Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … The night prayer is a great attribute of the believer and the practice of the pious and God-fearing people. Allah, the Exalted, says: {اِنَّ الْمُتَّقِیْنَ فِیْ جَنَّاتٍ وَّ عُیُوْنٍ … کَانُوْا قَلِیْلًا مِّنَ اللَّیْلِ مَا یَھْجَعُوْنَ۔ وَبِالْاَسْحَارِ ھُمْ یَسْتَغْفِرُوْنَ۔} (Surah adh-Dhariyat: 15–18) … Indeed, the God-fearing will be in gardens and springs. … (Their qualities are that) they sleep little at night and seek forgiveness at the time of dawn. Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((The honor of the believer is in his prayer at night, and his dignity is in his being independent of what is in the hands of people.)) (Sahihah: 1903, al-‘Uqayli in ad-Du‘afa: p. 127, Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq: 4/99/1, 8/37/1) Performing prayer at night and not being greedy or covetous are two such beautiful qualities that greatly enhance a person’s honor and respect. They bring tranquility to his heart and mind, grant him the enjoyment of life, and add radiant light to his face. Whoever is deprived of these two qualities and still considers himself content and honorable, this is merely his own delusion, and it would be entirely correct to say that he has never truly experienced tranquility or its absence. If anyone disagrees with my remarks, let him try it for a few days and see for himself. Many verses and hadiths mention the great virtue of standing in prayer at night, but it is a tragedy that, except for a few individuals, the Muslim Ummah is heedless of this act of worship. May Allah grant us special ability (tawfiq).