On His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He): "They used to sleep but little of the night"

Abu al-Aliyah, explaining the saying of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night" [al-Dhariyat: 17], said: They do not sleep before the Isha prayer.

Al-Hasan, explaining the saying of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night, and in the hours before dawn they would seek forgiveness" [al-Dhariyat: 17-18], said: They pray, and at the time before dawn they rise and seek forgiveness.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with him), explaining the saying of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night" [al-Dhariyat: 17], said: They sleep for a little while, then worship until the time before dawn.

Ata, explaining the saying of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night" [al-Dhariyat: 17], said: In this verse the Companions were commanded to worship for most of the night. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) would tie his waist-wrapper tightly, take a staff and lean on it, and they continued like this until the concession about night worship was revealed: "So recite whatever is easy for you of it (the Qur'an)" [al-Muzzammil: 20].

Al-Hasan, explaining the saying of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night" [al-Dhariyat: 17], said: They sleep very little at night.

Mutarrif bin Abdullah used to say: Few were the nights in which they did not worship Allah for some part of them.

Muhammad bin Ali used to say: They did not sleep until they had prayed Isha (al-atamah).

Mutarrif bin Abdullah bin al-Shikhkhir said, in explanation of the statement of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night": Rarely did a night come upon them that they slept through entirely.

Al-Dahhak said regarding "al-muttaqin" (the pious) that they are few.

Al-Hasan said, in explanation of the statement of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night": They would sleep for a little while at night, then they would worship until the pre-dawn (sahar).

Sa'id bin Abi al-Hasan said: Rarely did a night come upon them that they slept through.

Mujahid said, in explanation of the statement of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night": They did not sleep the whole night.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, in explanation of the statement of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night": There were very few nights in which they did not pray.

Al-Dahhak said that "kanu" (they were) means: few among the people.

Ibrahim said, in explanation of the statement of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night": "Yahja'un" means "yanamun", that is, they sleep.

Ibn Abi Najih said, in explanation of the statement of Allah Almighty, "They used to sleep but little of the night": There were very few nights in which they remained asleep until morning.