What is the importance of night prayer?

One of the important prayers that were mentioned in the Quran is the night prayer (Tahajjud), due to its importance to us. So we will talk about the benefits of night prayer.

What are the benefits of Tahajjud prayer?

Night prayer is known to have many benefits to the one who prays it. Its importance comes in second after obligatory prayers. We can see its benefits in the holy Quran and in the hadiths.

“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.” (Quran, 17:79)

When you pray Salah al Tahajjud regularly Allah will bless you, and it will bring you closer to Allah. And you will have a feeling of calmness and peace, all your worries and anxiety will go away.

“And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.” (Quran, 25:64)

“The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Benefits of night prayer

The prophet said:

“Two units of prayer performed at night are more beneficial than anything in the world. If I thought that it would not be a burden on my people I would enjoin it on them.” (Fadail al-Amal, 257).

“Fast on a very hot day for the Day of Judgment. Offer a prayer of two units at night to be saved from loneliness in the grave. Make the journey to Qabah once in a lifetime, and give alms to a needy person for the great occasions of the Doomsday. Say just words or save your tongue from saying unjust things!” (ibn Abi’d-Dunya, Kitab al-Tahajjud).

Also, the prophet said to Abu Hurayra about the importance of praying Tahajjud the following:

“O Abu Hurayra! If you want the company of the Mercy of Allah when in the grave and on the Doomsday, wake up at night to offer a prayer for Allah’s sake. O Abu Hurayra! If you pray at the corner of your house, your house lightens as a constellation in the sky, and it becomes like a star for the people of the world.” (Ihya al-Ulumiddin, I, 1023).

What is a night of prayer?

According to Muslim sayings, tahajuud is the night prayers and is one of the nafl prayers, not praying it is not a sin. Linguistically the word tahajjud means to wake up or to stay awake.

Allah told us about tahajjud in Quran:

وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

Meaning: and during the night wake up and pray, as an extra offering of your own, so that your Lord may raise you to a (highly) praised status.

What time is the night prayer in Islam?

You can pray the night prayer at any time, you can pray Tahajjud after Salatul Isha.

Whether you sleep for a while then wake up to pray or pray it after salatul Isha the choice is yours. However, it is better to wake up in the last third of the night to pray tahajjud before Fajr.

Best time to pray at night in Islam

The best time to pray the night prayer is the last third of the night.

Abu Huraira narrated that the prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “When half of the night or two-third of it is over. Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there any beggar, so that he be given? Is there any supplicator so that he be answered? Is there any beggar of forgiveness so that he be forgiven? (And Allah continues it saying) till it is daybreak.”

what are the benefits of all night prayer?

Allah told us to pray at night in the Quran:

And during part of the night, -Aleyhisselâm-, celebrate His praises, and (so likewise) after the postures of adoration.” (Qaf, 50: 40).

“And for the part of the night also praise Him, and at the retreats of the stars.” (Tur 52:49).

“Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing.” (Furqan 25:64).

Allah said in the Quran that who pray at night will be saved from the judgment day punishment and will go to heaven:

“They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night. And in the hours of early dawn, they (were found) praying for forgiveness.” (Zariyat, 51:17-18).

Also, Allah said about the believers who pray the night prayer:

“What! He who is obedient during hours of the night, prostrating himself and standing, takes care of the hereafter and hopes for the mercy of his Lord! Say: Are those who know and those who do not know alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful.” (Zumar, 39:9).

Hadith on night prayer

Someone asked the prophet about the best time to pray at night:

“In which part of the night are the worships more likely to be accepted?”

The answer was:

“The worship that is done in the second half of the night…” (Abu Dawud).

Praying at night is not the only thing that we should do. The prophet said that we should have a light dinner and sleep early.

“The Prophet used to discourage people to sleep before the late-night prayer, and he also used to discourage them to have long conversations after it.” (Bukhari, Mawaqit al-Salat, 23).

A Muslim should sleep early and wake up early, what is most important is to worship Allah at night, whether through praying, reciting Azkar, reciting Quran with tajweed or if you don’t have a Mushaf in hand you could read Quran from your smartphone.

Omar, the second caliph, says:

“The Prophet, sometimes, used to speak with Abu Bakr about the affairs of Muslims until daybreak. And I used to stay with them.” (Tirmizi).

Here are what the prophet says about waking up for praying and what we should do to get rid of the strain of waking up in the night for praying:

“When you sleep Satan ties three knots on the back of your neck. And he says to each knot let a long night stay with you.” When you wake up and cite the name of Allah one of the knots unties. When you make ablution another knot unties. And when you offer a prayer all of the knots untie. Thus, you wake up hale and hearty in the morning. Otherwise, you wake up asleep and downhearted.” (Bukhari, Tahajjud, 12).

From all the things we saw until now it is clear to us that Tahajjud and night prayer are really important. It comes in second place after the obligatory prayers.

Virtues of Tahajjud Islamqa

It is said about the prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) that he used to pray Tahajjud prayer until his feet became sore. Someone once asked:

“O the Messenger of Allah! Why do you strain yourself though Allah declared in the Qur’an that you were forgiven of all your sins?”

The prophet’s answer was:

“Should not I be a thanking servant?” (Bukhari, Tahajjud, 6).

Also, the prophet said about the night prayer:

“The most virtuous prayer except the obligatory prayers is the one offered by becoming awake after sleep at night.” (Muslim, Siyam, 202-203).

“Two units of prayer performed at night are more beneficial than anything in the world. If I thought that it would not be a burden on my people, I would enjoin it on them.” (Fadail al-Amal, 257).

 

“There is a certain moment at night. If a Muslim catches that moment to wish something from Allah, that thing is granted to him/her.” (Tirmizi, Vitr, 16).

“If a man wakes up at night and also wakes his wife up to offer two units of prayer together, Allah registers their names among those who remember Allah most.” (Abu Dawud, Tatawwu, 18).

Other sayings about the benefits of the night prayer include:

“Do not you ever disregard praying at night! Because it was a custom of righteous people before you. Worshiping at night brings one closer to Allah, atones for one’s sins, keeps the body from illnesses, and prevents one from performing sinful acts.” (Tirmizi).

“Let Allah show mercy to the man who wakes up at night to pray, and also wakes his wife up to do so. Let Allah show mercy to the woman who wakes up at night to pray, and also wakes her husband up to do so!” (Abu Dawud, Vitr, 13).

The prophet asked Abu Zarr the following:

“Do you get prepared when you are about to set forth on a journey?”

Abu Zarr’s answer was:

“Of course, o Prophet”

The Prophet said:

“Well, how do you think that the journey on the Day of Judgment will be? Take heed of what I will tell you; shall I tell you what you would benefit from on the Day of Judgment?”

“Fast on a very hot day for the Day of Judgment. Offer a prayer of two units at night to be saved from loneliness in the grave. Make the journey to Qabah once in a lifetime, and give alms to a needy person for the great occasions of the Doomsday. Say just words or save your tongue from saying unjust things!” (ibn Abi’d-Dunya, Kitab al-Tahajjud).

Also, the prophet said to Abu Hurayra about the importance of praying Tahajjud the following:

“O Abu Hurayra! If you want the company of the Mercy of Allah when in the grave and on the Doomsday, wake up at night to offer a prayer for Allah’s sake. O Abu Hurayra! If you pray at the corner of your house, your house lightens as a constellation in the sky, and it becomes like a star for the people of the world.” (Ihya al-Ulumiddin, I, 1023).

The Prophet said:

“The Archangel Gabriel said: “The honor of a believer is, no doubt, related to night-time prayer…'” (Hakim, Mustadrak, IV, 360).

 One of the servants whom Allah is pleased with is one who gets out of his/her gentle and warm bed in order to offer the prayer of Tahajjud. Allah is well-pleased with that servant and says to the angels:

“What makes this servant of Mine care about praying at this time of the night?”

The angels’ reply:

“It is his/her wish to attain Your Grace and Blessing, and also fear of Your punishment.”

Allah says:

“I grant him/her what s/he wishes from me then. And I safeguard him/her from what s/he fears from.” (Fadail al-Amal, 299).

Midnight prayer points in Islam

There are many benefits when it comes to praying the night prayer, and here are some of them:

• Bring us closer to Allah
• Prevent us from committing any sins.
• Makes us feel peace of mind.
• Strengthens our faith in Allah.