Zakat Ul-Maal

This treatise aims at exhorting and reminding the significance of the Zakât towards which most of the Muslims are very careless as they are not particular in giving it out, in spite of the fact that it is one of the five pillars of Islam and that without it Islam cannot be firmly established. The Prophet (peace be upon him)  said:

“Islam is based on five (pillars): To testify that there is no God except Allah, and Muhammad  is the Messenger of Allah; To offer Salât (prayer); To pay Zakât (obligatory charity); To observe Saum (fasts during the month of Ramadan) and; To perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah).”

It is obligatory upon every Muslim, in possession of wealth, to pay Zakât (obligatory charity). This Islamic command possesses plenty of advantages of which some are mentioned below:

1. It meets the needs of the poor of the society.
2. It strengthens the good relation between the rich and the poor, as everyone is naturally inclined towards the one who does good to him.
3. It purifies one’s self and sanctifies it; and it purges one’s moral of covetousness and miserliness; as is stated in the Qur’ân:
“Take Sadaqa (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it” (9:103).
4. It promotes open-handedness, generosity and sympathy in a Muslim towards the needy persons.
5. It draws Allah’s blessing; causes increase in wealth and the replacement of spent out; as Allah describes:

“And whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah’s cause), He will replace it. He is the Best of those Who grant Sustenance.” (34:39).

And also the Prophet (peace be upon him)  has stated in an authentic Hadith that Allah says:

“O Children of Adam! If you give (in Allah’s cause), We shall give you.”
And there are many more benefits in it.
On the contrary, a severe punishment would incur upon those who act miserly and are negligent in paying out the Zakât. Allah describes regarding them:
“And those who hoard up gold and silver (Al-Kanz––the money, the Zakât of which has not been paid), and spend it not in the Way of Allah,––announce unto them a painful torment. On the Day when that (Al-Kanz: money, gold and silver, etc., the Zakât of which has not been paid) will be heated in the fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs: (and it will be said unto them): ‘This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard’.” (9: 34, 35)
The above verses clarify that the wealth of which Zakât has not been paid, is a hoarded treasure for which its owner would be punished on the Day of Resurrection. The same has also been described by the Prophet (peace be upon him)  in the following Hadith:
“If any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on him, when the Day of Resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him; these would then be heated in the fire of Hell, and his sides, his forehead and his back would be cauterised with them. Whenever these cool down, (the process is) repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgement is pronounced among slaves, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell.”
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him)  informed of the owners of the camels, cows, and goats; who do not pay their Zakât, that they would be punished on the Day of Judgement.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever is made wealthy by Allah and does not pay the Zakât of his wealth, then on the Day of Resurrection, his wealth will be made like a bald-headed poisonous male snake with two black spots over the eyes (or two poisonous glands in its mouth). The snake will encircle his neck and bite his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure’.”
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him)  recited the noble verse:
“And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His Bounty (wealth) think that it is good for them (and so they do not pay the obligatory Zakât). Nay, it will be worse for them; the things which they covetously withheld shall be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection.”   (3:180)

Zakât is obligatory on the following four types of property:

1.    The produce of earth, like grains and fruits.
2.    The grazing animals.
3.    Gold and silver.
4.    Commercial commodities.

For all types of properties, Nisab (minimum amount of property liable to the payment of Zakât) is fixed, below which no Zakât would be imposed on them.

The minimum quantity for the first category i.e. grains, fruits, (wheat, rice, dates, grapes, barley, etc.) is 5 (five) Wasq and one Wasq (approx. 135 kgs.) is 60 (sixty) Sâ‘ according to the Sâ‘ of the Prophet, and one Sâ‘ is equivalent to nearly four times of both handsful of a man of average built.

Moreover, if in cultivation, irrigation was made through rains or canal or fountain and like this without any effort, one-tenth of the total produce is due to be paid as Zakât.
If the field was irrigated by waterwheels, and other devices for irrigation which involved labour; twentieth part of the total produce is to be paid as Zakât.

And regarding the Zakât of animals, detailed study of it may be had from the authentic Ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him)  or from scholars of Ahadith, as we intend in this booklet only a brief account of the subject.

And the minimum amount (Nisâb) of silver for the Zakât to be due on it, is 140 (one hundred and forty) Mithqâl, which is equivalent to 56 (fifty-six) Saudi Riyals.
And the Nisâb of gold is 20 (twenty) Mithqâl which is equivalent to 113/7 (eleven and three-seventh) Saudi Junaih or 92 (ninety-two) grams.

Now, the Zakât due on both gold and silver is one-fortieth (1/40 or 2.5%) of the total amount (quantity) provided one is in possession of at least the minimum amount  (Nisâb) as mentioned above, of both or any one of them, and a year has passed over them.
But as regards Zakât on the benefit derived from the capital (i.e. original amount), the condition of passing over one year on it, does not apply. The benefit would be included in the capital (original amount) at the time of calculation for payment of Zakât; and likewise the new births in grazing animals will be added to the original number of animals for the payment of Zakât, if the original number reaches the Nisâb and completes a year without any consideration of time passed over the new births.

The same ruling, as in gold and silver, holds good in the case of currency notes, coins or bills also, whether be it dirham or dinar or dollar or others, provided its value reaches the minimum amount (Nisâb) of either gold or silver; and a year has passed over it. When the above conditions are fulfilled, one-fortieth part (1/40 or 2.5%) of the total value would be given out as Zakât.

The same would apply to the ornaments of the women, made from gold or silver for personal use or lending as loan, when these reach the Nisâb and one year has passed over them, in line with the opinions of authentic scholars in the light of Prophet’s saying:

“If any owner of gold or silver does not pay the Zakât due on him, when the Day of Resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him; these would then be heated in the fire of Hell and his sides, his forehead and his back would be cauterised with them. Whenever these cool down, (the process is) repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgement is pronounced among slaves, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell.”

It is narrated that once the Prophet (peace be upon him)  :

On seeing a woman with two bracelets of gold in her hands, asked her whether she gave out the Zakât of it. When she replied in negative, he (peace be upon him) said, “Would it please you if Allah puts on you two bracelets made of fire.” On hearing this, she put off these and said, “These are for Allah and His Messenger.”  (Abu Daud, Nasâi)
Also it is narrated by Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her):

While she was wearing an anklet of gold, she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) , “O Messenger of Allah! Is it a Kanz (a hoarded wealth).” The Prophet (peace be upon him)  replied, “If it has been purified (by paying Zakât of it), it is not a Kanz (hoarded wealth).”
This command is also supported by other Ahadith.

As regards the Zakât on commercial commodities, its value would be assessed at the end of one year and one-fortieth (1/40 or 2.5%) part of the present value would be given out as Zakât, no matter its present value is equal to the purchase value or it is more or less. It is in accordance with the Hadith narrated by Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) :

“Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)  enjoined us to give out Sadaqah (Zakât) from whatever we prepare for sale.” (Abu Daud)

This includes lands for sale, buildings, cars, machinery for deriving water or any other article obtained for sale.

As for buildings constructed for rent but not for sale, Zakât should be paid on the rent after a year passes over it; but the building itself is not liable for Zakât as it is not an item for sale. Likewise, personal cars and those for hire are not liable for Zakât since they are not meant for sale as the owner has purchased it for his use. And if the owner of the rental cars accumulates the returns up to the amount that is liable for Zakât, then he should pay Zakât if one year passes over such money whether he had kept it for personal expenses, or for expenses in marriage, or for such as settling debts or buying real estate or for any other purpose; this is in accordance with the evidence of Shariah on the obligation of Zakât. According to the authentic views of scholars, debt can not be an excuse for nonpayment of Zakât.

Similar is the case for the wealth or money of orphans and mentally retarded people; when it reaches the Nisâb and a year passes over it  the Zakât must be paid, and their guardians should give out the Zakât on their behalf when a year passes over the goods. According to the Hadith narrated by Mu‘adh, when he was sent to Yemen, the Prophet (peace be upon him)  told him:

“Verily Allah imposes upon them Sadaqah (alms) on their wealth to be taken from the rich and then given to the poor.”

Zakât is Allah’s right and so it is not allowed to give it to someone not deserving with the intention to gain his favour; nor a person, who doesn’t deserve it, is allowed to use it for making gains or saving himself from harm. Rather a Muslim should give out Zakât to those who deserve it on grounds that they are among the people entitled to it and not with any other intention; it should be given out with good faith and solely to please Allah and in this way he will get Allah’s reward and replacement.

Allah categorizes those who deserve Zakât in His Noble Qur’ân:

“As-Sadaqat (here it means Zakât) are only for the Fuqara (poor), and Al-Masakin (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds) and for to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debts; and for Allah’s cause (i.e. for Mujahidun––those fighting in the holy battles) and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”  (9:60)

From this glorious verse ending with the two great attributes of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala)  we get the warning that He, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) is aware of the state of His slaves and of those among them who deserve or do not deserve Zakât. In this verse Allah further tells us that He is Wise in His Shariah and so he does not put anything except in the right position; and hence if anything about His Shariah is not clear to anyone, even then he should be satisfied with it and obey its commands.

May Allah grant us knowledge in His religion and sincerity in implementing it, and help us in the performing of deeds leading to His Pleasure, and save from the deeds leading to His Anger. Verily, He is All-Hearer and Nearer. May Allah bless His slave and His Messenger and his family and his Companions.

Easy Good Deeds

1. Think of Allah before you take any action. Make duah before everything- sleeping, eating, studying, driving…

2. Read the Qur’an in Arabic and the meaning every day- take the time out of your busy schedule to listen to Allah.

3. Become a serious student of this Deen. Try to make it to the next Islamic class, halaqah or meeting. Shock your friends, bring a notebook.

4. Evaluate yourself daily before going bed. Thank Allah for good deeds, repent to Him for your mistakes and sins.

5. Avoid looking at unlawful pictures, whether they be from television, magazines, or otherwise.

6. Study the history of Islam. Learn of the great scholars and warriors who died with Allah on their lips and Islam in their hearts. Strive to emulate them.

7. Spend some time listening to recitation of the Quran. Find reciters that you like, try Abu Bakr ash-Shaatri, al-Ghamdi, as-Sudais, al-Minshawi..

8. Encourage your non-practicing friends to come to Islamic events.

9. Hang out with other Muslims.

10. Talk to your non-Muslim friends about Islam. Have you taken the time to explain the basics to them?

11. Go to at least one convention/conference/camp a year.

12. Perform the sunnah and nawafil salahs as much as possible. Find time to pray extras, such as Salatud-Duhaa, Qiyaamul-layl, and Tahajjud.

13. Subscribe to a Muslim magazine.

14. Buy Islamic gear instead of the latest Tommy Hil, CK, Nike, or Adidas…

15. Take the time to understand what’s going on in the Muslim world today. Do your part to get involved and help relief organizations.

16. Try to fast Mondays and Thursdays as of today.

17. Lower your gaze.

18. Start reading Qur’an after Salat-ul Fajr.

19. Go to bed early so that you can wake up far Salat-ul Fajr.

20. Keep yourself in a state of wudu’ most of the time.

21. Really listen to speakers. Take their advice to heart, commit yourself to change.

22. Give yourself time alone, so that you can think about your life, your deeds, make dhikr.

23. Start giving sadaqah daily, no matter how little. Make it a habit like eating and drinking.

24. Spend more time reading Islamic books, especially the Seerah, Hadeeth, and Fiqh.

25. Associate with knowledgeable people, hafidh, qari’, and other ulama. You might learn something.

26. Try to learn how to make dawah to non-muslims. It is an art requiring knowledge and diplomacy.

27. Watch as little television as possible. Seriously.

28. Go to the masjid.

29. Don’t criticize if you dislike something- do your part to change it.

30. Stand up for right, forbid evil. Just say no to gheebah.

31. Avoid eating too much. Do not eat unless you are hungry and try not to fill your stomach

32. If you like to listen to music, replace them with nasheed, music with islamic lyrics or with Quranic recitation. (some examples: Whisper of Peace, Prayers of the Last Prophet, MYNA raps: the Next Level)

33. Buy Islamic videos, tapes, posters, books, clothes, support your Muslims brothers and sisters and make Islam a part of every aspect of your life.

34. If you meet any new Muslims, buddy up with them and make them feel like a part of your community.

35. Break out of your clique.

36. Keep three extra Qur’an translations and some literature in your home at all times. You never know when you’ll find someone interested who wants to know more.

BE BRAVE
PREPARE FOR STRUGGLE
PERSEVERE
HAVE CERTAINTY THAT ISLAM WILL BE VICTORIOUS

Fear Allah wherever you are in all times and all places. Stand up for Islam no matter who likes it or dislikes it. Dedicate yourself to changing this world. Go against the grain. The world needs you. You are the best community raised up for mankind.

pls share with source back links,
JazakAllah khair !

What Can You Do in 10 Minutes

Here is a list of 10 things that would not take more than 10 minutes of your time. And if we truly understood the happiness these actions bring in this life and the next, we would spend our life in dedication to these deeds:

10. Pray 2 rakaat (Salatul Duha) anytime after sunrise and before Dhuhr.

Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu said, “My khaleel, Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam advised me to do three things (1) That I fast 3 days of each month and (2) To pray 2 rakaat of Duha and (3) That I do my witr before sleeping” (Bukhari and Muslim).

9. Pray for RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam.

He sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Whoever prays for me once, Allah blesses that person 10 times (because of that prayer)” (Muslim).

8. Repeat what the mu’adhdhin is saying.

Abdullah ibn Amr narrates: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, the ones that call the people to prayer receive more reward than us.”

So Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam replied, “Say what they say, then when you finish, pray for anything and you shall be given it” (Abu Dawood).

7. Say subhan Allah – How far Allah is from imperfection! –100 times.

Mus’ab ibn Sa’d said: My father told me that he was with Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam when he remarked, “Does any one of you not have the ability to attain 1000 hasanaat (good deeds) every day? Let him do tasbeeh (Subhan Allah) 100 times and it will be written for him as 1000 hasanaat or 1000 sins will be wiped from his record” (Muslim).

6. Play with your children for the sake of Allah.

Jabir narrates: We were with Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam on our way to an invitation to a meal when we passed Al-Husayn playing in the alley with some Ansar children. Allah’s Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam walked a little faster to go and play with him. He stuck out his hand to take him, but Al-Husayn ran here and there squealing gleefully until Allah’s Messenger caught him. Then he sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam held his chin with one hand and his head with the other and kissed Al-Husayn and hugged him (Bukhari).

5. Make du’a often during times of ease.

RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Whoever it pleases that Allah answer his supplications during times of calamity and hardship, let him increase his supplication amidst the times of ease” (Tirmidhi and Al Hakim).

Bonus: Say the Dhikr after Making Wudu.

RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “If anyone of you, after perfecting his wudu, says, ‘Ash hadu an laa ilaaha illAllah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘Abduhu wa Rasooluh (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his slave and Messenger), the eight gates of Jannah will open for him and he will be permitted to enter from whichever he wishes” (Muslim).

4. Pick up the phone to call your mother (or a close relative) and tell them that you love them.

RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “The Wasil (One who fulfils the rights of his ties of kinship) is not the one who does good when family members do good (and bad when they are bad). The Wasil is the one who, when family members cut him off he does good to them” (Interpretation of a Bukhari).

3. Take a few minutes to stop and contemplate Allah’s amazing creation, of your eyes, voice, and entire body. Allah says in the Qur’an:

And on the earth are signs for the certain (in faith) /And in yourselves, will you not see (and contemplate) (Az-Zariyat 51/20-21)?

2. Share a part of your lunch with someone.

RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Oh Abu Dharr! If you cook any soup, increase its water and then look to your neighbors and give them some of it” (Muslim).

And the number one deed you can do in less then 10 minutes…

1. Make du’a for your brother in his absence.

RasulAllah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “If a person prays for his (or her) brother in their absence (without them knowing), an angel (hears the du’a) and replies, ‘Ameen! And may Allah give you the same’”(Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi).

In fact, whenever the Sahaabah and Taabi’een wanted their du’a to be answered quickly, they would ask the same thing for their brother in order to get the angel to reply, ‘Ameen! And may Allah give you the same.’

In sha Allah,

let’s all try at the very least to find one deed from this list and implement it in this coming week.

After it has become habit, try another deed and so on.This is how we can all grow.

Share with friends,InshahAllah Allah will reward you!

What You can do in 1 Minute

Strive to make the most of each minute !

If you forget it, you forget the most important thing, the truth.

There follows a list of things that can be done in one minute, by the permission of Allaah:

1. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Faatihah 3 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Some scholars said that the reward for reading al-Faatihah is more than 600 hasanahs, so if you read it 3 times you will, by the permission of Allaah, gain more than 1800 hasanahs – all of that in one minute.

2. In one minute you can recite Soorat al-Ikhlaas (Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad) 20 times, reciting rapidly and silently. Reciting it once is equivalent to one-third of the Qur’aan. If you read it 20 times it is equivalent to reading the Qur’aan 7 times. If you read it 20 times in one minute each day, you will have read it 600 times in one month, and 7200 times in one year, which will be equal in reward to reading the Qur’aan 2400 times.

3. You can read one page of the Book of Allaah in one minute.

4. You can memorize a short aayah of the Book of Allaah in one minute.

5. In one minute you can say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god except Allaah alone with no partner; to Him be dominion and praise, and He is Able to do all things) – 20 times. The reward for saying this is like freeing 8 slaves for the sake of Allaah from among the sons of Ismaa’eel.

6. In one minute you can say Subhaan Allaahi wa bi hamdihi (Glory and praise be to Allaah) 100 times. Whoever says that in one day will be forgiven for his sins even if they are like the foam of the sea.

7. In one minute you can say Subhaan Allaahi wa bi hamdihi Subhaan Allaah il-‘Azeem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah the Almighty) 50 times. These are two phrases which are light on the lips, heavy in the balance and beloved to the Most Merciful, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

8. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When I say ‘Subhaan Allaah, wa’l-hamdu Lillah, wa laa ilaah ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar (Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god except Allaah, and Allaah is Most Great)’, this is more beloved to me than all that the sun rises upon.” (Narrated by Muslim). In one minute, you can say all of these words more than 18 times. These words are the most beloved words to Allaah, the best of words, and they weigh heavily in the balance of good deeds, as was narrated in the saheeh ahaadeeth.

9. In one minute you can say, Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (there is no strength and no power except with Allaah) more than 40 times. This is one of the treasures of Paradise, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. They are a means of putting up with difficulties and of aiming to achieve great things.

10. In one minute you can say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah approximately 50 times. This is the greatest word, for it is the word of Tawheed, the good word, the word that stands firm. If these are the last words of a person, he will enter Paradise, and there are other reports which indicate how great these words are.

11. In one minute you can say Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih, ‘adada khalqihi, wa ridaa nafsihi, wazinata ‘arshihi, wa midaada kalimaatihi (Glory and praise be to Allaah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words) more than 15 times. This words bring many more times the reward for other forms of tasbeeh and dhikr, as was reported in saheeh ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

12. In one minute you can seek the forgiveness of Allaah more than 100 times by saying “Astaghfir-Allaah (I seek the forgiveness of Allaah). The virtues of seeking forgiveness are no secret, for it is the means of attaining forgiveness and entering Paradise, and it is the means of being granted a good life, increasing one’s strength, warding off disasters, making things easier, bringing rain and increasing one’s wealth and children.

13. You can say a few brief and concise words in one minute, and Allaah may bring about some good through them that you could never imagine.

14. In one minute you can send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 50 times by saying Sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah bless him and grant him peace). In return Allaah will send blessings upon you 500 hundred times because one blessing brings ten like it.

15. In one minute you can motivate your heart to give thanks to Allaah, to love Him, to fear Him, to put hope in Him, to long for Him, and thus travel through the stages of ‘uboodiyyah (total enslavement to Allaah). You could do this when you are lying on your bed or walking in the street.

16. In one minute you can read more than two pages of a useful book that is easy to understand.

17. In one minute you can uphold the ties of kinship by calling a relative on the phone.

18. You can raise your hands and recite any du’aa’ you wish from the books of du’aa’, in one minute.

19. You can say salaams to and shake hands with a number of people in one minute.

20. You can forbid an evil action in one minute.

21. You can enjoin something good in one minute.

22. You can offer sincere advice to a brother in one minute.

23. You can console someone who is depressed in one minute.

24. You can remove something harmful from the road in one minute.

Making the most of one minute motivates you to make the most of other periods that would otherwise be wasted.

Al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

When people go to sleep, I let my tears flow, and I recite a verse of the most eloquent poetry

Is it not a waste that nights go by and I do not increase in knowledge, yet this time is counted as part of my life?

Finally, the more sincere you are towards Allaah and the more aware you are of Him, the greater will be your reward and the more your hasanaat will increase.

Note that most of these actions will not cost you anything; they do not require tahaarah (purity) and they will not tire you out or take much effort. On the contrary, you can do them whilst you are walking, or in your car, or lying down, or standing, or sitting, or waiting for somebody.

These actions are also among the greatest means of attaining happiness, expanding the chest (i.e., bringing relief and joy) and removing stress and anxiety.

May Allaah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.

May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Ameen

Night Prayers in Ramadan/Fasting

Qiyaam Al-Layl – The Night Prayer All Praise is due to Allah, Who has made Salah a relaxation for the believer, a refuge for the fearful, and a guidance for the savage. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the leader of those who perform salah, perform tahajjud, and make rukoo and sujood. And also upon his family, companions, and those who follow them in the right way until the day of judgment.

As for what follows:

Night prayer is the diligence of the righteous, the transaction of the believers, and the action of the victorious. At night the believers are alone with their Lord – they turn towards their Creator complaining about their situations and asking of His bounties. They are standing in front of their Lord, devoted to the confidential talk with their Shaper, gently breathing the fragrances, taking from the lights of the good deeds, and seeking and begging for the greatest of gifts.

Night Prayer in the Quran

Allah the Most Exalted said: “They arise from [their] beds” [Holy Quran 32:16]

Mujahid and AlHasan said: “it means night prayer”.

Ibn Kathir explained the verse: “The meaning is night prayer, leaving sleep and rest upon a soft and flat furnishing.

AbdulHaq al Ashbeeli said: “Their sides find no rest upon a bed. So they are not settled on it because of the fear of the punishment, and hoping for reward.”

Allah the Exalted mentioned about the people who make tahajjud:

“They used to sleep but little of the night, And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness “[Holy Quran 51:17-18]

AlHasan said: “They burdened themselves with the night. They extended the salah until the early dawn, then they sat making dua and seeking forgiveness.”
Allah said:

Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.” [Holy Quran 39:9]

In other words: Is the one whose character is this, similar to the one who sleeps at night and wastes himself? Can he be anything other than one who is knowledgeable about Allah’s rewards but ignorant of His punishments?

My brothers and sisters: Where are the people of the night? Where have the virtuous gone, and only the idle and inactive are left?!

Oh people of the night exert yourselves [Seeking] A Lord who does not refuse when asked
Night Prayer in the Sunnah

My dear Muslim brother/sister: The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged making night prayer and arousing interest in it.

“It is upon you to perform night prayer, because it was the practice of the righteous people before you. It is a means of obtaining closeness to Allah the Exalted, it erases sins, it prevents wrongdoings, and it drives away sicknesses from the body .” [Narrated by Ahmad, AlTirmidhi, and graded saheeh by AlAlbaani]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said about the condition of Abdullah ibn Umar: “How excellent Abdullah is! If only he would pray salah at night ” [Agreed upon]

Saalim ibn Abdillah ibn Umar said: “After that, Abdullah slept very little at night.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There is a room in Jennah where the exterior is seen from the interior, and the interior is seen from the exterior. “
Someone said: “Who is it for, Messenger of Allah?”

He said: “It is for the one whose speech is pleasant, he feeds others, and he spends the night standing while the people are asleep ” [Narrated by AlTabarani, AlHaakim, and graded saheeh by AlAlbaani]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Jibreel came to me and said: ‘Oh Muhammad: Live as you wish for you will die. Love whom you will for you will be separated. Do as you will for you will be recompensed for it. Know that the most honored of the believer is his standing at night, and his prestige is in not needing anything from the people ” [Narrated by AlHaakim and AlBaihaqi. It has been graded hasan by AlMundhiri and AlAlbaani]

He (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever stands at night and recites ten ayaat is not recorded among the heedless. Whoever stands at night and recites one hundred ayaat is recorded among the pious. Whoever stands and recites one thousand ayaat is recorded among those who received a huge quantity of good deeds .” [Narrated by Abu Dawood and graded saheeh by AlAlbaani]

Someone told the Prophet peace be upon him) about a man who slept the night until morning time. He said “That is a man in whose ear the Shaytan urinated! ” [Agreed upon]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The best prayer after the obligatory ones is night prayer” [Narrated by Muslim]

Night Prayer of the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him ! 

Allah the Most Exalted ordered His Prophet to perform night prayer in the following: “O you who wraps himself [in clothing], Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little – Half of it – or subtract from

it a little. Or add to it, and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation.” [Holy Quran 73:1-4]
And He said:
“And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will

resurrect you to a praised station.” [Holy Quran 17:79]

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “The Prophet would stand at night until his feet became cracked. I said to him: Why do you do this oh Messenger of Allah, while all of your sins past and future have been forgiven? He said: Shouldn’t I be a thankful slave? ” [Agreed upon]

This proves that thankfulness is not only by the tongue. It is only done by the heart, the tongue, and the limbs. The Prophet (peace be upon him) established the duties of worship in the most complete manner, and in the most perfect form. He did all of this despite the fact that he had to spread the Islamic Aqeedah, teach the Muslims, exert himself in the path of Allah, and fulfill the duties of his family and children.

He was as Ibn Rawaha said:

Among us is the Messenger of Allah reciting His book When the courtesy is separated from the morning, glowing.

He showed us guidance after blindness, so our hearts Are full of certainty that what he said is reality.

He spends the night separated from his bed When the beds are heavy with the idol-worshippers.

Hudhaifa said: “I prayed with the Prophet one night. He started with AlBaqara, so I thought that he will make rukoo after that. Then he started AlNisaa and recited it. Then he started Aal-Imraan and recited it. He would recite slowly; when he came to an ayaa with Tasbeeh, he would make Tashbeeh. When he came to a request, he would request. When he came to a seeking of refuge, he would seek refuge…. “[Narrated by Muslim]

Ibn Masood said: “I prayed one night with the Prophet. He continued standing until I thought of a bad idea.

Someone said: What did you think of doing? He said: I thought to sit down and leave him! ” [Agreed upon]

Ibn Hajar said: “In this hadeeth is proof that the Prophet (peace be upon him) chose to prolong the night prayer. Ibn Masood was strong-willed in preserving his emulation of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He did not think of sitting down until the prayer was much longer than he was used to.”

Night Prayer & Early Muslims

Imam AlHasan AlBasri said: “I did not find any worship more powerful than salaah in the middle of the night”.

Abu Uthmaan AlHindi said: “I was the guest of Abu Huraira for seven [days]. He, his wife, and his servant would divide the night into three parts, praying one part and staying awake for another part”.

When Shaddad ibn Aws would go to bed, he would be like a grain in a frying pan. Then he would say: “Oh Allah, hell-fire does not stop me from sleeping”. Then he would stand to pray.

Taawus would strongly awaken his family, then he would make wudhu and face the qibla until morning. He would say “The sleep of the worshipers has caused them to completely stop remembering the hell-fire!”

Zum’a al-Aabid would pray long hours of the night. When dawn would approach, he would raise his voice and announce: “Oh riders of the beds, are you going to sleep and waste away the entire night? Will you not get up and leave the bed!” He would then hear crying from one place, a person making dua from another place, and someone making wudu from another place. When fajr time would come, he would say: “At the morning time, the people are thankful for the announcement”

The levels of the early Muslims with regards to Night Prayer

Imam Ibnul Jawzi said: You should know that the early Muslims were at one of seven levels with regards to night prayer:

Level one: These would stay up the entire night. Some of them would pray Fajr with the same wudu as Isha.

Level two: These would pray half of the night.

Level three: These would pray one-third of the night. The Prophet peace be upon him) said: ” The most beloved salah to Allah The Exalted is the salah of Dawud. He would sleep half of the night, pray one-third, and sleep one-sixth”. [Agreed upon]

Level four: These would pray one-sixth of the night or one-fifth.

Level five: These would not specify an amount of the night. He would only pray until he became sleepy, and would then sleep. When he woke up, he would pray.

Level six: These would pray two or four rakah.

Level seven: These would stay awake between the two Isha times [the early time for Isha and the later, recommended time], and they would sweeten their mornings [with dua]. This way, they would join the night and morning. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ” Indeed in every night is a time wherein if the worshipper asks Allah for something good, He will give it. And this is in every night.” [Narrated by Muslim]

Factors that make night prayer easy Imam Abu Hamid AlGhazali mentioned some external and internal factors that make Night Prayer easy.

External factors are four:

That the individual should not eat or drink too much. Then sleep will overpower him, and waking up will be difficult.
The person should not tire himself in the daytime with things of no benefit.
He should not avoid the mid-day nap because it helps with regards to waking up.
He should not make sins in the daytime because that will prevent him from night prayer.

Internal factors are four:

The heart should be free from these: malice towards the Muslims, bid’as, and excessive worldly interests.

The heart should have a lot of fear and not too much hope.
He should know the benefits of night prayer.
The best motivation: Love of Allah, and having strong Eman that in his prayer every letter that he utters is freeing him from the punishment of his Lord.

Night Prayer in Ramadan

Night prayer in Ramadhan is Salah at-Taraweeh which the Muslims perform during Ramadhan. It is one of the greatest acts of worship by which the worshippers seek to come closer to Allah in that month.

Al-Hafidh ibn Rajab said: “You should know that in Ramadhan the believer combines two actions by which he struggles against himself: during the day-time by fasting, and during the night-time by night prayer. Whoever combines these two forms of struggle receives his reward without any account.”

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen said: “Salah at night during Ramadhan has benefits and merits not found in other times. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever makes night prayer during Ramadhan, with Eman and hoping for reward from Allah, all his previous sins are forgiven. ‘. [Agreed upon]

Night prayer during Ramadhan is inclusive of salah in the early as well as late part of the night. For this reason, Taraweeh is part of night prayer during Ramadhan. It is necessary to seek it, to protect it, and to hope for reward from Allah because of it. It is only during a limited number of nights, so the intelligent believer takes advantage of the opportunity before it is lost.”

Salah at-Taraweeh has been legislated as a congregation in the mosques. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the first to start the Sunnah of Salah at-Taraweeh in the mosque, but then he left it out of fear that it would become obligatory on the people. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) left this world and went to be with his Lord, the Sharia was completed and there was no fear of Taraweeh becoming obligatory. Its religious nature as a congregational salah has remained and is established.

It is necessary for the Muslims to take care of this salah and offer it completely, and have patience for the sake of Allah the Exalted.

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen said: “No one should fall behind in obtaining the rewards of salah at-Taraweeh. He should not leave until the Imam finishes it and Witr, so that he obtains all the reward for praying at night.”

It is allowed for the women to attend salah at-Taraweeh in the mosques so long as there is no danger, whether from them or against them. But it is necessary that she attends covered and wearing hijab, not showing off, perfumed, raising her voice, or displaying her beauty.
It is from the sunnah that they stand behind the men and away from them. They should begin with the last row because that is the opposite from men. They should leave the masjid right after the Imam makes tasleem and not stay unless due to some necessity.

This is because of the Hadith of Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) who said:
“When the Prophet would make salaam, the women would get up when he finished tasleem. He would stay in his place for a little while before he would stand. She said: We think, and Allah Knows Best, that this was so that the women could depart before the men would catch up to them .” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]