Islam in Diversity

Lets start up with Tahajjud

 Hadhrat Abdullah bin Salaam [radhiyallahu anhu relates, "When Nabie [salallahu alaihi wasallam] entered Madinah [during the Hijrah], people flocked to him, I also went to scrutinise him. When I saw his face, I observed that it was not the face of an imposter. The very first words I heard him say was, "O Mankind, disseminate Salaam,
 feed others, strengthen kinship, and establish Salaah while the rest of mankind is asleep." [Mishkaat]

The fourth deed which is mentioned in this Hadith is �Performing Salaat while the rest of mankind is asleep."
In the Quraan, Allah Ta'ala said, "And the servants of The Most Gracious [Allah] are those ... who spend the night in
adoration of their Lord, prostrating and standing [in Qiyaam]." [25:64]

In another Hadith, Nabie [salallahu alaihi wasallam] said, "Be vigilant in standing up [in prayer] at night for it was the practise of the pious before you. It is a means of gaining proximity to Allah Ta'ala, an expiation for transgressions and a barrier from sins. [Tirmidhi]

Note: In this Hadith, Nabie [salallahu alaihi wasallam] emphasized the importance of Tahajjud, its virtues and spiritual benefits. "The pious before you " refer to the Ambiyaa [alaihimus salaam] and their faithful followers.

 "Gaining proximity to Allah Ta'ala" is the objective of man's existence. This is only possible by total servitude to Allah Ta'ala. Allah Ta'ala, addressing Nabie [salallahu alaihi wasallam] says, "Prostrate and gain closeness to Allah Ta'ala. [105:19]

In a Hadith-e-Qudsi, Allah Ta'ala says, "If my servant comes closer to me by one span, I go towards him a cubit�s length, if he comes to me a cubit�s length, I go towards him an arm�s length, and if he walks towards me I run unto him." [Bukharie; Muslim]

This Hadith implies that if man increases his devotion to Allah Ta'ala, Allah Ta'ala increases His Mercy and Kindness proportionately far greater.  "Getting closer" and "running" signify immediate increase in Allah's Blessings and Mercy.

The subject of this Hadith has also been narrated in other Ahadith with slight variations. In one Hadith together with the above three virtues mention is made of Tahajjud being a cure for jealousy, while another mentions it to be a cure for physical ailments. Another Hadith states, "Salaah at night guards one from sin, cools the wrath of
 Allah and it is a protection from the heat of the Day of Judgement." [Fadhail-e-Tahajjud

Rasulullah [salallahu alaihi wasallam] said, "At night there is such a moment in which a Muslim supplicates Allah Ta'ala for the good of this world or the Hereafter, Allah Ta'ala will grant him his request, and this moment appears every night." [Muslim]

In another Hadith, Rasulullah [salallahu alaihi wasallam] said, "The closest Allah Ta'ala gets to his servant is in the last portion of the night. If you possess the ability to be from among those who remember Allah, then become one of them." [Tirmidhi]

Rasulullah [salallahu alaihi wasallam] said, "When one third of the night remains our Rabb [Lord], Most High, Most Exalted, descends to the first sky and announces, "Who is there to beseech Me that I may answer his prayer and who is there to seek forgiveness that I may forgive him.' Then He spreads out His hands [of kindness
and mercy] and proclaims, "Who will grant a loan to the One who is neither a destitute or an oppressor.� [Muslim]

The time of Tahajjud extends from the time of Isha until SUBHE SADIQ [true dawn]. Ahadith related from Hadhrat Aa'isha [radhiyallahu anha] state that Nabie [salallahu alaihi wasallam] sometimes performed Tahajjud in the early portion of the night and on occasions when half the night had passed. However, towards the latter part of his
 life he frequently performed it in the last portion of the night. As the night progresses, Allah Ta'ala's Mercy and Blessings increase. Hence, the last sixth of the night is most preferred.
[Maktoobat Shaikh ul Islaam 77 p 202 - Fatawa Rahimiya vol 2 p 376]

All other practices {Ibadah and zikr} of ours even if may not be intended to show others but are still either known or seen by others. But this salah is only between a believer and his Rabb. When the whole world is in sleep and there's peace and tranqulity all around, at these moments when a believer whispers his prayers ------what a beautiful moment will it be. ------

Edited by seekshidayath

seekshidayath wrote:  While here's a discussion of salah going on, how will it be if we discuss the importance of nawaafil salah . I mean Ishrak, Chast, Awabeen and Tahajjud as well. It may be a reminder as well ----

As Salamu Alaikum

Masha Allah you had a good idea here, why don't you post some articles on the topics mentioned.

Salams

peace...

Bismillah -

During the course of the day, if there is a particular problem I want to
resolve or understand fully, I prepare to leave it's resolution for the time
after my prayer. And almost everytime (as a result of the prayer) I become
so overwhelmed with how grateful, how blessed I am just to have prayed, to
be deeper in a conscious living presence of the Divine....so overwhelmed,
that I return to those same problems with a sort of giddiness and fullness
that gives me a power to overcome anything...

T'barak Allah alikoom

As'salamu alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

Fatima and Amah i got to learn two things from your observations and experience and i realised that it happened to me too. Like as Amah said  "if you have lost something and cannot remember at all, stand up for salah. Shaitan will surely come and remind you there". Yes it happened to me. I  thought may be Allah ta'ala reminded me of that lost thing. But certainly its a whispering from Satan.
As Fatima says  "  if you think of worldly matters during your Wudu then its more likely that you are going to get worldly thoughts in your prayers too" Hmm may be yes. And the very first step onwards we need to be attentive.

The very easy thing which i experience to offer my prayers with concentration is reciting variety of Quranic verses inorder to avoid mechanism. And naturally when we recite them we recall its translation too. This makes us feel as if we are offering our prayers  before Allah and are in conversation with.

This thought to pray as if its our last salah helps us to improve.

If we try to finish our household works setting our plans perfectly before or after salah timings, help us to stop worrying during namaaz. If at all if we happen to still worry abt  then lets remember that We are standing before Almighty who has control and commands over all things. If something goes wrong Allah ta'ala would insha-allah do it straight.

I just remembered a story of one of the sahabas and am sure even all must have heard it too. But just pardon me since i don't remember that sahabas name. It says that when he was once offering his salah ,. Soon after the salah, he left and every one present there wondered as why? but later when he returned , when asked the reason as why he left, he answered that while offering the salah, he remembered  his Garden. This he thought was a hindrance between him and Allah ta'ala. So he left immediately and gave that garden in charity so that now there will be no such disturbance. This was the khushu and khuzuh of those followers.
And the other instance is of Ab'bad ibn Bashr. He was once so much absorbed in salah that he did not even know that an arrow had hit him. He preferred  death rather than not  to stop his salah. Such was there concentration and  love for salah.

I feel  the intensity of faith does affect the concentration. Strong faith does help us not to deviate from.

I would like to share an other story which happened to hear recently. That during one of the taraweeh , imam sahab had forgotten the rakahs offered in total. When he asked the people there, few said some number and others said no it. There was like confusion amongst all of them, But suddenly  a man stood up and was very sure of that number. He was very confident. So he was asked as how was he that sure and confident. He said, actually i am a businessman and i was doing my calculations of my different branches in different rakahs. I completed my calculations and so am sure that we offered 20 rakats. This is the position of  a namazi.
May Allah ta'ala grant us love and concentration for salah and bestow us with strong faith. Pls do remember me especially in your dua's for granting me concentration in salah.