The Shari’ah Ruling on Tahajjud
The Tahajjud prayer is a nafl (voluntary) prayer, not an obligatory one. Only the five daily prayers are obligatory.
The Prophet ﷺ said to a man:
خمس صلوات فى اليوم والليل . فقال: هل على غيره؟ قال: لا ، إلا أن تطوع
“Five prayers are obligatory during the day and night.” The man asked: “Is there anything else obligatory upon me besides these?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “No! Unless you voluntarily pray some nafl prayers.”
The Tahajjud prayer is a nafl, but for the leaders of this Ummah and its elite, it holds the status of an additional curriculum. For its righteous people, it is necessary to maintain it. Accordingly, Ra’is al-Tabi’in Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him, d. 110 AH) and Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) also hold this view.
The Time of the Tahajjud Prayer
The time of Tahajjud is from after Isha until Fajr.
This prayer may be offered at any time from after the Isha prayer until the break of dawn: at the beginning of the night, in the middle of the night, or in the last part of the night, but the last part of the night is preferable. The servant of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We would see the Prophet ﷺ praying in whatever part of the night we wished.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him, d. 852 AH) said:
“The Prophet ﷺ did not have a fixed time for Tahajjud. Whenever he wished to pray, according to his convenience, he would pray.
However, it is preferable that the Tahajjud prayer be offered in the last third of the night.”
Tahajjud Prayer in Congregation is Also Sunnah
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered the Tahajjud prayer both individually and in congregation. Optional prayers may also be offered in congregation. In Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered the Taraweeh prayer in congregation as well as individually. Both of these are Sunnahs.
◈ There are authentic hadiths that establish the congregational performance of the Tahajjud prayer. It is an established Sunnah. How can an established Sunnah be called an innovation? It is neither an innovation, nor makruh tahrimi, nor makruh tanzihi. Please consider the following hadiths.
(1) The Prophet ﷺ performed Qiyam al-Layl in congregation with Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).
(2) Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) offered the night prayer in congregation with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
(3) Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed behind the Prophet ﷺ.
(4) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered twelve (12) rak’ahs of optional Tahajjud prayer with Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), then lay down. When the adhan was called, he offered two (2) light rak’ahs of the Sunnah of Fajr, then set out for the mosque.
(5) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the congregation for Qiyam al-Layl in Ramadan.
(6) The prayer of eclipse of the moon, the prayer of eclipse of the sun and the prayer for rain are optional prayers. Yet these were also performed in congregation.
◈ Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ also performed the Tahajjud prayer in congregation with Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), Awf ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), his mother Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) and his maternal aunt Umm Haram (may Allah be pleased with her). He led Itban ibn Malik and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in prayer once. On one occasion he also offered the Tahajjud prayer in congregation at the house of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him).
All these narrations establish that performing the Tahajjud prayer in congregation is not an innovation and is not showing off. It has been mentioned earlier that according to some scholars it is an optional prayer, and according to some it is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah). Performing it individually is better, but there is no harm in arranging congregational Tahajjud for a religious benefit and for training.
Certainly, it is better and more virtuous to perform optional deeds in secret, but it is also not correct that every optional deed must necessarily be done in secret. At times, a collective benefit is hidden in doing it openly (﴿اظهار﴾).
The Qur’an has praised both openness (﴿اظهار﴾) and concealment (﴿اخفاء﴾) in giving charity.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿إِن تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ ۖ وَإِن تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ﴾
“If you give charity openly, it is good; and if you conceal it and give it to the poor secretly, that is better for you.”
◈ After this Qur’anic text, how can anyone say that every open charity is makruh tanzihi?
It is well known that according to most muhaddithun, Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers are one and the same, and in Sahih al-Bukhari there is a narration from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
“In Ramadan and outside Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to offer eight (8) rak’ahs.”
Sometimes we derive a jurisprudential principle from one legal text, but that principle conflicts with another legal text. The same is the case with congregational Tahajjud. Some scholars made the principle that congregational Tahajjud should be declared makruh tanzihi.
Allah forbid! Will an action proven from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ be declared disliked?
In the early training centres of the Islamic movement, the administrative trainer, Shaykh al-Hadith Maulana Abdul Ghaffar Hasan, used to lead congregational Tahajjud prayer. This is an effective, Sunnah-based, scholarly and spiritual prescription for education and training. Professor Syed Muhammad Saleem (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that Maulana Masood Alam Nadwi (may Allah have mercy on him) and Maulana Aasim al-Haddad (may Allah have mercy on him) also used to offer congregational Tahajjud prayer (rather, they used to recite by looking at the mushaf). Among the Deobandi scholars, Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani (may Allah have mercy on him) believed in and practised congregational Tahajjud prayer. In the training centres of the Ikhwan al-Muslimun, this Sunnah is greatly benefited from.
The correct position is that developing the habit of rising early for night prayer is necessary in every age among the workers of the Islamic movement in general and among its leadership in particular, and today, when Western civilisation is dominant, its importance and benefit have increased even more. Tahajjud prayer is a scholarly and spiritual training centre. Through it, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were trained scholarly and spiritually in the early Makki period. Yes, one should not beat the drum of one’s Tahajjud worship before others. That would be showing off.
When going to sleep at night, one should make the intention to rise for Tahajjud
When going to sleep at night, one should make the intention to rise for Tahajjud, so that even if one is unable to wake up, one does not lose the reward.
It is narrated from Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever sleeps with the intention that he will rise at night and pray, and then he keeps sleeping until morning comes, the deed he intended is written for him in his record of deeds, and Allah has granted his sleep as charity to him.”
After waking up from sleep, one should make the recommended supplication
After waking up from sleep, we should recite the following Sunnah supplication:
الحمد لله الذى احيانا بعد ما أماتنا وإليه النشور
“All praise is for Allah, who gave us life after He had caused us to die [i.e., sleep], and to Him is the resurrection.”
Reciting the Last Verses of Surah Al-Imran is Sunnah
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that one night he slept at the house of his maternal aunt, Umm al-Mu’minin Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was also in her house that night. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke with his family for some time, then slept. When a third of the night remained, he woke up. He looked at the sky and recited verses 190 to 200 of Al-Imran:
﴿اِنَّ فِيْ خَلْقِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ وَ اخْتِلَافِ الَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ﴾
“Until he finished the Surah (Al-Imran).”
◈ In another narration in Sahih Muslim, it is stated that after waking up, the Prophet ﷺ used the miswak, and while performing wudu he recited these last verses of Al-Imran.
A Specific Sunnah Supplication for Tahajjud Prayer
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet ﷺ woke up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he would recite this specific supplication:
اللهم لك الحمد أنت نور السموات والأرض ومن فيهن ولك الحمد أنت قيم السموات والأرض ومن فيهن ولك الحمد أنت الحق ووعدك الحق ولقاؤك حق و الجنة حق والنار حق و النبيون حق و محمد حق و الساعة حق اللهم لك أسلمت وبك امنت وعليك توكلت واليك أنبت وبك خاصمت وإليك حاكمت فاغفرلي ما قدمت وما أخرت وما أسررت و ما أعلنت أنت الله ، لا إله إلا أنت
“O Allah, to You belongs all praise! You are the light of the heavens and the earth and of whoever is in them. To You belongs all praise! You are the sustainer of the heavens and the earth and of whoever is in them. To You belongs all praise! You are the Truth, Your promise is true, Your meeting is certain, Paradise is true, Hell is true, the Prophets are true, Muhammad ﷺ is true, and the Hour is certain. O Allah, to You I have submitted, in You I have believed, upon You I have relied, to You I have turned in repentance, by You I have argued, and to You I have brought my dispute. So forgive me my sins, those I committed earlier and later, those done secretly and openly. You are Allah; there is no god but You.”
◈ Reflect on this supplication.
What sentiments it contains! It includes praise of Allah. It also includes affirmation and expression of faith and certainty. It includes the declaration of one’s turning back to Allah and attachment to Him. It includes a supplication for forgiveness, and at the end, the acknowledgment and affirmation of Allah’s divinity.
A Specific Opening Supplication (Du’a al-Istiftah) for Tahajjud Prayer
There is also a specific Sunnah opening supplication (du’a al-istiftah) for the Tahajjud prayer. After the takbir of opening (takbir tahrimah) and the thana, and before Surah Al-Fatihah, the following supplication should be recited:
اللهم رب جبريل وميكائيل وإسرافيل فاطر السموات والأرض ، عالم الغيب والشهادة أنت تحكم بين عبادك فيما كانوا فيه يختلفون اهد ني لما اختلف فيه من الحق بإذنك انك تهدى من تشاء إلى صراط مستقيم
“O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mikail and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen! O Allah, You judge between Your servants regarding that in which they differ! Guide me, by Your permission, to the truth in matters over which they differed, for You guide whom You will to a straight path!”
The First Two Rak’ahs of Tahajjud Should Be Light
The first two rak’ahs of Tahajjud should be recited lightly. It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When one of you wakes up at night, he should begin his Tahajjud prayer with two light rak’ahs.”
After these two light rak’ahs, one should make arrangements for a long standing (qiyam).
If Sleep Overcomes One, One Should End the Tahajjud Prayer and Sleep
When sleep overcomes a person, he should end the Tahajjud prayer and sleep.
It is narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When one of you wakes up at night and the Qur’an is not being recited correctly by him, and he does not know what he is saying, then he should sleep.”
◈ From this hadith it is known that when sleep overcomes a person, the requirements of understanding the Qur’an and deep reflection upon it cannot be fulfilled. In such a case, sleeping is better.
◈ From this hadith it is also known that a righteous person may adjust his routine according to his mental and physical condition. Sometimes, leaving a Sunnah is itself a Sunnah.
The Number of Rak’ahs in Tahajjud Prayer
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Tahajjud prayer in several different ways, and there are several Sunnahs from him regarding this matter. According to one’s physical condition, health and convenience, any of these Sunnahs may be acted upon. And in following every established authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ there is abundant reward. It is better to act upon every established authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from time to time.
◈ The number of rak’ahs of Tahajjud prayer is at least four (4) and at most twelve (12).
Please consider the following ahadith.
(1) Four rak’ahs: Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“The Prophet ﷺ would sometimes offer four (Tahajjud) and three (Witr), total seven; sometimes six (Tahajjud) and three (Witr), total nine rak’ahs; sometimes eight (Tahajjud) and three (Witr), total eleven; and sometimes ten (Tahajjud) and three (Witr), total thirteen rak’ahs. The Prophet ﷺ’s night prayer was never less than seven or more than thirteen.”
(2) Six (6), eight (8) and ten (10) rak’ahs:
Masruq (may Allah have mercy on him), a well-known Tabi’i, narrates that he asked Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the night prayer of the Prophet ﷺ, and she said:
Apart from the Sunnah of Fajr, seven (7) rak’ahs, nine (9) rak’ahs and eleven (11) rak’ahs (of which one was Witr).
(3) Eight (8) rak’ahs: Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“The Prophet ﷺ used to pray thirteen (13) rak’ahs at night. Of these, (eight rak’ahs were Tahajjud), five (5) rak’ahs were Witr, and the Prophet ﷺ would not sit in any rak’ah before the last one.” That is, he would offer the five rak’ahs of Witr without sitting between them, with only one tashahhud at the end.
(4) Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“Sometimes he would pray four long rak’ahs with beauty and grace, then another four long rak’ahs with beauty and grace (thus there were eight rak’ahs of Tahajjud), then he would offer three rak’ahs of Witr.”
(5) Ten (10) rak’ahs:
Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that “the Prophet ﷺ used to pray eleven (11) rak’ahs between the Isha prayer and the break of dawn. He would give the salam after every two rak’ahs, and at the end he would pray one (1) rak’ah of Witr.”
(6) Ten (10) rak’ahs:
It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that at night the Prophet ﷺ would pray ten (10) rak’ahs, and after them one (1) Witr, and after the night he would offer two (2) rak’ahs of Fajr.
Thus the total would be thirteen rak’ahs. (10 Tahajjud + 1 Witr + 2 Fajr = 13)
فتلك ثلاث عشرة ركعة
“A total of thirteen (13) rak’ahs.”
(7) Twelve (12) rak’ahs:
It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that if the Tahajjud prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was ever missed, due to illness or pain or similar reasons, then he ﷺ would offer twelve (12) rak’ahs during the day.
It is better and more virtuous to offer Tahajjud two by two
It is better and more virtuous to offer Tahajjud two by two, but it may also be offered four by four.
◈ It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man stood up and asked the Prophet ﷺ: “How is the night prayer to be offered?”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The night prayer is two (2) by two (2) rak’ahs; when you fear the arrival of dawn, offer one rak’ah of Witr!”
◈ It is also narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
صلاة الليل مثنى مثنى
“The night prayer is to be offered in the form of two (2) by two (2) rak’ahs.”
◈ The narration of Sahih Muslim:
يسلم بين كل ركعتين
“The Prophet ﷺ, while offering Tahajjud, would give salam between every two rak’ahs.”
Witr prayer
In the last part of the night, shortly before the adhan for the Fajr prayer, it is more virtuous to offer the Witr prayer. That is, a person should keep offering Tahajjud two by two and at the end offer Witr in an odd number.
The Witr prayer may be offered as one, three, five, seven or nine rak’ahs.
◈ It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar and Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
والوتر ركعة من آخر الليل
“Witr is one (1) rak’ah at the end of the night.”
◈ It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ commanded us to offer the night prayer and, encouraging it, told us:
“You should offer the night prayer (Witr), even if it is only one (1) rak’ah.”
Tahajjud may also be offered four by four
Tahajjud may be offered with two rak’ahs at a time, and also with four rak’ahs at a time.
Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
يصلى اربعا ، فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن ، ثم يصلى اربعا فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن ، ثم يصـلـي ثلاثا
“First the Prophet ﷺ would pray four (4) rak’ahs of Tahajjud. Do not ask about their length and beauty! Then he would pray another four (4) rak’ahs of Tahajjud. Do not ask about their length and beauty! Then he would pray three rak’ahs (Witr).”
Tahajjud may be offered both aloud and silently
Qiyam al-layl was performed by the Prophet ﷺ both silently and audibly; this is established from him.
◈ In one narration, Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
ربما اسر و ربما جهر
“At times the Prophet ﷺ would recite silently, and at times he would recite audibly.”
◈ Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas says that during the Tahajjud prayer the Prophet ﷺ’s recitation was so loud that those inside the room could hear it.
◈ It is better for the recitation to be at a moderate volume. The Messenger ﷺ instructed Hadrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to recite somewhat audibly, and Hadrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to recite somewhat quietly.
A non-Hafiz may also recite from the Qur’an in Tahajjud
Since Tahajjud is a voluntary prayer and not obligatory, it is permissible to recite from the Qur’an while reading from the text.
كانت عائشة رضی اللہ عنہا يؤمها عبدها ذكوان من المصحف
“Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was led in prayer by her slave Dhakwan, who recited to her from the Mushaf (copy of the Qur’an).”
Recitation recommended in Tahajjud
In light of the concession granted to Muslims in the final verse of Surah al-Muzzammil, ﴿فاقرءوا ما تيسر من القرآن﴾, a person may recite according to his convenience and as he wishes; however, a long standing and lengthy recitation is in all cases better and more virtuous.
Consider the following three hadiths.
(1) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, at times, would stand so long in Tahajjud prayer that his feet would swell.
(2) Once he was asked which prayer is most virtuous. He ﷺ said: ﴿طول القنوت﴾, meaning the prayer in which the standing is long.
(3) At times the Prophet ﷺ would repeat only a single verse until morning. Hadrat Abu Dhar al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) says: One night the Prophet ﷺ stood in prayer and kept repeating the following verse 118 of Surah al-Ma’idah until morning.
إن تعذبهم فإنهم عبادك وإن تغفر لهم فإنك نت العزيز الحكيم
“O Allah! If You punish them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, indeed You are the Mighty, the Wise.”
The long recitation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Tahajjud
In Tahajjud prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would recite at length.
Hadrat Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), the confidant of the Messenger ﷺ, says:
“One night I prayed Tahajjud with him. He began reciting Surah al-Baqarah. I thought to myself that after one hundred verses he would bow, but he went on. I thought he would finish the surah and then pause, but he kept reciting. He began Surah an-Nisa, then began Surah Al Imran.”
The long prostrations of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Tahajjud
It is reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that in Tahajjud prayer he would make a prostration as long as the time it takes to recite fifty verses. Besides glorification (tasbih), supplications may be made in prostrations. Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
يسجد السجدة من ذلك قدر ما يقرأ أحدكم خمسين اية
“He ﷺ would make a prostration as long as it takes one of you to recite fifty verses.”
◈ It should be known that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited recitation of the Qur’an in bowing and prostration, and commanded the exaltation of Allah in bowing; but regarding prostrations he said:
وأما السجود فاجتهدوا فى الدعاء ، فقمن حقيق أن يستجاب لكم
“Yes! Strive to make supplication in prostration; there is a real likelihood that your supplications will be answered.”
Long standing and the beauty of the prayer in Tahajjud
The prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Tahajjud was beautiful. Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
يصلى أربعا ، فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن ، ثم يصلي أربعا فلا تسأل عن حسنهن وطولهن ، ثم يصلى ثلاثا
“First he ﷺ would pray four (4) rak’ahs of Tahajjud. Do not ask about their length and beauty! Then he would pray four (4) more rak’ahs of Tahajjud. Do not ask about their length and beauty! Then he would pray three (3) rak’ahs (Witr).”
◈ Alas! Nowadays we give greater attention to quantity, but do not pay heed to quality. Our prayers are not in accordance with the Sunnah. Therefore they lack inabah (turning to Allah), khushu’ (humility), khudu’ (submissiveness), ikhbat (humble devotion), attentiveness and concentration. For this we must do two things: we must develop love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the desire to follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and we must make serious effort. If we become aware of the need to improve our prayer, then within a short time our prayer too can reach the station of ihsan.
Tafaqquh fil-Qur’an in Tahajjud
The well-known Companion Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), explaining the meaning of the words ﴿وأقوم قيلاً﴾ found in Surah al-Muzzammil concerning the Tahajjud prayer, says:
أجدر أن يفقه فى القرآن
“In Tahajjud, recitation of the Qur’an is more suitable and appropriate for understanding (tafaqquh) and reflection.”
One should maintain the Tahajjud prayer to the extent of one’s capacity
Tahajjud is a voluntary worship. One should make it a habit and perform it with eagerness and desire. If one’s health is poor, one is weak, or there is some other necessity, then one should reduce it.
It is narrated from Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Do only as much deeds as you find yourselves capable of. By Allah! Allah does not tire until you yourselves tire.”
Making up for Tahajjud (Qada)
A fortunate person who is regularly performing this voluntary prayer, if for some reason he ever misses Tahajjud, should make up for it during the day.
“When the Tahajjud prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was missed at any time due to some pain or the like, he would then offer twelve (12) rak’ahs during the day.”
Etiquette of Recitation and Reading in Tahajjud
The following are the etiquettes of reciting the Quran in Tahajjud.
(1) In Tahajjud, the Quran should be recited slowly and in measured tones (tartil).
(2) Every word and every letter of the Quran should be recited clearly.
(3) One should pause after every verse.
(4) One should elongate the last word of every verse.
(5) If the Quran commands praise, glorification, or seeking refuge, then one should respond to it.
(6) One should be moved by the speech of Allah and weep out of fear of Allah.
The Quran should be recited calmly and slowly
It is not appropriate to recite the Quran hurriedly and rapidly in Tahajjud. The Quran commands:
﴿وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا﴾
“And recite the Quran slowly and with care!”
Every word of the Quran should be recited clearly
Hadrat Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) describes the characteristics of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ’s recitation:
أنها وصفت قراءة النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم حرفا حرفا
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite clearly, letter by letter.”
One should pause after every verse and elongate the last word
Hadrat Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would recite each verse separately and pause at every verse.
Upon reciting ﴿الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾ he would stop.
Then he would pause at ﴿الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ﴾.
After that, he would stop and say ﴿مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ﴾.”
Would that our imams, our huffaz and our khatibs began to act upon this Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ!
Responding at the Occasions of Glorification, Seeking Refuge and Supplication
Hadrat Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“One night I stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I saw that when he reached a verse of glorification he glorified (Allah), when he reached a verse of supplication he supplicated, and when he reached a verse of seeking refuge he sought refuge.”
On the question at the last verse of Surah al-Tin, ﴿أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ﴾, the Prophet ﷺ would respond: ﴿بَلَى وَاَنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ﴾ “Yes! Yes, of course! I am among those who bear witness that you are ﴿أَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَ﴾.”
On the question at the last verse of Surah al-Qiyamah, the Prophet ﷺ would respond:
سُبحَانَكَ اللهُم فَبَلَى
The Weeping and Lamentation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Tahajjud
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would weep in prayer. Hadrat Abdullah ibn Shikhkhir says: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying, and from his chest came a sound of weeping like the sound that comes from a boiling cooking pot.”
In another narration, Hadrat Abdullah ibn Shikhkhir says:
يصلي و فى صدره آزيز كازيز الرحى من البكاء
“The Prophet ﷺ would pray, and because of the weeping in his chest there would be a sound like that of a boiling pot.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ’s listening to the Quran and his weeping
Once, the Prophet ﷺ asked Hadrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) to recite the Quran to him. He began reciting Surah al-Nisa’. When he reached verse 41, which says:
﴿فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا﴾
“So how will it be when We bring from every nation a witness, and bring you as a witness against these people?”
Then the Prophet ﷺ said to Hadrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him): “Enough, Abdullah!” At that time, tears were flowing from the eyes of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Tahajjud prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the night of the Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr was a decisive battle in Islamic history, in which 70 disbelievers were killed, among whom were chiefs such as Abu Jahl and Umayyah ibn Khalaf. On that night the Prophet ﷺ supplicated in Tahajjud prayer, weeping profusely. It was accepted.
Hadrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “On the day of the Battle of Badr, there was none among us except Miqdad ibn Aswad (may Allah be pleased with him), and no one performing qiyam al-layl at night except the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He was praying Tahajjud under a tree and weeping until morning came.”
There is a lesson in this incident for our military rulers and commanders. Victory depends, apart from worldly means, on the believer’s contrition (inabat), his connection with Allah, and the divine support (tayid-e-ilahi).
The Weeping of the Prophets
The Holy Quran states about the prophets who were blessed with Allah’s favour that, when the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they would fall down in prostration weeping. In Surah Maryam it is said:
“These are the prophets upon whom Allah bestowed His favour, from the offspring of Adam, and from those whom We carried with Noah, and from the offspring of Abraham and Israel (Ya’qub peace be upon him), and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they would fall down prostrating and weeping.”
﴿إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا﴾
“When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they would fall down in prostration weeping.”
The Weeping of the Scholars
Those to whom knowledge has been given by Allah also weep when they hear the verses of Allah. In Surah Bani Isra’il, verses 107 to 109, it is said:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا 107 وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا 108 وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا﴾
“Those who were given knowledge before it, when the verses are recited to them, fall down on their faces in prostration. And they say: Glory be to our Lord! The promise of our Lord was bound to be fulfilled. And they fall down on their faces weeping, and it increases them in humility.”
The Recitation and Weeping of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)
What is the curriculum of the Quran for Islamic leadership? Let us seek the answer from the early Meccan life of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the first caliph of the Muslims. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had built a mosque within his house. He would pray and recite the Quran here.
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would weep greatly while reciting. The children and women of the Mushrikin of Makkah would also gather. This was displeasing to the chiefs of Quraysh, and they devised measures to stop him.
The Recitation and Weeping of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
Once Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) began reciting Surah al-Tur, and when he reached the seventh verse
﴿إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ لَوَاقِعٌ﴾
“Indeed, the punishment of your Lord will surely occur,”
he wept greatly, so much so that he fell ill. People began coming to visit him.
Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), while mentioning the Tahajjud prayer of his father Umar ibn al-Khattab, says:
“He would pray at night as Allah granted him ability, and in the last part of the night, before the Fajr adhan, he would wake the family for prayer, reciting this verse of the Holy Quran:”
﴿وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا ۖ لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ ۗ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ﴾
“Enjoin prayer upon your family and be steadfast in it. We do not ask you for provision; it is We who provide for you. And the best outcome is for the righteous.”
Recitation That Conveys the Fear of Allah
It is also a requirement of the recommended manner of reciting the Quran that, in Tahajjud prayer or at any other time when recitation takes place, the recitation be such that the listener feels that the reciter has the fear of Allah within him.
◈ Beautiful recitation is not merely the name of an art; rather, it is the act of absorbing the Word of Allah, and the peak of this art is that during recitation the fear of Allah dominates the heart.
◈ Hadrat Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إن من احسن الناس صوتا بالقران الذى إذا سمعتموه يقرأ حسبتموه يخشى الله
“Indeed, the best of people in recitation is the reciter whom, when you hear him reciting the Quran, you feel that he is full of the fear of Allah.”
◈ In light of this hadith we can assess today’s reciters. These huffaz and qaris neither weep while reciting the Quran, nor do any signs of the fear of Allah appear upon them.
Political Positions and Teaching of the Quran
In an Islamic state, important political and administrative posts are given to those who have a deep knowledge of the Quran. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed Uthman ibn Abi al-As al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) (d. 51 AH) as governor of Ta’if, although he was the youngest of the delegation of the people of Ta’if. The reason was that he was a scholar of Surah al-Baqarah.
This position was given not on the basis of age, but on the basis of knowledge of the Quran.
The Importance of Umar’s (may Allah be pleased with him) Consultative Council
In the eligibility for the consultative council of an Islamic state too, knowledge of the Quran is given preference. People’s knowledge is examined; age is not examined.
Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
كان القراء أصحاب مجالس عمر ، ومشاورته كهولا كانوا و شبانا
“The consultative council of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) consisted of scholars of the Quran. In his consultation there were both the elderly and the young.”
What is worth reflecting upon here is whether, today, knowledge of the Quran and understanding of the Quran are any criterion for the members of the cabinets of Islamic governments?
Leadership in the present age
In light of the teachings mentioned above, let us look at the leadership of the Muslim Ummah today.
By leadership we do not mean political leadership alone; it also means military leadership, religious leadership, economic and social leadership, scientists and doctors, writers, poets and journalists, and influential figures of the electronic media.
Do they know Arabic? Can they understand the Qur’an? Do they gain understanding of the Qur’an by listening to it in the Tahajjud prayer? Do they reflect deeply upon the Qur’an? Do they weep when they hear and recite the Qur’an?
Allama Iqbal (may Allah have mercy on him) did not say this without reason:
Whether he is an Attar, a Rumi, a Razi or a Ghazali,
Nothing is attained without the sighs of the pre-dawn vigil.
The rise and fall of the Ummah is tied to the Qur’an. The future of common people depends on leadership, and the progress of ordinary Muslims depends on a Muslim leadership that possesses a deep understanding of the Qur’an.
The curriculum of the common Muslim:
The curriculum of the common Muslim differs from the curriculum of Islamic leadership. The curriculum of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) was the entire Qur’an and all the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In Bukhari and Muslim there is a hadith agreed upon (muttafaq alayh) narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him to guide him to a deed which, if he performed it, would enable him to enter Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ replied: Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him. Offer the obligatory prayers! Pay the obligatory zakat! Fast in Ramadan! The villager said: “By Him in whose hand is my soul, I will not add anything to this and I will not reduce anything from it.”
لا أزيد على هذا ولا أنقص منه
“I will neither add to this nor reduce from it.”
When that man turned to leave, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever likes to see a person of Paradise, let him look at this (villager).”
This was an ordinary man and a villager, and he was a person of Paradise; a burden was placed upon him according to his understanding, his abilities and his responsibilities.
The curriculum of leadership:
A leader is not an ordinary person. His responsibilities are greater, and therefore his qualities are also different.
The pledge of allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims is made on condition of following the Book and the Sunnah.
The curriculum of an Islamic judge and qadi shall be all the legal and constitutional rulings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The curriculum of an Islamic commander-in-chief shall be all the rulings of the Qur’an and Sunnah concerning peace and war.
The curriculum of Islamic experts in economics shall be all the rulings of the Qur’an and Sunnah concerning economics.
In the same way, apply analogy to experts in other fields.
Tahajjud in the early days and the later reduction of the ruling
In the early Meccan life of the Prophet ﷺ, for the first twelve years the five daily prayers had not been made obligatory. The five daily prayers were made obligatory in Rajab of the twelfth year of prophethood, on the occasion of the Mi’raj. The initial ruling on Tahajjud was revealed probably at the beginning of prophethood or in the second year of prophethood, when most of the short surahs of the Qur’an had already been revealed.
According to the narration of the famous tabi’i Sa’id ibn Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him), ten years after the initial ruling on Tahajjud prayer in Surah Al-Muzzammil, the final reducing ruling on Tahajjud prayer was revealed in the last verse, verse 20. Initially, a long standing in the night was ordered, up to half the night, or somewhat less than half the night, or somewhat more than half the night. Thus the Qur’an commands:
﴿قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 2 نِّصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا 3 أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ﴾
“Stand in prayer during the night, but only a little. Half of the night, or reduce it a little, or add to it a little.”
But later the following command was given and the ruling was reduced:
﴿فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَآخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ ۙ وَآخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ﴾
“Recite as much of the Qur’an as is easy for you. Surely Allah knows that some of you will be sick, others will travel in search of Allah’s bounty, and others will fight in the way of Allah.”
Now there is a command to recite as much of the Qur’an as can be easily recited in the Tahajjud prayer.
The Qur’an has also mentioned the following three (3) reasons for the reduction:
(1) In the Tahajjud prayer, the reduction has been made taking into consideration the physical condition of the sick.
(2) The reduction has been made taking into consideration those who seek lawful sustenance.
(3) In the Tahajjud prayer, the reduction has been made taking into consideration the jihad commitments of the mujahideen.
It is thus known that believers may make adjustments in their voluntary matters according to circumstances. This flexibility is a mark of Islam and is in complete accordance with the nature of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Witr should be prayed at the very end
At the end of the Tahajjud prayer, when you see that the Fajr adhan is about to be called, offer the Witr prayer in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 rak’ahs). One should not offer Witr two (2) times in one night.
وتحتي نورا و امامي نورا وخلفى نورا و اجعل لى نورا وعصبى نورا و لحمي نورا و دمي نورا و شعرى نورا و بشرى نورا
“Place light beneath me! Place light before me, place light behind me! Make light for me! Place light in my nerves! Place light in my flesh! Place light in my blood! Place light in my hair! And place light in my skin!”
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّل مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ العَليمُ
وَتُب عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
