http://www.duas.org/tahajjud.htm | http://www.suficenter.org/Practices/tahajjud.html | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahajjud
"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
Nafl salah or unobligatory worship at night is a confirmed sunnah, a regular and unchanging practice of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him. It is said that worship in the quiet hours of the night was personally obligatory upon the Prophet but upon no one else. This order upon the Prophet is expressed in the words of the Qur'án in Súrah al-Muzzammil, The Enwrapped:
"Oh you enwrapped! Keep vigil the night, except a little;
half of it, or lessen it a little, or add to it a little; and chant the Qur'án in a slow, measured chant.
Truly We shall charge you with a weighty Word.
Unquestionably rising at night is more powerful and that which is heard [in the hours of the night vigil] more certain.
Indeed in the day you have a long line of duties [which take your time].
So remember the Name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with utter devotion."
even if one can only do a little. Wholly supererogatory prayers (unconnected with a specific time or reason) at night are more valuable than during the day.
If one divides the night into six parts, the fourth and fifth part are the best for prayer. If divided in half, the second half is best. If into thirds, the middle part is best. With this said Tahajjud is offered after ‘Isha and before Fajr.
It is recommended to begin one's night Tahajjud with two brief rak‘ahs, to have intended to make the Tahajjud before going to sleep, and to not make a practice of more prayer than one can regularly perform without harm to oneself.
As with all practices, it is important to make an intention to make Tahajjud and for a specific number of rak‘ahs. If one's intented number changes, whether fewer or greater, it is permissible to change one's intention. One finishes every two rak‘ah with salams. It is also recommended to finish your worship in the night with Witr after Tahajjud.
ahajjud (ta-hajj-od), also known as the "night prayer" is a voluntary prayer, performed by followers of Islam. It is not one of the five obligatory prayers required of all Muslims, but still, is an act of worship which is widely praised by Allah, and his messenger Mohammed (peace be upon him), is recorded as performing it many times and encouraging his companions to offer it for its many rewards and benefits.
`Abdullah ibn Salam reported:
“When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, the people gathered around him and I was one of them. I looked at his face and understood that it was not the face of a liar. The first words I heard him say were: ‘O people, spread the salutations, feed the people, keep the ties of kinship, and pray during the night while the others sleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace.’” (At-Tirmidhi.)
Salman Al-Farsi quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:
“Observe the night Prayer; it was the practice of the righteous before you and it brings you closer to your Lord and it is penance for evil deeds and erases the sins and repels disease from the body.” (At-Tabarani)
Abu Ad-Darda' quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:
“Whoever goes to his bed with the intention of getting up and praying during the night, but, being overcome by sleep, fails to do that, he will have recorded for him what he has intended, and his sleep will be reckoned as a charity (an act of mercy) for him from his Lord.” (An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah)
On waking up, it is recommended that one wipes the face, use a toothbrush, and look to the sky and make the supplication which has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Abu Hudhaifa reported:
"Whenever the Prophet intended to go to bed, he would recite: (With Your name, O Allah, I die and I live)." And when he woke up from his sleep, he would say: (All the Praises are for Allah Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection.)" (Al-Bukhari)
Recommended Time for TahajjudTahajjud may be performed in the early part of the night, the middle part of the night, or the latter part of the night, but after the obligatory `Isha’ Prayer (night Prayer).
While describing the Prophet’s way of performing Prayer, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“If we wanted to see him praying during the night, we could see him praying. If we wanted to see him sleeping during the night, we could see him sleeping. And sometimes he would fast for so many days that we thought he would not leave fasting throughout that month. And sometimes he would not fast (for so many days) that we thought he would not fast during that month.” (Al-Bukhari, Ahmad and An-Nasa’i.)
Commenting on this subject, Ibn Hajar says:
“There was no specific time in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform his late night Prayer; but he used to do whatever was easiest for him.”
Best Time for Tahajjud
It is best to delay this Prayer to the last third portion of the night. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:
“Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: ‘Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?’” (Al-Bukhari)
`Amr ibn `Absah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying:
“The closest that a slave comes to his Lord is during the middle of the latter portion of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah the Exalted One at that time, then do so.” (At-Tirmidhi)
The Number of Rak`ahs in Tahajjud
Tahajjud Prayer does not entail a specific number of rak`ahs that must be performed, nor is there any maximum limit that may be performed. It would be fulfilled even if one prayed just one rak`ah of Witr after `Isha’.
Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The Messenger of Allah ordered us to pray during the night, a little or a lot, and to make the last of the Prayer the Witr Prayer.” (At-Tabarani and Al-Bazzar)
No comments:
Post a Comment