Translation and Benefits by: Hafiz Nadeem Zaheer
Author: Imam Diyauddin Al-Maqdisi
The Virtue of Nafl Prayers at Home:
❀ Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) built a small chamber made of palm leaves or a mat. He came out to offer prayer in it, and many people joined him in prayer. One night, the people gathered, but the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) delayed and did not come out to them. The people raised their voices and threw pebbles at the door. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came out angrily and said:
"You continued doing this until I thought it might be made obligatory for you. Therefore, offer your prayers in your homes because the best prayer of a person, apart from the obligatory prayers, is the one that he offers at home."
[Sahih Muslim: 781]
Benefits:
- It is recommended and highly virtuous to offer non-obligatory prayers at home. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"Make some of your prayers in your houses and do not make them like graveyards."
[Bukhari: 432, Muslim: 777]
This means that Nafl prayers should be offered at home diligently. Otherwise, a house where Allah's worship is not performed can be compared to a graveyard, as the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"The example of a house where Allah is mentioned and the house where Allah is not mentioned is like the example of the living and the dead."
[Muslim: 779]
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه) said that he asked the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم):
"Which prayer is most virtuous, the one offered at home or in the mosque?" He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Do you not see how close my house is to the mosque, yet I prefer to pray at home rather than in the mosque, except for the obligatory prayers."
[Ibn Majah: 1378, Musnad Ahmad 4/342, Ibn Khuzaymah 2/210]
[Al-Busiri: Its chain is authentic]
It is clear that while Nafl prayers are encouraged to be offered at home, the warning is equally strong against offering obligatory prayers at home. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"Whoever hears the call to prayer and does not come, his prayer is not valid unless he has a valid excuse."
[Ibn Majah: 793, Abu Dawood: 551, authenticated by Ibn Hibban: 2064 and Al-Hakim 1/245]
❀ Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"When any one of you finishes his prayer in the mosque, he should allocate a portion of his prayer for his house, for Allah will bless his house because of his prayer."
[Muslim: 778]
Benefits:
It is understood that offering Nafl prayers at home not only allows one to earn abundant rewards but also opens the doors of blessings and goodness for one's home. And Allah knows best.
The Virtue of Qiyam al-Lail:
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"Satan ties three knots at the back of the head of any one of you when he goes to sleep. On every knot, he reads and exhales the following words, 'The night is long, so stay asleep.' When one wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is untied. When one performs ablution, the second knot is untied. When one prays, all the knots are untied, and one begins the morning in a cheerful and good mood; otherwise, one begins the morning in a bad mood and feeling lazy."
[Bukhari: 1142, Muslim: 776]
Benefits:
Qiyam al-Lail (night prayer) is among the acts that greatly please Allah, and it brings the servant closer to his Lord. The encouragement for this act is found throughout the Quran and Hadith. Allah the Exalted says:
"And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station."
(17:79)
This is why the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to stand in prayer at night for long periods until his blessed feet would swell. Sayyidah Aisha (رضي الله عنها) said that she asked him:
"O Messenger of Allah, why do you do this when your past and future sins have been forgiven?" He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: "Should I not be a grateful servant?"
[Bukhari: 1130, Muslim: 2820]
❀ The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would encourage others to pray at night and emphasize its importance. Sayyiduna Ali (رضي الله عنه) said that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to him and Sayyidah Fatimah (رضي الله عنها) one night and said:
"Will you not pray (at night)?"
[Bukhari: 1127, Muslim: 775]
There is a special time in the night during which prayers are accepted. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"There is a period in the night in which, if a Muslim supplicates to Allah for any good of this world or the Hereafter, it will be granted to him, and this moment comes every night."
[Sahih Muslim: 757]
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reports that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"May Allah have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays and wakes his wife, and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah have mercy on a woman who gets up at night and prays and wakes her husband, and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face."
[Sunan Abi Dawood: 1308, Ibn Majah: 1336, Hasan]
Benefits:
This shows an ideal household environment where both husband and wife are diligent in offering Nafl prayers. It is certain that such diligence in voluntary prayers indicates that they will not be negligent in their obligatory duties, making their home a true picture of happiness and prosperity.
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنه) reports that during the lifetime of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), if anyone saw a dream, he would narrate it to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). I also wished to see a dream so I could narrate it to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). I was a young unmarried man and used to sleep in the mosque. I saw in a dream that two angels took me and went away with me towards the Fire. It was like a well with the sides built up, and it had two wooden beams like those of a well, and there were people in it whom I recognized. I began to say, "I seek refuge with Allah from the Fire." Then another angel met me and said to me, "Do not be afraid." I narrated this to Hafsah (رضي الله عنها), who narrated it to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). He said:
"Abdullah is a good man. Would that he prayed at night." After that, Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) would sleep very little at night.
[Bukhari: 1121, 1122, Muslim: 2479]
Benefits:
This hadith highlights the virtue of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنهما) and the encouragement of praying Tahajjud (night prayer).