7 Practical Tips for Praying Qiyaam Al-Layl

8/8/2019 7 Practical Tips for Praying Qiyaam Al-Layl

1/4

7 Practical Tips for praying

Qiyaam al-Layl

References

The Night Prayers by Muhammad Nasir ud-Deen al-Albanee (rahimahullah)

As-Sunnah Islamic Newsletter Issue 15

What is Qiyaam al-Layl?

Qiyaam' means 'standing' and 'Qiyaam al-Layl' means 'standing in night.' In the Islamic terminology, both terms

refer to, 'the voluntary night prayer, whose time extends from after Isha prayer until dawn.' Other common names

for Qiyaam al-Layl are, Salaat ul-Layl (the night prayer), Tahajjud (from hajada meaning remained awake at night),

Witr (odd-numbered this term is also used to refer to the last one or three Raka'ah of Qiyaam) and Taraweeh

(resting).

A widespread misconception is that Tahajjud is a different night prayer than Qiyaam or Taraweeh. It is important to

clarify this misunderstanding and to make clear that there is only one nafl night prayer known by different names.

Even though the term Taraweeh is more commonly used to describe the night prayer in Ramadan, it is not different

from Tahajjud. Thus, the practice of praying Taraweeh in the earlier part of the night and Tahajjud in the later part

should be stopped.

The Excellence of Qiyaam al-Layl

Numerous Ahaadeeth and Qur'aanic verses mention the excellence of Qiyaam al-Layl and the merit of those who

perform it regularly. Umm al-Mumineen, Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi

wa-sallam) said: The most beloveddeeds to Allah are the most constant, even if they were little. [Saheeh al-

Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] and she said in another narration: Do not ever stop praying Qiyaam. The Prophet

(sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) never ceased praying it. When he was sick or weak, he prayed sitting. [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslims] He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: You should pray Qiyaam al-Layl, for it is

thehabit of the righteous people who came before you, and it will bring you closer to your Lord, expiate for

baddeeds, prevent sin, andexpel disease from the body.[At-Tirmidhee and Musnad Ahmad]

Narrated Mu'adh Ibn Jabal (radhi allahu anhu): 'The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said to him: May I show

you the gates of goodness?' (they are), (a) Fasting is screen from Hell, (b) As-Sadaqahextinguishes the sins,

as water extinguishes fire, (c) Standing in Salaat (prayer) by a slave of Allahduring the last third part of anight.Then the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) recited the verse: Their (believer's) sides forsake their

beds, to invoke their Lord in fear andhope; and they spend out of what Wehave bestowed on them.' [Abu

Dawood and at-Tirmidhee]

Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: The best of

prayer after those prescribed (i.e. obligatory prayer) is that in thedepth of night.[Saheeh Muslims]

Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: May Allah

have mercy on a man who wakes up at night, prays, and wakes his wife to pray; and if she refuses, he

sprinkles water on her face. And may Allahhave mercy on a woman who wakes up at night, prays, andwakes her husband to pray; and ifhe refuses, she sprinkles water on his face. [(Hasan) Abu Dawood ]

Abdullah Ibn Bashr (radhi allahu anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) saying: Whoever

prays Qiyaam reciting ten verses, he will not be recorded among the negligent.Whoever prays Qiyaam


2/4

reciting onehundred verses, he will be recorded among thedevout. And whoever prays Qiyaam reciting one

thousand verses, he will be recorded among those with a multitude of gooddeeds.[(Hasan) Abu Dawood]

7 Practical Tips for praying Qiyaam al-Layl

1: Ikhlas (Sincerity) - the key to Allah's Help and Blessings

Help of Allah is needed to accomplish and achieve success in all our affairs. And Allah only helps those who are

sincere in their hearts. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: If you are truthful with Allah,then Allah will deliver to you what you wish for. [An-Nasa'ee, al-Hakim and Saheeh al-Jamee] Therefore, one

should have a sincere intention to pray Qiyaam al-Layl; seek the Pleasure of Allah Alone and avoid the desire of

praise or fame. Allah says: And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship

none but Him Alone[(98): 5]

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: The degree to which a person is helped and aided by Allah depends on the degree of hisintention, drive, aim and hopes. Help from Allah comes to people in proportion to their drive, intention, hopes and

fears, and failure comes to them in like manner.

2: Knowing the Virtues of Qiyaam al-Layl

Knowing the virtues and rewards of performing worship produces willingness and desire to perform the worship.We have previously mentioned numerous virtues of regularly praying Qiyaam al-Layl, here we mention the

excellence of praying Qiyaam al-Layl particularly in the great month of Ramadan. Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu)

reported: Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) encouraged the people, without making it an absolute

command, to perform Qiyaam during Ramadan. He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to say: Whoever stands (in

Qiyaam) in Ramadan out of faith andexpectation (of Allah's reward), all his previous sins will be forgiven.

[Saheeh Muslim]

3: Taking a nap in thedaytime

Taking a nap before or after Dhur Salaat will dismiss the stress and thus enable one to get up in the night and stand

in front of his Lord. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: Take a nap, for the Shayateen (pl.

of Shaytan)do not take naps.[Reported by at-Tabaranee. Al-Saheehah (2647)]

4: Sleeping according to the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger

(a) Sleep early: Sleeping early is a healthy habit and it was the practice of Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-

sallam) to sleep directly after performing the Isha prayer. Abu Barzah al-Aslami (radhi allahu anhu) said that the

Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) used to prefer to delay Isha, and he did not like to sleep before it or talk afterit. [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

(b) Sleep in a state of taharah (purity): Ibn Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu

alaihi wa-sallam) said: Purify these bodies and Allah will purify you, for there is no slave who goes to sleep in

a state of purity but an Angel spends the night withhim, andevery timehe turns over, [the Angel] says, 'OAllah! Forgive Your slave, for he went to bed in a state of purity.'[Reported by at-Tabaranee. See Saheeh al-

Jamee (3831)]

(c) Choose a suitable bed: Excessive luxurious or soft bed provokes laziness and makes one sleep more and

become negligent. Aa'ishah (radhi allahu anha) narrates that the pillow of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)

on which he slept at night was made of leather stuffed with palm fibers. [Abu Dawood and Musnad Ahmad. Saheeh

al-Jamee (4714)]

Once Umar Ibn al-Khattab (radhi allahu anhu) entered upon the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)

when he was lying on a mat of palm fibers that had left marks on his side. Umar (radhi allahu anhu) said: O

Messenger of Allah, why do you not get something more comfortable than this? He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)


3/4

said: What do I have to do with this world? My relationship with this world is like that of a traveler on a hot

summer's day, who seeks shade under a tree for an hour, then moves on. [Musnad Ahmad and al-Hakim.

Saheeh al-Jamee (5545)]

(d) Cleaning the bed and lying on the right sideAbu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) reported: The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: When any one of you

goes to bed, let him clear his bed by hitting it withhis garment, for hedoes not know what may have comeonto it. Then let him liedown on his right side[Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]

(e) Reciting the Adhkaar (supplications) mentioned in the Sunnah before sleepingThere are a number of Adhkaar prescribed in the Sunnah before going to bed, amongst them are reciting the last

verses of Soorah al-Baqarah, reciting Soorah al-Falaq and Soorah al-Nas and Soorah Ikhlas blow in the palms and

wipe as much of the body possible, starting from the head, face and then the front of the body doing it three times.

[Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]

Ali Ibn Abi Talib (radhi allahu anhu) reported that when the Prophet's daughter, Fatima (radhi allahu anha) came tohim and asked him for a servant, he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said to her and Ali: Shall I not teach you

something that will be better for you than a servant? When you go to bed, say 'SubhanAllah' thirty-three

times, 'Al-hamdulillah' thirty-three times, and 'Allahu Akbar' thirty-four times. This is better for you than a

servant. [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]

5: Avoid too much food anddrink

Too much food or drink is one of the main obstacles that make one lazy and negligent of Qiyaam al-Layl. The

Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: Man fills no vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient

for the son of Adam to have a few mouthfuls to givehim the strengthhe needs. Ifhehas to fill his stomach,then let him leave one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air.[Reported by at-Tirmidhee andIbn Majah. Saheeh al-Jamee (5674)]

Abu Juhayfah (radhi allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said to a man who burped in

his presence: Stop your burping, for the people who eat the most in this life will be the most hungry on the

Day of Resurrection. [Reported by al-Hakim. Saheeh al-Jamee (1190)]

6: Striving against oneself:

Striving against oneself to get up and pray and suppressing one's desires bring about Allah's help and His Pleasure

for the slave. Allah says in the Qur'aan: Strive in Allah's Cause as you ought to strive [Soorah al-Hajj (25):78] And as for those who strivehard in Our Cause, We will surely guide them to Our Paths. And verily,

Allah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers). [ (29): 69]

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: The Mujahid (one who strives in way of Allah) is the one who

strives against his own self for the sake of Allah. [Reported by al-Tirmidhee. See al-Saheehah (549)]

He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also said: When a man from my Ummah gets up to pray at night, striving againsthis own self to get up and purify himself, there are knots on him. When he washes his hands in wudhu, one knot is

undone. When he washes his face, another knot is undone. When he wipes his head another knot is undone. When

he washes his feet, another knot is undone. Then Allah says to those who are veiled (in the Unseen): 'Look at this

slave of Mine, he is striving against his own self and asking of Me.Whatever My slave asks of Me shall behis.[Musnad Ahmad. See Saheeh al-Targheeb (627)]

7: Rebuking one's self for not praying Qiyaam al-Layl

Qiyaam al-Layl is a great blessing from Allah, the Exalted, and He has placed in it numerous spiritual benefits and

rewards for the believer. Therefore, one should rebuke one's self, if he misses this great opportunity of achieving

rewards and Pleasure of Allah. Allah says in the Qur'aan: O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to


4/4

Him. And let every person look to what hehas sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do. [(59): 18]

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said: If the slave is responsible and accountable for everything, even his

hearing, sight and innermost thoughts, as Allah says, Verily, hearing, sight, and theheart ofeach of you will

be questioned by Allah.[Soorah al-Isra (17): 36], then he should check on himself before he is brought to

account.

Documents

7 Practical Tips for Praying Qiyaam Al-Layl