Forgotten Sunnah: Remembrance of Allah When Waking Up for Qiyam al-Layl

Written by: Abu al-Rayyan Naeem al-Rahman

Among the Sunnahs of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that we have neglected, except for those whom my Lord has had mercy upon, is the remembrance of Allah in all circumstances. The Prophet ﷺ always remembered his true Lord and commanded his beloved Ummah to do the same. Sacrifice for the grandeur of Allah, who has preserved every action of His beloved Prophet ﷺ and revealed them to His servants, whether it was performed in the middle of the night or during the daylight hours. One such practice and Sunnah is described by Aasim bin Humaid, who approached Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and asked what prayer the Prophet ﷺ recited when he woke up for Qiyam al-Layl. Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) responded that he had asked about something no one had asked before. She then narrated this extinguished Sunnah to illuminate us once more.

The Prophet ﷺ would say the following:

"كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُكَبِّرُ عَشْرًا وَيَحْمَدُ عَشْرًا وَيُسَبِّحُ عَشْرًا وَيُهَلِّلُ عَشْرًا وَيَسْتَغْفِرُ عَشْرًا وَيَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي وَعَافِنِي، أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ ضِيقِ الْمَقَامِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ"

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say ten times: اللّٰہُ اَکْبَرُ (Allah is the Greatest).

He would say ten times: اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ (All praise is due to Allah).

He would say ten times: سُبْحَانَ اللّٰہِ (Glory be to Allah)
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He would say ten times: لَا إِلٰہَ إِلَّا اللّٰہُ (There is no deity except Allah).

He would say ten times: اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰہَ (I seek forgiveness from Allah).

He would then pray: اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي وَعَافِنِي (O Allah, forgive me, guide me, grant me sustenance, and provide me with well-being).

"أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ ضِيقِ الْمَقَامِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ" (I seek refuge with Allah from the distress of the Day of Resurrection).

(Sunan Abi Dawood: 766, authenticated by Al-Albani as Hasan Sahih, and Sunan an-Nasa'i 2/209, Hadith 1618 with a sound chain of narration)

May Allah grant us the ability to practice these Sunnahs that we have forgotten today. Indeed, following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ holds the secret to success in both worlds. It should be noted that only those Sunnahs are valid and worthy of practice which are proven through authentic Hadiths.
 
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