بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
If we are truly concerned about Coronavirus, wake up for Tahajjud prayer and supplicate earnestly. Ask Allah for forgiveness and His mercy and ask Him to lift Coronavirus from the world.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that:
Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, descends to the earth's heaven every night when the first third of the night has passed. He says: "I am the Sovereign. Is there any who calls upon Me so that I may respond to him? Is there any who asks of Me that I may give him? Is there any who seeks forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?' He continues in that until the illumination of Al-Fajr." [Bukhari and Muslim]
Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet (Allh bless him and grant him peace) as saying: "Observe the night prayer, it was the practice of the righteous before you and it brings you closer to your Lord and it is penance for evil deeds and erases the sins and repels disease from the body."
It is mentioned in another Hadith that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that: “When the servant of Allah turns to his Lord in the middle of the dark night, and whispers to Him, Allah establishes His light in his heart . . . then He tells the angels: O my angels, look at my servant. He has turned to Me in the middle of the dark night while the false ones are playing, and the heedless ones are sleeping; bear witness that I have forgiven him”.
Even though Tahajjud prayer is not an obligatory (fard/wajib) prayer, this prayer is regarded as the most virtuous prayer after the obligatory prayers. This prayer is so special and so magnificent. There is an enormous amount of blessings and great importance to tahajjud prayer. Leaving it is a tremendous loss.
“Tahajjud” is derived from Arabic word “hajada” which means that awakes in the night.
The last third portion of the night is the best time to perform Tahajjud prayer. There is not specific rak’ahs for Tahajjud prayer. One can offer a lot or little.
Tahajjud prayer is part of the Sunnah of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) which Muslims should follow all the time; it’s not something confined to Ramadhan.
Allah Most High says,
أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا ﴿٧٨﴾ وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا ﴿٧٩
“Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur’an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.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.” [Quran, Al-Isra' 17:78-79]
This order, although it was specifically directed to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), also refers to all Muslims, since the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is a perfect example and guide for us in all matters.
Moreover, performing Tahajjud prayers regularly qualifies one as of the righteous and earns one Allah's bounty and mercy. Allah Most High says,
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ ﴿١٥﴾ آخِذِينَ مَا آتَاهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٦﴾ كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ ﴿١٧
Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs, (15) Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good. (16) They used to sleep but little of the night, (17) And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness, (18) [Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 15-18]
In praising those who perform the late night prayers, Allah Most High says,
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِّمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَذَّكَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُكُورًا ﴿٦٢﴾ وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا ﴿٦٣﴾ وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا ﴿٦٤﴾ وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا ﴿٦٥﴾ إِنَّهَا سَاءَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا ﴿٦٦
And it is He who has made the night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or desires gratitude. (62) And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, (63) And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer] (64) And those who say, "Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; (65) Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence." (66) [Quran, Al-Furqan: 63-66]
Next to these Quranic verses, there also exist a number of hadiths that reinforce the importance of Tahajjud:
`Abdullah ibn as-Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "When the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) came to Madinah, the people gathered around him and I was one of them. I looked at his face and understood that it was not the face of a liar. The first words I heard him say were: 'O people, spread the salutations, feed the people, keep the ties of kinship, and pray during the night while the others sleep and you will enter Paradise in peace."' [Hakim, Ibn Majah & Tirmidhi]
Abdullah ibn `Amr reports that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The most beloved fast to Allah is the fast of (Prophet) Dawood (alayhissalaam). And the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of (Prophet) Dawood (alayhissalaam). He (Prophet Dawood (alayhissalaam)) would sleep half of the night and then pray during the next third of the night and then sleep during the last sixth of the night. And he would fast one day and not fast the next.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), his family, and companions) said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.”[Muslim]
Narrated Al-Mughira: The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to stand (in the prayer) or pray till both his feet or legs swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable prayer) and he said, “should I not be a thankful slave.” [Bukhari]
Narrated Salim’s father: In the life-time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) whosoever saw a dream would narrate it to Allah’s Apostle (Allah bless him and grant him peace). I had a wish of seeing a dream to narrate it to Allah’s Apostle (Allah bless him and grant him peace) I was a grown up boy and used to sleep in the Mosque in the life-time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace). I saw in the dream that two angels caught hold of me and took me to the Fire which was built all round like a built well and had two poles in it and the people in it were known to me. I started saying, “I seek refuge with Allah from the Fire.” Then I met another angel who told me not to be afraid. I narrated the dream to Hafsah who told it to Allah’s Apostle (Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed Tahajjud.” After that ‘Abdullah (i.e. Salim’s father) used to sleep but a little at night. [Bukhari]
Narrated ‘Aisha: Allah’s Apostle (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to offer eleven Raka'at and that was his prayer. He used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Quran) before he would lift his head. He used to pray two Raka'at (Sunna) before the Fajr prayer and then used to lie down on his right side till the call-maker came and informed him about the prayer. [Bukhari]
When the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to say:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ـ أَوْ لاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; And all the praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allah! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. 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). Please forgive me my previous And future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed And You are the One who make (some people) forward And (some) backward. There is none to be worshiped but you.
Sufyan said that `Abdul Karim Abu Umaiya added to the above, 'Wala haula Wala quwata illa billah' (There is neither might nor power except with Allah).
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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