Encouragement to get up during the Night - Section 1

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you goes to sleep the devil ties three knots at the back of his neck, sealing every knot with, ‘You have a long night, so sleep’. So if one awakes and mentions God a knot will be loosened, if he performs ablution a knot will be loosened, and if he prays a knot will be loosened, and in the morning he will be active and in good spirits; otherwise he will be in bad spirits and sluggish in the morning.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَالَ:

يَعْقِدُ الشَّيْطَانُ عَلَى قَافِيَةِ رَأْسِ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا هُوَ نَامَ ثَلَاثَ عُقَدٍ يَضْرِبُ عَلَى كُلِّ عُقْدَةٍ: عَلَيْكَ لَيْلٌ طَوِيلٌ فَارْقُدْ. فَإِنِ اسْتَيْقَظَ فَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأَ انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ فَإِنْ صَلَّى انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ فَأَصْبَحَ نَشِيطًا طيب النَّفس وَإِلَّا أصبح خَبِيث النَّفس كسلانا

Al-Mughira said that the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night to such an extent that his feet became swollen. On being asked why he did this when his former and latter sins had been forgiven him, he replied, “Should I not be a grateful servant?” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ: قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى تَوَرَّمَتْ قَدَمَاهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: لِمَ تَصْنَعُ هَذَا وَقَدْ غُفِرَ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ قَالَ: «أَفَلَا أَكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا»

Ibn Mas'ud said that a man was mentioned in the Prophet’s presence, and he was told that he continued sleeping till morning, never having got up to pray. He said, “That is a man in whose ear (or, in whose ears) the devil has urinated.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلٌ فَقيل لَهُ مازال نَائِمًا حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ مَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَالَ: «ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ بَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ فِي أُذُنِهِ» أَو قَالَ: «فِي أُذُنَيْهِ»

Umm Salama said that God’s Messenger awoke one night with a start and said, “Glory be to God. What treasures have been sent down tonight, and what trials have been sent down! Who will waken those who are in the inner chambers (meaning his wives) in order that they may pray? Many a woman who is clothed in this world will be naked in the next.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن أم سَلمَة قَالَتْ: اسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةً فَزِعًا يَقُولُ: «سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَاذَا أُنْزِلَ اللَّيْلَةَ مِنَ الْخَزَائِنِ؟ وَمَاذَا أُنْزِلَ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ؟ مَنْ يُوقِظُ صَوَاحِبَ الْحُجُرَاتِ» يُرِيدُ أَزْوَاجَهُ «لِكَيْ يُصَلِّينَ؟ رُبَّ كَاسِيَةٍ فِي الدُّنْيَا عَارِيَةٍ فِي الْآخِرَة» أخرجه البُخَارِيّ

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying:

Our Lord who is blessed and exalted descends every night to the lowest heaven when two-thirds of the night have passed and says, “Who supplicates me so that I may answer him? Who asks of me so that I may give to him? Who asks my forgiveness so that I may forgive him?” (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim it is said that He then spreads out His hands and says, “Who will lend to One who is neither indigent nor unjust?"* till the dawn breaks. *The lending mentioned here is presumably the doing of good works.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرُ يَقُولُ: مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ؟ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ؟ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ؟

وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لِمُسْلِمٍ: ثُمَّ يَبْسُطُ يَدَيْهِ وَيَقُولُ: «مَنْ يُقْرِضُ غَيْرَ عَدُومٍ وَلَا ظَلُومٍ؟ حَتَّى ينفجر الْفجْر»

Jabir said he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say, “There is an hour during the night at which no Muslim man will ask God for good in this world and the next without His giving it to him; and that applies to every night." Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ فِي اللَّيْلِ لَسَاعَةً لَا يُوَافِقُهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ فِيهَا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاه وَذَلِكَ كل لَيْلَة» رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The prayer dearest to God is David’s and the fasting dearest to God is David’s. He would sleep half the night, get up to pray for a third of it, then sleep the remaining sixth; and he would fast on alternate days." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَحَبُّ الصَّلَاةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَلَاةُ دَاوُدَ وَأَحَبُّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ وَيَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا»

‘A’isha said that he, meaning God’s Messenger, would sleep in the early part of the night and keep awake in the latter part. If he then wished intercourse with his wife he satisfied his desire, and then went to sleep. If he was sexually defiled when the first call to prayer was made, he would get up and pour water on it, but if not, he performed the ablution for the prayer and then prayed two <i>rak'as</i>. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: كَانَ تَعْنِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَنَامُ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ وَيُحْيِي آخِرَهُ ثُمَّ إِنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ قَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ يَنَامُ فَإِنْ كَانَ عِنْدَ النداء الأول جنبا وثب فَأَفَاضَ عَلَيْهِ الماس وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ جُنُبًا تَوَضَّأَ لِلصَّلَاةِ ثُمَّ صلى رَكْعَتَيْنِ "

Abu Umama reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Make a practice of getting up at night, for it was the custom of the pious before you, is a means of bringing you near to your Lord, an atonement for evil deeds and a preventative of sin." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «عَلَيْكُمْ بِقِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّهُ دَأْبُ الصَّالِحِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَهُوَ قُرْبَةٌ لَكُمْ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَمَكْفَرَةٌ لِلسَّيِّئَاتِ وَمَنْهَاةٌ عَنِ الْإِثْمِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are three on whom God looks with pleasure:

a man when he gets up at night and prays, a company when they draw up in rows in prayer, and a company when they draw up in ranks to fight the enemy." [Baghawi] transmitted it in <i>Sharh as-sunna</i>.

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " ثَلَاثَةٌ يَضْحَكُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِمْ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا قَامَ بِاللَّيْلِ يُصَلِّي وَالْقَوْمُ إِذَا صَفُّوا فِي الصَّلَاةِ وَالْقَوْمُ إِذَا صَفُّوا فِي قِتَالِ الْعَدُوِّ. رَوَاهُ فِي شَرْحِ السّنة

‘Amr b. ‘Abasa reported God's Messenger as saying, “The nearest the Lord comes to a servant is in the course of the last part of the night, so if you are able to be among those who make mention of God at that hour, do so." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying that this is a <i>hasan sahih</i> tradition whose <i>isnad</i> is <i>gharib</i>.

وَعَن عَمْرو بن عبسة قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الرَّبُّ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرِ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِمَّنْ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ فَكُنْ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيب إِسْنَادًا

Abu Huraira' reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God show mercy to a man who gets up during the night and prays, who wakens his wife and she prays, but if she refuses sprinkles the water on her face! God show mercy to a woman who gets up during the night and prays, who wakens her husband and he prays, but if he refuses sprinkles the water on his face!” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «رَحِمَ اللَّهُ رَجُلًا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى وَأَيْقَظَ امْرَأَتَهُ فَصَلَّتْ فَإِنْ أَبَتْ نَضَحَ فِي وَجْهِهَا الْمَاءَ. رَحِمَ اللَّهُ امْرَأَةً قَامَتْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّتْ وَأَيْقَظَتْ زَوْجَهَا فَصَلَّى فَإِنْ أَبَى نَضَحَتْ فِي وَجْهِهِ المَاء» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

Abu Umama said that God’s Messenger was asked which supplication was most readily listened to, and replied, “One made in the course of the latter part of the night, and after the prescribed prayers.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ: قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ الدُّعَاءِ أَسْمَعُ؟ قَالَ: «جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الآخر ودبر الصَّلَوَات المكتوبات» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Abu Malik al-Ash‘ari reported God’s Messenger as saying, “In paradise there are rooms the outside of which can be seen from within and the inside from without which God has prepared for those who speak gently, provide food, observe frequent fasting, and pray during the night when people are asleep.” Baihaqi transmitted it in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i> and Tirmidhi transmitted something similar from ‘Ali. In his version it says “for those who speak pleasantly.”

وَعَنْ أَبِي مَالِكٍ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا يُرَى ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا وَبَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا أَعَدَّهَا اللَّهُ لِمَنْ أَلَانَ الْكَلَامَ وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ وَتَابَعَ الصِّيَامَ وَصَلَّى بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نيام» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان وَرَوَى التِّرْمِذِيُّ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ نَحْوَهُ وَفِي رِوَايَتِهِ: «لمن أطاب الْكَلَام»

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s Messenger as saying to him, “Don’t be like so and so, ‘Abdallah. He used to get up during the night, then abandoned the practice.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ: قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لَا تَكُنْ مِثْلَ فُلَانٍ كَانَ يَقُومُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَرَكَ قيام اللَّيْل»

‘Uthman b. Abul ‘As said he heard God’s Messenger say:

David had an hour during the night in which he would waken his family and say, “Family of David, get up and pray, for this is an hour in which God who is great and glorious answers petitions, except to a magician or a tax-gatherer.” Ahmad transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم يَقُول:

كَانَ لِدَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ سَاعَةٌ يُوقِظُ فِيهَا أَهْلَهُ يَقُولُ: يَا آلَ دَاوُدَ قُومُوا فَصَلُّوا فَإِنَّ هَذِهِ سَاعَةٌ يَسْتَجِيبُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهَا الدُّعَاءَ إِلَّا لِسَاحِرٍ أَوْ عشار

. رَوَاهُ أَحْمد

Abu Huraira said he heard God’s Messenger say, “The most excellent prayer after that which is obligatory is one in the depth of the night.” Ahmad transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّلَاةِ بَعْدَ الْمَفْرُوضَةِ صَلَاةٌ فِي جَوف اللَّيْل» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد

He told of a man who came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “So and so prays at night, and when morning comes he steals.” He replied, “What you say will restrain him.” Ahmad and Baihaqi, in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i>, transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ رجل إِلَى النَّبِي صلى فَقَالَ: إِن فلَانا يُصَلِّي بِاللَّيْلِ فَإِذَا أَصْبَحَ سَرَقَ فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ سَيَنْهَاهُ مَا تَقُولُ. رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ

Abu Sa'id and Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When a man wakens his wife* during the night and they pray (or he prays) two <i>rak'as</i> together, they are recorded among the men and women who make mention of God.” * The Arabic word is <i>ahl</i> which means “people” or “family”, and sometimes "wife. As the dual is used about them praying together, it obviously means “wife” here; but in Ibn ‘Umar’s tradition below the plural is used, and so the word is there translated “family”. Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَا: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذا أَيْقَظَ الرَّجُلُ أَهْلَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّيَا أَوْ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ جَمِيعًا كُتِبَا فِي الذَّاكِرِينَ وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The nobles among my people are those, who know the Qur’an by heart and those who pray during the night.” Baihaqi transmitted it in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i>.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَشْرَافُ أُمَّتَيْ حَمَلَةُ الْقُرْآنِ وَأَصْحَابُ اللَّيْلِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَان

Ibn ‘Umar said that his father ‘Umar b. al-Khattab used to pray during the night what God wished, then during the latter part of the night he woke his family for prayer saying to them, “Come to prayer.” Then he would recite this verse, “And command your family to observe the prayer, and be constant in it. We do not ask you for provision; We provide you, and the issue pertains to piety” (Al-Qur'an; 20:132). Malik transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ أَبَاهُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كَانَ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ أَيْقَظَ أَهْلَهُ لِلصَّلَاةِ يَقُولُ لَهُمْ: الصَّلَاةُ ثُمَّ يَتْلُو هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: (وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَحن نرزقك وَالْعَاقبَة للتقوى) رَوَاهُ مَالك