The Excellence of Qiyaamul-Layl and its Effect in Increasing Eeman

by Husayn al Awayishah

If the Muslim carefully considered Suratul Muzammil, he would find the greatest lesson in it, since Allah, the One free and far removed from all defects and the Most High, ordered the Messenger of Allah salAllahu ‘alayhi wasalaam to establish the Night Prayer when he was in the direst need of help and assistance. So there is in the saying of Allah, the Most High:

O, you wrapped in garments (i.e. Prophet Muhammad salAllahu ‘alayhi wasalaam)! Stand to pray all night, except a little” [Surah Muzammil, 73; 1-2]

Cultivation and training for the soul and refinement and reassurance for the heart of the Prophet salAllahu ‘alaihi wasalaam. The night prayer used to be an obligation on the Prophet salAllahu ‘alaihi wasalaam and his Companions radiyAllahu ‘anhum. The Prophet salAllahu ‘alaihi wasalaam and his Companions observed it for a year and Allah withheld the end of it for twelve months in the heavens, until Allah sent down the conclusion of the Soorah when the duty was eased and the night prayer became optional after having been an obligation [Reported in Muslim, Eng. Trans. 1/358-361/no.1623].

So indeed there must be hidden benefits arising from the night prayer. Indeed it is a preparation for men. It makes the hearts firm upon the truth and further strengthens them. It is the secret of success. It distances a person from sins and evil actions. It increases eeman. It causes a person to be joined with the righteous and raises him to the level of the sincere worshipers.

From Abu Hurayrah radiyaAllahu ‘anhu, the Messenger of Allah salAllahu ‘alaihi wasalaam said: “The best fast after the month of Ramadhan is in the month of Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is the Night Prayer” [Reported by Muslim (Eng. Trans. 2/269/2611), Abu Dawood (Eng. Trans. 2/668/2423), at-Tirmidhee, an-Nasaa’ee, and Ibn Khuzaimah in his Saheeh]

From ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radiyaAllahu ‘anhu who said, the Prophet of Allah salAllahu ‘alaihi wasalaam: “In paradise, there is a (raised) chamber the outside of which can be seen from its inside, and whose inside can be seen from its outside. So Abu Maalik al Asha’aree asked: Who is it for O Messenger of Allah? He replied: For those whose speech is good, who provide with food and who stand the night (in prayer) whilst the people are sleeping” [Reported by at-Tabarani in al-Kabeer with a hasan chain of narration, and al-Haakim who declared it saheeh to the standard of al Bukhari and Muslim]

From Jaabir radiyaAllahu ‘anhu, who said that I heard Allah’s Messenger salAllahu ‘alaihi wasalam say: “Indeed in the night there is an hour which no Muslim man encounters whilst asking Allah for the good of this world and the Hereafter except that He gives it to him and that is every night” [Reported by Muslim (Eng. Trans. 1/365/no. 1654]

From Abu Umamah Baahili radiyaAllahu ‘anhu, the Messenger of Allah salAllahu ‘alaihi wasalaam said: “ Perform the night prayer, for it was the practice of the pious before you, and draws one near to Allah, the Most High, and is an expiation of sins and a prevention of evil deeds”. [Reported by Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, and others and found in Saheehul Jamee’ (no.3958)]

Wa salaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatuAllahi wa barakaatuh