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 (saws) 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 his intention, 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 (ra) reported: “Allah's Messenger (saws) encouraged the people, without making it an
absolute command, to perform Qiyaam during Ramadan. He (saws) used to say:
“Whoever stands (in Qiyaam) in Ramadan out of faith and expectation (of
Allah's reward), all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Saheeh Muslim]
3: Taking a nap in the daytime
3: Taking a nap in the daytime
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 (saws) 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
(saws) to sleep directly after performing the Isha prayer. Abu Barzah al-Aslami
(ra) said that the Prophet (saws) used to prefer to delay Isha, and he did not like to
sleep before it or talk after it.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
(b) Sleep in a state of taharah (purity): Ibn Abbas (ra) reported that Allah's Messenger (saws) 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 with him, and every time he turns over, [the Angel] says, 'O Allah! 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 (ra) narrates that the pillow of the Prophet (saws) 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 (ra) entered upon the Messenger of Allah (saws) when he was lying on a mat of palm fibers that had left marks on his side. Umar (ra) said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you not get something more comfortable than this?” He (saws) 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 side
Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported: “The Prophet (saws) said: “When any one of you goes to bed, let him clear his bed by hitting it with his garment, for he does not know what may have come onto it. Then let him lie down on his right side…” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
(e) Reciting the Adhkaar (supplications) mentioned in the Sunnah before sleeping
There 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 (ra) reported that when the Prophet's daughter, Fatima (ra) came to him and asked him for a servant, he (saws) 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 and drink
(b) Sleep in a state of taharah (purity): Ibn Abbas (ra) reported that Allah's Messenger (saws) 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 with him, and every time he turns over, [the Angel] says, 'O Allah! 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 (ra) narrates that the pillow of the Prophet (saws) 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 (ra) entered upon the Messenger of Allah (saws) when he was lying on a mat of palm fibers that had left marks on his side. Umar (ra) said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you not get something more comfortable than this?” He (saws) 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 side
Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported: “The Prophet (saws) said: “When any one of you goes to bed, let him clear his bed by hitting it with his garment, for he does not know what may have come onto it. Then let him lie down on his right side…” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
(e) Reciting the Adhkaar (supplications) mentioned in the Sunnah before sleeping
There 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 (ra) reported that when the Prophet's daughter, Fatima (ra) came to him and asked him for a servant, he (saws) 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 and drink
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 (saws) said: “Man fills no
vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to have a
few mouthfuls to give him the strength he needs. If he has 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 and Ibn Majah. Saheeh
al-Jamee (5674)]
Abu Juhayfah (ra) reported that the Prophet (saws) 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:
Abu Juhayfah (ra) reported that the Prophet (saws) 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 strive hard in Our Cause, We will surely guide
them to Our Paths. And verily, Allah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers).” [
(29): 69]
The Prophet (saws) 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 (saws) also said: “When a man from my Ummah gets up to pray at night, striving against his 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 be his.” [Musnad Ahmad. See Saheeh al-Targheeb (627)]
7: Rebuking one's self for not praying Qiyaam al-Layl
The Prophet (saws) 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 (saws) also said: “When a man from my Ummah gets up to pray at night, striving against his 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 be his.” [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 Him. And let every person look to
what he has 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 the heart of each of you will be questioned by Allah.” [Soorah al-Isra (17): 36], then he should check on himself before he is brought to account.”
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 the heart of each of you will be questioned by Allah.” [Soorah al-Isra (17): 36], then he should check on himself before he is brought to account.”
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