What is Qiyaam al-Layl?
Qiyaam' means 'standing' and 'Qiyaam al-Layl' means 'standing
in night.' In the Islamic terminology, both terms refer to, 'the voluntary night
prayer, whose time extends from after Isha prayer until dawn.' Other common
names for Qiyaam al-Layl are, Salaat ul-Layl (the night prayer),  Tahajjud (from
hajada meaning remained awake at night), Witr (odd-numbered this term is also
used to refer to the last one or three Raka'ah of Qiyaam) and Taraweeh
(resting).
A widespread misconception is that Tahajjud is a different night prayer than
Qiyaam or Taraweeh. It is important to clarify this misunderstanding and to make
clear that there is only one nafl night prayer known by different names. Even
though the term Taraweeh is more commonly used to describe the night prayer in
Ramadan, it is not different from Tahajjud. Thus, the practice of praying
Taraweeh in the earlier part of the night and Tahajjud in the later part should
be stopped.
The Excellence of Qiyaam al-Layl
Numerous Ahaadeeth and Qur'aanic verses mention the
excellence of Qiyaam al-Layl and the merit of those who perform it regularly.
Umm al-Mumineen, Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most constant,
even if they were little.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] and she said
in another narration: “Do not ever stop praying Qiyaam. The Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) never ceased praying it. When he was sick or weak, he prayed
sitting.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslims] He (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said: “You should pray Qiyaam al-Layl, for it is the habit of the
righteous people who came before you, and it will bring you closer to your Lord,
expiate for bad deeds, prevent sin, and expel disease from the body.” [At-Tirmidhee
and Musnad Ahmad]
Narrated Mu'adh Ibn Jabal (radhi allahu anhu): 'The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said to him: “May I show you the gates of goodness?' (they are), “(a)
Fasting is screen from Hell, (b) As-Sadaqah extinguishes the sins, as water
extinguishes fire, (c) Standing in Salaat (prayer) by a slave of Allah during
the last third part of a night.” Then the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)
recited the verse: “Their (believer's) sides forsake their beds, to invoke their
Lord in fear and hope; and they spend out of what We have bestowed on them.”'
[Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhee]
Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The best of prayer after those prescribed (i.e.
obligatory prayer) is that in the depth of night.” [Saheeh Muslims]
Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) said: “May Allah have mercy on a man who wakes up at night,
prays, and wakes his wife to pray; and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her
face. And may Allah have mercy on a woman who wakes up at night, prays, and
wakes her husband to pray; and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face.”
[(Hasan) Abu Dawood ]
Abdullah Ibn Bashr (radhi allahu anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) saying: “Whoever prays Qiyaam reciting ten verses, he will not
be recorded among the negligent. Whoever prays Qiyaam reciting one hundred
verses, he will be recorded among the devout. And whoever prays Qiyaam reciting
one thousand verses, he will be recorded among those with a multitude of good
deeds.” [(Hasan) Abu Dawood]
7 Practical Tips for praying
Qiyaam al-Layl
1: Ikhlas (Sincerity) - the key to Allah's Help and
Blessings
Help of Allah is needed to accomplish and achieve success in all our affairs.
And Allah only helps those who are sincere in their hearts. The Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “If you are truthful with Allah, then
Allah will deliver to you what you wish for.” [An-Nasa'ee, al-Hakim and Saheeh
al-Jamee] Therefore, one should have a sincere intention to pray Qiyaam al-Layl;
seek the Pleasure of Allah Alone and avoid the desire of praise or fame. Allah
says: “And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and
worship none but Him Alone…” [(98): 5]
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: “The degree to which a person is helped and aided
by Allah depends on the degree of his intention, drive, aim and hopes. Help from
Allah comes to people in proportion to their drive, intention, hopes and fears,
and failure comes to them in like manner.”
2: Knowing the Virtues of Qiyaam al-Layl
Knowing the virtues and rewards of performing worship produces willingness and
desire to perform the worship. We have previously mentioned numerous virtues of
regularly praying Qiyaam al-Layl, here we mention the excellence of praying
Qiyaam al-Layl particularly in the great month of Ramadan. Abu Hurayrah (radhi
allahu anhu) reported: “Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)
encouraged the people, without making it an absolute command, to perform Qiyaam
during Ramadan. He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to say: “Whoever stands
(in Qiyaam) in Ramadan out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward), all his
previous sins will be forgiven.” [Saheeh Muslim]
3: Taking a nap in the daytime
Taking a nap before or after Dhur Salaat will dismiss the stress and thus enable
one to get up in the night and stand in front of his Lord. The Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Take a nap, for the Shayateen (pl. of
Shaytan) do not take naps.” [Reported by at-Tabaranee. Al-Saheehah (2647)]
4: Sleeping according to the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger
(a) Sleep early: Sleeping early is a healthy habit and it was the
practice of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) to sleep directly
after performing the Isha prayer. Abu Barzah al-Aslami (radhi allahu anhu) said
that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to prefer to delay Isha, and
he did not like to sleep before it or talk after it.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
(b) Sleep in a state of taharah (purity)
Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Purify these bodies and Allah will purify you, for
there is no slave who goes to sleep in a state of purity but an Angel spends the
night with him, and every time he turns over, [the Angel] says, 'O Allah!
Forgive Your slave, for he went to bed in a state of purity.'” [Reported by at-Tabaranee.
See Saheeh al-Jamee (3831)]
(c) Choose a suitable bed
Excessive luxurious or soft bed provokes laziness and makes one sleep more
and become negligent. Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) narrates that the pillow of
the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) on which he slept at night was made of
leather stuffed with palm fibers.” [Abu Dawood and Musnad Ahmad. Saheeh al-Jamee
(4714)]
Once Umar Ibn al-Khattab (radhi allahu anhu) entered upon the Messenger of Allah
(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) when he was lying on a mat of palm fibers that had
left marks on his side. Umar (radhi allahu anhu) said: “O Messenger of Allah,
why do you not get something more comfortable than this?” He (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said: “What do I have to do with this world? My relationship with
this world is like that of a traveler on a hot summer's day, who seeks shade
under a tree for an hour, then moves on.” [Musnad Ahmad and al-Hakim. Saheeh al-Jamee
(5545)]
(d) Cleaning the bed and lying on the right side
Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported: “The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said: “When any one of you goes to bed, let him clear his bed by
hitting it with his garment, for he does not know what may have come onto it.
Then let him lie down on his right side…” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
(e) Reciting the Adhkaar (supplications) mentioned in the Sunnah before
sleeping
There are a number of Adhkaar prescribed in the Sunnah before going to bed,
amongst them are reciting the last verses of Soorah al-Baqarah, reciting Soorah
al-Falaq and Soorah al-Nas and Soorah Ikhlas blow in the palms and wipe as much
of the body possible, starting from the head, face and then the front of the
body doing it three times. [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
Ali Ibn Abi Talib (radhi allahu anhu) reported that when the Prophet's daughter,
Fatima (radhi allahu anha) came to him and asked him for a servant, he (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam) said to her and Ali: “Shall I not teach you something that
will be better for you than a servant? When you go to bed, say 'SubhanAllah'
thirty-three times, 'Al-hamdulillah' thirty-three times, and 'Allahu Akbar'
thirty-four times. This is better for you than a servant.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee
and Saheeh Muslim]
5: Avoid too much food and drink
Too much food or drink is one of the main obstacles that make one lazy and
negligent of Qiyaam al-Layl. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)
said: “Man fills no vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son
of Adam to have a few mouthfuls to give him the strength he needs. If he has to
fill his stomach, then let him leave one-third for food, one-third for drink and
one-third for air.” [Reported by at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Majah. Saheeh al-Jamee
(5674)]
Abu Juhayfah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi
wa-sallam) said to a man who burped in his presence: “Stop your burping, for the
people who eat the most in this life will be the most hungry on the Day of
Resurrection.” [Reported by al-Hakim. Saheeh al-Jamee (1190)]
6: Striving against oneself:
Striving against oneself to get up and pray and suppressing one's desires bring
about Allah's help and His Pleasure for the slave. Allah says in the Qur'aan:
“Strive in Allah's Cause as you ought to strive…” [Soorah al-Hajj (25): 78] “And
as for those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will surely guide them to Our
Paths. And verily, Allah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers).” [ (29): 69]
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The Mujahid (one who strives in
way of Allah) is the one who strives against his own self for the sake of
Allah.” [Reported by al-Tirmidhee. See al-Saheehah (549)]
He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also said: “When a man from my Ummah gets up to
pray at night, striving against his own self to get up and purify himself, there
are knots on him. When he washes his hands in wudhu, one knot is undone. When he
washes his face, another knot is undone. When he wipes his head another knot is
undone. When he washes his feet, another knot is undone. Then Allah says to
those who are veiled (in the Unseen): 'Look at this slave of Mine, he is
striving against his own self and asking of Me. Whatever My slave asks of Me
shall be his.” [Musnad Ahmad. See Saheeh al-Targheeb.(627)]
7: Rebuking one's self for not praying Qiyaam al-Layl
Qiyaam al-Layl is a great blessing from Allah, the Exalted, and He has placed in
it numerous spiritual benefits and rewards for the believer. Therefore, one
should rebuke one's self, if he misses this great opportunity of achieving
rewards and Pleasure of Allah. Allah says in the Qur'aan: “O you who believe!
Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has
sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what
you do.” [(59): 18]
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said: “If the slave is responsible and
accountable for everything, even his hearing, sight and innermost thoughts, as
Allah says, “…Verily, hearing, sight, and the heart of each of you will be
questioned by Allah.” [Soorah
al-Isra (17): 36], then he should check on himself before he is brought to
account.”
References:
‘The Night Prayers’ by
Muhammad Nasir ud-Deen al-Albanee (rahimahullah), answers by Shaikh Salih
al-Munajjad (hafizahullah) and others
As-Sunnah Islamic Newsletter Issue 15
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