This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahih Fazail-e-Amaal.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ . آخِذِينَ مَا آتَاهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُحْسِنِينَ . كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ . وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ .﴾
"Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, taking what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good. They used to sleep but little by night, and in the hours before dawn, they would ask forgiveness."
Reference: (51-Al-Dhariyat:15-18)
The prostration that used to shake the earth,
Today, the pulpit and the prayer niche long for it.
Allah Almighty has commanded the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Surah Al-Muzzammil first to pray, then to bear the hardships from his people in the way of Dawah. Thus, Allah Almighty says:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ . قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا .﴾
"O you who wraps himself [in clothing], stand [to pray] at night, except for a little."
Reference: (73-Al-Muzzammil:1,2)
Allah Almighty, describing the signs of the believers, said that they spend the nights in prayer:
﴿وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا﴾
"And those who spend the night before their Lord, prostrating and standing [in prayer]."
Reference: (25-Al-Furqan:64)
One characteristic of sincere believers is that they are accustomed to rising at night to perform Tahajjud prayer. Therefore, when its time comes, their sides become hostile to their beds; they immediately get up, perform ablution, stand for prayer, and in prostration, they supplicate to their Lord: O Lord of the worlds! Save us from the torment of Hell and admit us into Paradise. It is said:
﴿تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ﴾
"Their sides part from their beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend [in charity] from what We have provided them."
Reference: (32-As-Sajda:16)
Allah Almighty commanded the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
﴿ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا . وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا.﴾
"Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an at dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed. And during the night, pray with it [i.e., the Qur'an] as an additional prayer for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station."
Reference: (17-Al-Isra:78,79)
Dr. Salman Salfi, may Allah preserve him, writes in its Tafsir:
After the five daily prayers, this noble verse commands you to perform Tahajjud prayer. This prayer was made obligatory upon you so that your ranks may be elevated; otherwise, all your past and future sins had already been forgiven. For other Muslims, it is recommended. Allah Almighty made this gracious promise to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regarding the performance of the five daily prayers and Nawafil that their Lord will grant them the "Maqam Mahmood" (the Praiseworthy Station), i.e., the greatest intercession.
Reference: (Tafsir al-Rahman: 821/1)
Allah Almighty revealed the benefits of Tahajjud prayer to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in this manner:
﴿إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا . إِنَّ لَكَ فِي النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا.﴾
"Indeed, getting up at night is more effective for controlling the self, and it is a time more suitable for understanding the Qur'an. Indeed, during the day, you have much occupation, so remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with complete devotion."
Reference: (73-Al-Muzzammil:6,7)
عن عبد الله بن سلام رضي الله عنه، أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: أيها الناس أفشوا السلام ، وأطعموا الطعام ، وصلوا بالليل والناس نيام ، تدخلوا الجنة بسلام
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "O people! Spread peace (Salam), feed the hungry, and pray at night while people are asleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Chapters on the Description of the Resurrection, Chapter: Spread Salam and Feed Food, Hadith No: 2485 -
Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, declared it authentic.عن أبى هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : أفضل الصيام بعد رمضان ، شهر الله المحرم ، وأفضل الصلاة بعد الفريضة ، صلاة الليل
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "After Ramadan, the most virtuous fast is the fast of the month of Muharram, and after the obligatory prayers, the most virtuous prayer is the night prayer."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Fasting, Chapter on the Virtue of Fasting in Muharram, Hadith No: 1163.
عن سالم بن عبد الله بن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنهم عن أبيه: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: نعم الرجل عبد الله لو كان يصلي من الليل قال سالم: فكان عبد الله بعد ذلك لا ينام من الليل إلا قليلا
Sayyiduna Salim bin Abdullah bin Umar bin Khattab narrates from his father (Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Abdullah is a good man; if he prays at night, it is better." Sayyiduna Salim, may Allah have mercy on him, says that after this, my father Abdullah used to sleep very little at night.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Virtues of the Companions, Chapter on the Virtues of Abdullah bin Umar, Hadith No: 3739. Sahih Muslim, Book of Virtues, Chapter on the Virtues of Abdullah bin Umar, Hadith No: 2478 also.
عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم رحم الله رجلا قام من الليل ، فصلى وأيقظ امرأته فصلت ، فإن أبت نضح فى وجهها الماء ، رحم الله امرأة قامت من الليل فصلت ، وأيقظت زوجها فإن أبى نضحت فى وجهه الماء
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "May Allah have mercy on the one who gets up at night to worship Allah and prays and wakes his wife; if she refuses, sprinkle water on her face. May Allah have mercy on the woman who gets up at night to worship and pray and wakes her husband; if he refuses, sprinkle water on his face."
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter on Encouragement to Night Prayer, Hadith No: 1450.
Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, declared it Hasan Sahih.عن أبى سعيد وأبي هريرة رضي الله عنهما قالا: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من استيقظ من الليل وأيقظ امرأته ، فصليا ركعتين جميعا ، كتبا من الذاكرين الله كثيرا والذاكرات
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri and Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with them, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When a man wakes up at night and wakes his wife and both pray two rak'ahs, they are recorded among the Dhakireen and Dhakirat (those who remember Allah abundantly)."
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Prayer, Chapter on Encouragement to Night Prayer, Hadith No: 1451 -
Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, declared it authentic.عن جابر رضى الله عنه قال: سمعت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ، يقول: إن فى الليل لساعة ، لا يوافقها رجل مسلم يسأل الله تعالى خيرا من أمر الدنيا والآخرة، إلا أعطاه إياه ، وذلك كل ليلة
Sayyiduna Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, states that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "There is an hour in the night in which if a Muslim man happens to be present and asks for any good for this world and the Hereafter, Allah surely grants it to him, and this hour occurs every night."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer of Travelers, Chapter on the Night Hour in which Supplication is Answered, Hadith No: 757.
عن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنهما ، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أحب الصيام إلى الله صيام داود ، وأحب الصلاة إلى الله صلاة داود - عليه السلام كان ينام نصف الليل ويقوم ثلثه ، وينام سدسه كان يصوم يوما ويفطر يوما
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin As, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The most beloved fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud (David), peace be upon him. And the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud. He used to sleep half the night, get up for worship in one-third of it, then sleep for one-sixth of it, and he used to fast one day and not fast the next."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tahajjud, Chapter on Sleeping at the Time of Sahar, Hadith No: 1131. Sahih Muslim, Book of Fasting, Chapter on Prohibition of Continuous Fasting for One Whose Lord is Harmed, Hadith No: 1159/189.
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: أن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقوم من الليل حتى تتفطر قدماه ، فقالت عائشة: لم تصنع هذا : يا رسول الله وقد غفر الله لك ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر؟ قال: أفلا أحب أن أكون عبدا شكورا
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, states that the Prophet ﷺ used to stand in prayer at night so much that his blessed feet would swell. She said: "O Messenger of Allah! Why do you endure so much hardship when your past and future sins have been forgiven?" He ﷺ said: "Should I not be a grateful servant?"
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, Chapter on the Verse 'May Allah forgive you your past and future sins,' Hadith No: 4837.
