~Thy Lord will raise thee to a Station of Praise and Glory~

And pray in the small watches of the morning:
(it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for thee:
soon will thy Lord raise thee to a Station of Praise and Glory!
[Qur’an Al Isra’ 17:79]

As to the Righteous, they will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs,
Taking joy in the things which their Lord gives them, because, before then, they lived a good life.
They were in the habit of sleeping but little by night,
And in the hour of early dawn, they (were found) praying for Forgiveness;
[Qur'an Az Dzariyat 51:15-18]

Some time ago I read a sister asked how to perform qiyyamul lail, InshaAllah I will share how to perform Qiyamul lail. Some of them based on personal experience and discussions and sharing of friends… Therefore Whatever that according to the truth Qur’an and Sunnah please take them…... but it oppose the Quran and Sunnah.. please leave them…

THE STEPS AND TIPS TO DO TAHAJJUD [QIYAMMUL LAIL].

1. How to wake up in the night..

How to wake up in the night is the hardest part to perform tahajud… It need struggle, the battle with the nafs [especially for them who love sleep]…. so it very important before sleep has to have firm and strong will to awake.

By the way here some tips to make you wake up

a. Set your alarm at least 1.5 to 3 hours before subuh time…

Buy loud alarm.. if one is not enough then buy 2 or 3 ….if not enough set also your cell phone alarm. Make sure they will ring at the same time.. but if you still not sure they will successfully make you wake up… set them automatically to ring again for every 10 or 15 minutes… If still you can’t hear it… please go meet the doctor and check your ears perhaps something wrong with them… or perhaps you have sleeping disorder problem. :)

b. Have good friend around you [1]

Why ?

Because if something wrong with you, like they see there is something change in the way you talk….[you too often talk nonsense, backbite, etc] or when they see something wrong with your behavior… they will ask you

“Did you perform qiyamul lail last night”…
“How your sunnah fasting this week ?”
“How your tilawah this week ?” etc etc

[You will not get offense because you know they are very sincere people who love and care you, you do understand they not try to judge you but the otherwise they have attention to you that perhaps you miss to charge your soul with some nawafil … ]

And then.. when you said…

“ Astaghfirullah.. in these week I am really messy… I hardly to wake up in the night..”

They will say you :

“Come sleep to my home inshaAllah we will try to manage wake up and pray together “

Or

“Do you need me to call you every night?”…

Note : Ukhti, don’t ask any brother to miss call you. If there is any brother happily miss call you or send you sms in the middle of night, please promptly reply “Ya Akhi, I do not need you sms to make me wake up, Afwan I do not accept sms from non mahram to make me wake up… “

Akhi if any sister sms you.. just do not response.. they will stop herself due to the hayya [shyness] that they have, inshaAllah…

I need to say for sister because most of time sister get flowering, flatteting with such attention and if they not firm, the sms will probably coming frequently :)…

Anyway.. I might be wrong… afwan…

c. When the alarms have been ringing

Sometimes the peak of temptation is when the alarms have already made you awake… There are mixed feelings there… it like you want to angry with that alarm [sometimes you are so mad that you make you kick, hit, throw and even step the alarm but it still ringing.. when you tired of it you finally realize it was just a dream that inspired by the alarm that still ringing in real ]

Mostly you failed to wake up for tahajud, not because you didn’t hear the alarm.. You did hear it, but somehow there are too many thoughts, whisperings that suddenly attack you that make you cancel to wake up

For example :

“Ugh.. it very cold… the water must be more cold… If I wake up and take abolition perhaps I will get the fever. It’s not good, I have a lot if things to do I need to be fit.. I think Allah will not angry with me, anyway He not burden me over our ability… [2] .

or

“Oh it still 2 hours remain…lets sleep for 15 minutes more… “

when 15 minutes run out…

“ Still feel sleepy…maybe I need sleep bit more… anyway Rasulullah sallahu alaihiwassalam said to Not pray when we still feel sleepy…it said if still feel sleepy have to sleep until not feel sleepy…..[3] . However…. Subuh [fajr/dawn] still long, it said the best pray is the near to fajr time….. pray 3 rakaat qiyamul lail only need maybe 10 to 15 minutes….so still more time to sleep….I will wake up more fresh “

All those thoughts just evil whisperings that will make you pull your blanket to cover you more tightly
Astaghfirullah wa atubu ilaika….

They are just lamb reasons to fine the justification to not wake up….. That’s a simple example how people who know the Qur’an and hadist but use it to justification their laziness :) …make interpretation according their wish and desire…

How to fight :

1. Always remember the evils will be laugh if you pull your blanket… Do you want to make you perpetual enemy wins ???? No way.. so don’t make them win [4]
2. It said.. if you open one your eyes against the whispering and remembering Allah...it will release one knot..[5] if you go to do ablution it will release one more knot and if you perform pray it will release all knot… and Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam describe anyone who cant wake up for pray it like the syaithan urinate into his/her ear… imagine …that really disgusting… [6]
3. Remember that…you will talk with the one that you love dearly… and think that how regret what you feel if you miss it…
4. If you start your day by indiscipline action. It will be the start for other indiscipline actions…so it will make the rest of your days messy… [7]
Have trust if you start your day with tahajud… you will pass better day… you will have more time to do something.. you will be more sporty…to do some exercise.. cooking.. etc etc.. and enjoy to prepare your hectic days… you ahead than anyone…
5. Remember how regret of the salafushalih if they miss one night tahajud….and this is the tradition all the pious generation. If you want to be one of them then tahajud is one of the way… wallahu alam.. [8] We want to meet them in Jannah….but how could we could meet them if we not try our best to imitate them.[9]
6. Remember in the night Allah the closest time to His slaves….. [10] How we dream the blessing of Allah if we not try our best to always do anyway to get closer to Him.
7. Remember you never know how long you will stay in this world…. Perhaps not more than 60 year old.. if you sleep 8 hour in a day.. that mean you have spent 20 years your life time just only for sleep.
If you work for 8 hours a day then that mean you have lost more 20 years your life.. and you only have 20 years remain but some of them use to doing your daily activities…. Such as spent time with family, friends, eat, take bath, go here and there, picnic etc etc… so how many times remain that left for your Lord,…. And what ungrateful slaves if we keep trying to use silly justification to not wake up just for few minutes stand in front of my Lord…. Astaghfirullah…

How many times that we have to fight to gain the jannah… to meet our prophet… to meet great lady Khadijah…. Lahaula walla quwata illa billah….

The great scholar like Imam Syafi’i in the end of his life feel sad because he scared NOT meet [gathered] with the people that he loves.. subhanallah.. what about us…


2. When you have waken up…

Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wasslam read the 10 last verse from ali Imran [11] …. Go see the sky and read that verses ..ponder the meanings…think the creation of earth…. feel the closeness of Allah…...feel He is watching you…or feel as if you can see Him [12] … [if you not memorize it.. forget seeing the sky…. Just see your Holy Qur’an book and read it with its translation…inshaAllah if you do read it frequently you will memorize it automatically….].

Rasulullah also used to pray

‘Laa Ilaaha illallahu Wahdahuu laa syariika lahuu.
None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. He is the Only One Who has no partners.
Lahul mulku, wa lahul hamdu wa Huwa ‘alaa kulli syai’in Qadiir.
His is the kingdom and all the praises are for Him. He is Omnipotent.
Alhamdu lillaahi,
All the praises are for Allah.
wa subhaanallaahi,
All the glories are for Allah.
wa laa ilaaha illallaahu,
And none has the right to be worshipped but Allah,
wallaahu akbar,
and Allah is the Most Great
wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaah.’
and there is neither might nor power except with Allah) [13]

3. How many rakaat

The pray tahajud [the method] is very similar like fajr pray…The number of rakaat is unlimited…[14] The simple way is do it 2 rakaat by 2 rakaat … and repeat it depends on your ability …as far the fajr pray time not come yet..

According to Asyiah radiayallah anha.. Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam never perform qiyamul lail more than 11 rakaat… [15]. But don’t ask how long it is.. because Hudhayfah Radiayallah anhu ever prayed behind Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam and he recited Al Baqraah to An Nisa in one rakaah.. Subhanallah… [16]

Pray 2 rakaat and 2 rakaat… preferable do it until reach 8 rakaat….[ it mean you do 2 rakaat 4 times [with 4 salam] …. 2 x 4 = 8 raka’at ]. Then close those pray with odd-numbered rakaat pray.. it said “witr”…


4. How to perform witr…

For example we do 3 raka’at of witr [to have total 11 raka’at like what Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wasslam did].

Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam said .. to make it different from maghrib pray [17]. But praying three raka’at with two tasyahud like maghrib prayer also not consider as something haram [18]

So We can do 3 raka’at witr by this ways :

The First way:
Do 3 raka’ah straight away [but make it different from maghrib pray] .. in the second rakaat you do NOT sit twice.. just stand up to complete the third rakaat.. and then in this last rakaat you read the tasyahud. So we complete witr with one salaam.

The Second way:
Do 2 raka’ah and then salam. Then stand up again to complete one more raka’ah and then salam. So we complete the witr with two salam.

The third way is just exactly how we perform maghrib pray [but better to not choose this one for safe]

It sunnah to read 3 last surah from holy quran [19]

If somehow you just wake up around 10 or 15 minutes before fajr pray and the time not enough to pray…. Than just try to perform one rakaat [20].


5. What to do after complete tahajud pray ?

This is the most precious moment for ask anything… close the night with do’a [supplications] The do’a is the weapon of the believers….we are free to pray anything that we want, to share, to cry, to smiles, to express ourselves freely, just imagine you are talking with your Lord….

And never hesitate to ask anything.. Allah will never feel bored to hear our pray… He love His slaves who always pray to Him…

Abu Hurairah reported that Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam said "Nothing is more dear to Allah than one's supplication to Him.'' [HR Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]. Abu Hurairah also reported, that Rasulullah sallahu alahi wassalam, said, 'Whoever wants Allah to answer his prayers during difficult times, should supplicate to Him more and more in times of ease'.'' (Tirmidhi)

Subhanallah…

Indeed at that time Allah very close and listen to you.. and even He promised will forgive anyone who ask forgiveness and will make true anyone who ask him [21].

But It’s good to say some ma’surat doa [supplications from Qur’an and hadist].. ….When the Prophet got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to pray:

Allahumma lakal-hamd.
O Allah! All the praises are for you,
Anta qaiyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna.
You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them.
Walakal-hamd,
All the praises are for You;
Laka mulkus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna.
You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them.
Walakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard.
All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth
Walakalhamd,
And all the praises are for You;
anta-l-haq wa wa'duka-l-haq,
You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth,
wa liqa'uka Haq,
And to meet You is true,
wa qualuka Haq,
Your Word is the truth
wal-jannatu Haq wan-naru Haq
And Paradise is true And Hell is true
wannabiyuna Haq.
And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true
Wa Muhammadun, sallal-lahu'alaihi wasallam, Haq,
And Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] is true,
was-sa'atu Haq.
And the Day of Resurrection is true.

Allahumma aslamtu Laka wabika amantu, wa 'Alaika tawakkaltu,
O Allah ! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You.
wa ilaika anabtu wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu faghfir li ma qaddamtu
And repent to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers)And I take You as a judge (to judge between us).
wama akh-khartu wama as-rartu wama'a lantu,
Please forgive me my previous And future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed
anta-l-muqaddim wa anta-l-mu akh-khir,
And You are the One who make (some people) forward And (some) backward.
la ilaha illa anta (or la ilaha ghairuka).
There is none to be worshipped but you . [22]

Alhamdulillah.. now Tahajud is finish and insyaAllah you will feel sooo much clam and peace inside your heart….[especially if you can cry… that is really the most precious moment that you ever feel in your life….]


6. What to do after Tahajud?

Of course you should wait for fajr pray… the best way to waiting subuh [fajr] time is by reading Holy Qur’an, this will prevent you to fall asleep and miss your fajr pray :)…..and this is the best time to read the Qur’an as Allah emphasis how important it is even twice time in Qur’an Muzzamil 73:20.

Thy Lord doth know that thou standest forth (to prayer) nigh two-thirds of the night,
or half the night,
or a third of the night,
and so doth a party of those with thee.

But Allah doth appoint night and day in due measure
He knoweth that ye are unable to keep count thereof.
So He hath turned to you (in mercy):

read ye, therefore, of the Qur'an as much as may be easy for you.

He knoweth that there may be (some) among you in ill-health;
others travelling through the land, seeking of Allah.s bounty;
yet others fighting in Allah.s Cause,

read ye, therefore, as much of the Qur'an as may be easy (for you);

and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity;
and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan.
And whatever good ye send forth for your souls ye shall find it in Allah.s Presence,- yea,
better and greater, in Reward and seek ye the Grace of Allah.
for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[Qur'an Al Muzzamil 73:20]

May Allah subhana wata'ala gives us guidance and strength to get benefit from Qiyamul lail ..inshaAllah...

All the truth comes only from Allah subhana wata’ala…. May Allah subhana wata’ala forgive me for all mistakes that I made/make….


Alhamduilllah hirrobbil alamin
Astaghfiruka wa atubu ilaika
Subhanakallahumma wabihamdika ashadu ala ilaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilaika

Bandung 23 October 2005
Rytha



[1] The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: A man follows the religion of his friend; so each one should consider whom he makes his friend.[ HR Abu-Dawood 4815Narrated by AbuHurayrah]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The best friend in the sight of Allah is he who is the well-wisher of his companions….. [Al-Tirmidhi 311 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar]
A believer is like a brick for another believer, the one supporting the other.[HR MUSLIM]
[2] On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear…..[Qur’an Al Baqarah 2:286]
[3] On the authority of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said, "When one of you feels drowsy during prayer, let him lie down till drowsiness goes away from him, because when one of you performs prayers while feeling sleepy, he does not know whether he seeks forgiveness or abuses himself." (Reported by al-- Bukhari and Muslim)
[4] Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents, that they may become Companions of the Blazing Fire.[Qura’n : Fatir 35:6]
[5] Allah's Apostle said, "Satan puts three knots at the back of the head of any of you if he is asleep. On every knot he reads and exhales the following words, 'The night is long, so stay asleep.' When one wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets up energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up lazy and with a mischievous heart." [ HR Bukhari 2.243 Narrated by Abu Huraira]
[6] A person was mentioned before the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and he was told that he had kept on sleeping till morning and had not got up for the prayer. The Prophet said, "Satan urinated in his ears." [HR Bukhari 245 Narrated by A’bdullah]
[7] “Verily , the pray prevent from Al Fassha [i.e great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse] and Munkar [i.e disbelief, polytheism and every kind of evil wicked deed) [ Qur’an Al Ankabut 29:45]
[8] Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam said You should pray qiyam al layl, for it is the custom of the righteous who come before you and it brings you coser to your Lord, and expiate sins and prevent misdeeds [HR Al Tarmidhi 3549]
[9] Narrated Anas r.a.: A man asked the Prophet about the Hour (i.e. Day of Judgement) saying, “When will the Hour be” The Prophet said, “What have you prepared for it” The man said, “Nothing, except that I love Allah and His Messenger” The Prophet said, “You will be with those whom you love” We had never been so glad as we were on hearing that saying of the Prophet, i.e., “You will be with those whom you love” Hence, I love the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar, and I hope that I will be with them because of my love for them though my deeds are not similar to theirs.[HR Bukhari 3688 & 7153]
[10] The closest that the Lord is to His slave is the later part of the night, so if you can be one of those who remember Allah at that time, the to do so [HR Al tarmidhi and Al Nasa’i]
[11] Narrated Ibnu Abbas r.a.: Once I stayed overnight at the house of (my aunt) Maimunna (r.a. the wife of the Prophet) while the Prophet was with her, to see how was the night Salat (prayer) of Allah's Messenger. Allah's Messenger talked to his wife for a while and then slept. When it was the last third of the night (or part of it), the Prophet got up and looked towards the sky and recited the Verse:
"Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth (up to His Statement) there are indeed signs for the men of understanding." (V. 3:190)
Then he got up and performed the ablution, brushed his teeth and offered eleven Rak'a. Then Bilal pronounced the Adhan for As-Salat whereupon the Prophet offered a two Rak'a (Sunna) prayer and went out to lead the people in Fajr (morning compulsory congregational) Salat (prayer). [HR Bukhari 7452 Narrated Ibn Abbas]
Book 004, Number 1682:
'Abdullah b. 'Abbas reported: He spent (one night) in the house of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet) got up, brushed his teeth and performed ablution and said:" In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, there are indeed signs for people of understanding" (al-Qur'an, iii. 190), to the end of the Surah. ……. [HR Muslim 1682]
[12] Part hadist from Umar : "O Allah's Apostle. What is Ihsan (i.e. perfection or benevolence)?" The Prophet said, "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah sees you." [HR Bukhari 6.300 Narrated by Abu Huraira]
[13] The Prophet said, “Whoever gets up at night and says:
‘Laa Ilaaha illallahu Wahdahuu laa syariika lahuu. Lahul mulku, wa lahul hamdu wa Huwa ‘alaa kulli syai’in Qadiir. Alhamdu lillaahi, wa subhaanallaahi, wa laa ilaaha illallaahu, wallaahu akbar, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaah.’ And then says: ‘Allahumma, ighfir lii (O Allah! Forgive me). Or invokes (Allah), he will be responded to and if he performs ablution [and offer salat (prayer)], his Salat will be accepted.” [HR Bukhari 1154 Narrated ‘Ubada bin As-Samit r.a
[14] Once a person asked Allah's Apostle about the night prayer. Allah's Apostle replied, "The night prayer is offered as two Rakat followed by two Rakat and so on and if anyone is afraid of the approaching dawn (Fajr prayer) he should pray one Raka and this will be a Witr for all the Rakat which he has prayed before." Nafi' told that 'Abdullah bin 'Umar used to say Taslim between (the first) two Rakat and (the third) odd one in the Witr prayer, when he wanted to attend to a certain matter (during that interval between the Rakat). [Al-Bukhari 2.105 Narrated by Ibn Umar]
[15] I asked Aisha about the night prayer of Allah's Apostle and she said, "It was seven, nine or eleven Rakat besides the two Rakat of the Fajr prayer (i.e. Sunna). " [HR Bukhari 2.240 Narrated by Masruq]
I asked 'Aisha, "How is the prayer of Allah's Apostle during the month of Ramadan." She said, "Allah's Apostle never exceeded eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in other months….[HR Bukhari 2.248 Narrated by Abu Salma bin Abdur Rahman]
[16] I prayed with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) one night and he started reciting al-Baqarah. I thought that he would bow at the end of one hundred verses, but he continued; I then thought that he would perhaps recite the whole (surah) in a rak'ah, but he continued so I thought he would perhaps bow on completing (this surah). He then started an-Nisa', and recited it; then he started Aal-i-Imran and recited leisurely. When he recited the verse which referred to the Glory of Allah, he glorified (by saying SubhanAllah--Glory to my Lord the Great). When he recited the verses which tell (how the Lord) is to be supplicated , he (the Holy Prophet) would then supplicate (Him). When he recited the verses dealing with the protection of the Lord, he sought (His protection) and would then bow and say: Glory be to my Mighty Lord. His bowing lasted about the same length of time as his standing (and then on returning to the standing posture after ruku) he would say: Allah listens to him who praises Him, and he would then stand about the same length of time as he had spent in bowing. He would then prostrate himself and say: Glory be to my Lord most High, and his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing. In the hadith transmitted by Jarir the words are: He (the Holy Prophet) would say: "Allah listens to him who praises Him, our Lord, praise be to Thee." [HR Muslim 1697 Narrated by Hudhayfah]
[17] Al Sharh al-Mumti 4/21
[18] It is permissible to perform the witr by praying two rak'at [and concluding them] and then praying one rak'ah with a tashahud and taslim. Likewise, it is allowed to pray all the rak'at with two tashahuds and one taslim. One may pray a number of rak'at, one after another, without making any tashahud, save in the one before the last rak'ah in which case one makes the tashahud and then stands to perform the last rak'ah wherein one will make another tashahud and end the prayer with the taslim. One may also make only one tashahud and the taslim, in the last rak'ah of witr. All of that is permissible and can be traced to the Prophet. [ Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.13]
[19] It is permissible to recite after al-Fatihah any surah which one wishes to recite. 'Ali says: "There is not a part of the Qur'an that is obsolete, so make the witr prayer of whatever you wish from it." However, it is preferred to recite, in the first of the three rak'at of witr, al-A'la after reciting al-Fatihah. In the second rak'ah, it is preferred to recite al-Kafirun. In the third rak'ah, it is proper to recite the last three surahs of the Qur'an. This is narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi, who relate from 'Aishah, on sound authority saying: The Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam would recite Ala'la in the first rak'ah, Al-Kafirun in the second and the last three surahs in the third rak'ah. [Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.15 Recitation in the witr]
[20] Once a person asked Allah's Apostle about the night prayer. Allah's Apostle replied, "The night prayer is offered as two Rakat followed by two Rakat and so on and if anyone is afraid of the approaching dawn (Fajr prayer) he should pray one Raka and this will be a Witr for all the Rakat which he has prayed before." Nafi' told that 'Abdullah bin 'Umar used to say Taslim between (the first) two Rakat and (the third) odd one in the Witr prayer, when he wanted to attend to a certain matter (during that interval between the Rakat). [Al-Bukhari 2.105 Narrated by Ibn Umar]
[21] Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He) descends each night to the earth's sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him? And thus He continues till [the light of] dawn shines. [Hadist Qudsi 35]
[22] HR Bukhari 221 Narrated Ibn Abbas