loves him. But because there is a detachment between you and him, you cannot stand that he attaches his foot to yours let alone that he puts his foot over yours.

This is why Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, when he describes his state at the time of the Messenger of Allaah – salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam – and his state after that, he says; “At the time of the Messenger – salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam – we would attach our feet to our brother’s feet, and our knees to our brother’s knees, and our shoulders to our brother’s shoulders, in obedience to the Messenger’s orders – salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, but if we were to do so today, he would escape like an obstinate mule.”

By Allaah I saw with my own eyes here in Madeenah, a man wanted to attach his foot to his brother’s foot, by Allaah his brother cut his Salaat, he cut his Salaat and left the whole first line and went to the second line. He left the first line to escape this Sunnah, and the cause of this is ignorance, may Allaah preserve you. This is why we must teach the people the Sunnah of the Prophet – salAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

• Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abdil Wahhaab Al Aqeel | Reference: Audio Tape | Source: SubulasSalaam

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Praying Before the Time

Q. If a person prayed before the time out of ignorance, what is the ruling?

 

A. The prayer of a person before the stated time does not suffice him as the obligatory prayer, because Allah, the Most High says: 

إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا 

Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours. (An-Nisa 4:103)

 

The Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam made these times clear in his words:

 

“The time of Dhuhr is when the sun begins to decline from its zenith” (Reported by Al Bukhari)

 

-up to the end of the hadeeth.

 

Accordingly, whoever performed a prayer before its stated time, it will not suffice him as the obligatory prayer. Instead it will be considered a supererogatory prayer, meaning that it will be rewarded with the reward of a supererogatory prayer for that prayer, and he must repeat the prayer once the time for it has begun. And Allah knows best.   

• Transcribed from: Fatawa Arkan-ul-Islam | Islamic Verdicts on the Pillars of Islam | Volume 2 | Shaykh Uthaymeen

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