Staying Awake at Nightالسَّهَر

Staying Awake at Night

السَّهَرُ

1ـ رسولُ اللهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): لا سَهَرَ إلّا في ثلاثٍ: مُتَهَجِّدٍ بالقرآنِ ، وفي طَلَبِ العِلمِ ، أو عَروسٍ تُهدى إلى زَوجِها.

1– The Prophet (S) said, 'There is no need to stay awake at night except in three instances: when staying awake to recite the Qur’an, to gain knowledge, and for a bride to be offered to her husband.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 76, p. 178, no. 3]

2ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): لا سَهَرَ بعدَ العِشاءِ الآخِرَةِ إلّا لأِحَدِ رَجُلَينِ: مُصَلٍّ أو مُسافِرٍ.

2– The Prophet (S) said, 'There is no need to stay up at night past the last ‘Aisha’ prayer except in the case of two people: the person performing prayers, and the traveller.’[Bihar al-Anwar, p. 179, no. 5]

3ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): السَّهَرُ رَوضَةُ المُشتاقِينَ.

3– Imam Ali (a.s.) said, 'Staying awake at night is the garden of those who yearn [for Allah].’[Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 666]

4ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): سَهَرُ الليلِ في طاعَةِ اللّه‏ِ رَبيعُ الأولياءِ ورَوضَةُ السُّعَداءِ.

4– Imam Ali (a.s.) said, 'Staying awake at night engaged in acts of obedience to Allah is the springtime of the friends of Allah and the garden of the good-fortuned.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5613]

5ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أفضَلُ العِبادَةِ سَهَرُ العُيونِ بذِكرِ اللّه‏ِ سبحانَهُ .

5– Imam Ali (a.s.) said, 'The best of worship is for the eyes to remain awake engaged in the remembrance of Allah, Glory be to Him.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3149]

6ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): فاتَّقُوا اللّه‏َ عِبادَ اللّه‏ِ تَقِيَّةَ ذِي لُبٍّ ، شَغَلَ التَّفَكُّرُ قَلبَهُ ، وأنصَبَ الخَوفُ بَدَنَهُ ، وأسهَرَ التَّهَجُّدُ غِرارَ نَومِهِ .

6– Imam Ali (a.s.) said, 'So be conscious of your duty to Allah, O servants of Allah, with the caution of a wise man whose heart is preoccupied with reflection [about the Hereafter], whose body the fear [of Allah] has afflicted with pain, and whose engagement in the night prayer has turned his already short sleep into wakefulness.’[Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 83]

Enjoinment of Remaining Awake on Specific Nights

الحَثُّ عَلى إحياءِ هذِهِ اللَّيالي

7ـ رسولُ اللهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن أحيا لَيلةَ العِيدِ ولَيلةَ النِّصفِ مِن شَعبانَ ، لَم يَمُتْ قَلبُهُ يَومَ تَموتُ القُلوبُ.

7– The Prophet (S) said, 'He who remains awake on the eve of ‘Id al-fitr and on the eve of the 15th of Sha’aban, his heart will not die on the Day when hearts shall die.’[Thawab al-A’amal, v. 1, p. 102, no. 2]

8ـ الإمامُ الرِّضا (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): كانَ أميرُ المؤمنينَ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) لا يَنامُ ثلاثَ ليالٍ: لَيلةَ ثلاثٍ وعِشرِينَ مِن شَهرِ رَمَضانَ ، ولَيلةَ الفِطرِ ، ولَيلةَ النِّصفِ مِن شَعبانَ ، وفيها تُقسَمُ الأرزاقُ والآجالُ وما يَكونُ في السَّنَةِ.

8– Imam Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) narrated, 'The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) did not used to sleep at all on three nights: the 23rd night of the month of Ramadhan, the eve of ‘Id al-fitr, and the eve of the 15th of Sha’aban. And these are the nights when sustenance is allotted, and prescribed times of death and all that is to happen in that year is decreed.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 97, p. 88, no. 15]