NIGHT PRAYERS: This has also been referred to as Tahajjud. “And stay awake for a part of the night as a supererogatory (devotion) f...
NIGHT PRAYERS:
This has also been referred to as Tahajjud.
“And stay awake for a part of the night as a supererogatory (devotion) for you. It may be that your Lord will exalt you to a praiseworthy station.” (17:79)
Describing one of the qualities of the Godwary people, Allah (SWT) says:
“They used to sleep a little during the night…” (51:17)
The Holy Prophet (saww) said to Imam ‘Ali (as): “There are three things that gives happiness to a believer:
- Meeting his bothers
- Breaking his fast
- And getting up for prayer in the last part of the night.” (Bihar al-Anwaar)
He (saww) has also said, “When a servant (of God) wakes up in the middle of a dark night and calls upon his Lord, Allah puts His NOOR (light) firmly in the heart of such a person….then He addresses His angels and says to them: ‘Look at this servant of Mine! He has devoted his dark night for My sake, whereas the lazy ones are not bothered and the negligent are asleep. Now be witness that I have forgiven his sins’.” (Bihar al-Anwaar)
It is reported from Imam Ja’ffar as-Sadiq (as): “Do not leave out the midnight prayer, for verily one who does so, is a loser.” (Bihar al-Anwaar)
Mustahab/Nafilah prayers
Tahajjud Prayer-Salatul layl Imam Jaffer Sadiq (A.S.) enlightens us about some of the benefits of namaz-e-shab: 1)It makes the face good looking, shining. 2)It improves morals and manners. 3)It helps emanate a pleasant odour from the body. It increases livelihood. 4)It clears debts. 5)It removes sadness. It improves eyesight. Ishaq bin Ammar has related from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he quoted his father who quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that when a person performs the Qaza of Namaz-e-Shab the Almighty Allah expresses pride before the Angels and says; O Angels! See he is performing the Qaza of that which I have not made obligatory on him. Be witness that I have given him salvation. (Beharul Anwaar Vol. 87 Pg. 202) Imam (a.s.) said: By Allah This action is the cause of the vision of your eyes. And he repeated this sentence thrice Salatul Layl (The Night Prayer) by H. & T. Kassamali
"And during part of the night, pray Tahajjud, beyond what is incumbent upon
you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory." Qur'an
17:79
Weapon of the Believer
by `Allamah Majlisi "Hadith of Merits from Al-Mubin"New A Summary of the ettiquettes & duas of Salatul layl
"The time for Namaz-e-Shab is from midnight till Adhaan for Fajr prayers,
and it is better to offer it nearer the time of Fajr prayers." Mas'alah 781 Pg
151 Ay.Seestani's Resalah in English by WF.
Also in his Mas'alah 782 on the same
page it is stated that " A traveller (i.e. one on a journey), and a person who
finds it difficult to offer Namaaz-e-Shab after midnight, can offer it before
midnight."
Method of praying Tahajjud Prayer
The namaz consists of 3 parts .
1. Niyyat: Namaz-e-Shab Qurbattan Ilallah
Its a 11 Rakat prayer to be recited after midnight, preferably just before the commencement of the morning prayer
1. Nafilah of Layl - 8 rakats divided into four prayers of two raka'ats each like morning prayer.
2. (Niyyat: Namaz-e-Shafa Qurbattan Ilallah. )
Salat al Shaf'a - 2 rakats like morning prayer without any qunoot
((certain surahs are recommended after al-hamd for #1 and #2 listed above but any are acceptable.)
3.2. (Niyyat: Namaz-e-Witr Qurbattan Ilallah.
Salat al-Witr - Niyyat: Namaz-e-Witr Qurbattan Ilallah.
a) 1 rakat with Recite Surah Alhamd once al-ikhlas 3x, al-falaq once and an-nas once are recommended after al-hamd.
Qunoot as in any 2nd rakat
Keep hands in same position for Dua (supplication), after dua repeat whilst in the position of qunoot the following:
a. La ilaha illalahul Haleemul kareem La ilaha illahul Aliyul Adheem Subhanallahi Rabbis Samawatis Sab’ee Wa Rabbil Ardheenas Sab’ee Wama Fehinna wa ma Bainahunna Wa Rabbil Arshil Adheem Wal Hamdulillali Rabbil Alameen Wa swallalahu ala Muhammidiw Wa Aalihit Tahireen
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient the Merciful. There is no God except Allah, the Forbearing the Generous. There is no God except Allah the High the Almighty. Glory be to Allah Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the seven earths, and whatever is in them and between them and above them and below them Lord of the mighty throne. Peace be on the Messengers. All praise is for Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah send blessings on Muhammad and his family, the purified ones.
b. Recite 70 times………….. …..astaghfirullah rabbi wa atoobu ilaih.
c. Recite 7 times………….Hadha maqaamul Aaedhibika Minnanaar
d) Then repeat 300 times …..Al Afv (please forgive).
e) Then name 40 momineen, each to be preceeded by
Allah hummaghfirli …. ....( fulan bin fulan means Mr. or Mrs. so and so s/o or d/of mr so and so
If it is difficult to recall the 40 names, then recite Allah hummaghfirlil momineen wal mominaat
Then complete the namaz with rukoo, sujood and salaam…then recite dua as under..................
| In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful. There is no God except Allah, the Forbearing the Generous. There is no God except Allah the High the Almighty. Glory be to Allah Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the seven earths, and whatever is in them and between them and above them and below them Lord of the mighty throne. Peace be on the Messengers. All praise is for Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah send blessings on Muhammad and his family, the purified ones. | Bismillahir rahmaanir raheem La illah ila Allah al-haleem al-kareem. La illaha ila Allah al-'aliyo al-'adheem. Subhanallah rabal-samaa al-sab'a, wa rab al-ardeen al-sab'a, wama fihena wama baynahona wama fawqahona wama tahtahona, rab al-'arsh al-'adheem. Asalamu a'la al-anbiya jamee'an. Alhamdulillah rab al-a'lameen. Allahuma sali 'ala Muhammad wa alihi al-Tahereen. |
Fazilat (Merit) of reciting the Qaza of Namaz-e-Shab
If one misses the Namaz-e-Shab one can perform its Qaza during the day. If one has missed Namaz-e-Shab there is great merit in performing its Qaza. Thus there is a tradition from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) in Tafseer Ali Ibne Ibrahim Qummi that a person said to Imam (a.s.): May I be sacrificed on you, sometimes I miss Namaz-e-Shab for one, two or three months and I perform it during the day, is such a thing allowed?
Imam (a.s.) said: By Allah! This action is the cause of the vision of your eyes. And he repeated this sentence thrice.
Ishaq bin Ammar has related from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he quoted his father who quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that when a person performs the Qaza of Namaz-e-Shab the Almighty Allah expresses pride before the Angels and says; O Angels! See he is performing the Qaza of that which I have not made obligatory on him. Be witness that I have given him salvation. (Beharul Anwaar Vol. 87 Pg. 202)
If while one is offering the Namaz-e-Shab and the dawn appears, for example the dawn has appeared after performing four rakats one should perform the rest of the prayer without recommended rituals. However if one has not prayed four rakats, one should complete the two rakats, then offer two rakats of the Nafila of the Morning Prayer, then two rakats obligatory Morning Prayer, and after this he should recite the Qaza of the rest of the Namaz-e-Shab. Or if he has not even begun reciting the Namaz-e-Shab and the dawn has arrived one should recite two rakats of Nafila of the Morning Prayer and then two rakats of Obligatory Morning Prayer. And after the Morning Prayer he should recite the Qaza of Namaz-e-Shab.
If one offers the Namaz-e-Shab after the Morning Azan and before Sunrise one must neither recite it with the intention of Qaza nor the intention of Adaa (in time), rather one should recite it with the intention of 'whatever is applicable'.
It means that one should make an intention that one is praying the Namaz-e-Shab for gaining the proximity to Allah. (Qurbatan Elallah).
