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In many of the verses of the Qur`an, the performance of Salat al-Lail and staying awake a portion of the night - after midnight - in the worship of Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) has been mentioned, of which, we present some of these verses:
} وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالأَسْحٌارِ. { “…and those who ask forgiveness in the morning times.”
} وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نٌافِلَةً لَّكَ. { “Say your special (tahajjud) prayer during some part of the night…”
} وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيٌامًا. { “And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.”
} تَتَجٌافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضٌاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَمِمٌّا رَزَقْنٌاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ. { “Their sides draw away from (their) beds, they call upon their Lord in fear and in hope, and they spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them.”
} كٌانُوا قَلِيلاً مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مٌا يَهْجَعُونَ. وَبِلأَسْحٌارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ {“They used to sleep but little in the night. And in the morning they asked forgiveness.”
The Salat al-Lail was Wajib upon the Messenger of Allah[1] and no Prophet had been sent before him except that it was obligatory upon them as well.[2]
In the ahadith from the Ahl al-Bait (peace be upon all of them), it has been emphatically mentioned that:
1. Salat al-Lail protects one during the daytime.[3]
2. Salat al-Lail is a Kaffarah for the sins committed in the day.[4]
3. That house in which Salat al-Lail is recited beams with light for those who are in the heavens just as the stars beam with light for those who are on earth.[5]
4. The great and noble people of our nation are those who are protectors of the Qur`an and who stay awake the night in worship.[6]
5. There are three things which raise a person’s rank and station: (i) Initiating the greeting to a fellow Muslim, (ii) feeding poor people, (iii) Salat in the darkness of the night when all other people are busy sleeping.[7]
6. Salat al-Lail makes one’s face beautiful; beautifies one’s etiquette; gives a pleasant smell to one’s body and increases one’s daily sustenance. It also removes sorrow and grief and gives strength to the eyes.[8]
7. One who does not read the Salat al-Lail is not considered as a Shi`a of the Ahl al-Bait.[9]
8. One who is not able to perform the Salat al-Lail is truly a very unfortunate person.[10]
9. Committing sins is one of the reasons for one to be unsuccessful in the performance of Salat al-Lail.[11]
10. The performance of Salat al-Lail leads to gaining the pleasure of Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him); love of the Angels; is the Sunnah of the Prophets; leads to the light of true recognition of Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him); is the foundation of belief; tranquility of the soul; destruction of Shaitan; a weapon against one’s enemies; acceptance of one’s supplications; acceptance of one’s actions; increases the blessings in one’s sustenance; intercession when the Angel of Death comes; brightness in the grave; protects the person while in the grave; ease in the answering of the angels Munkir and Nakir and is the companion and friend in the grave.[12]
Notes: [1] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 122 [2] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 136; Tafsir Al-Qummi, Pg. 701 [3] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 154; Mahasin Barqi, Pg. 53 [4] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 136 [5] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 161; Rawdhatu `l-Wai`dhin, Pg. 320 [6] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 138; Amali Shaikh aduq, Pg. 141 [7] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 141; Khisal, Vol. 1, Pg. 42 [8] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 86, Pg. 153, Thawab Al-A’mal, Pg. 38 [9] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 162; Maqnah of Shaikh Mufid, Pg. 11ا [10] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 164; Ma`ani Al-Akhbar, Pg. 342 [11] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 152; Tawhid Shaikh aduq, Pg. ا7 [12] Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 87, Pg. 161; Irshad Al-Qulub, Pg. 316 |
