We are entering or have entered an age
where certain ‘acquired’ actions in life should be ventured into. The benefits
to reap are tremendous and tangible! One of them is offering the 'night prayer'
- the Prayer of Tahajjud. It is the time when God is near. We can whisper to
Him through prayers and dua. A well-known respected Scholar Imam Shafi's
opinion was the dua made at the time of tahajjud prayers is like an arrow that
does not miss its target.
This prayer was obligatory for the
Prophet. Not for us. Only the Prophet. The Qur’an (17:79): “And rise at the
last part of the night, offering additional prayers, so your Lord may raise you
to a station of praise.” In another part of the Qur’an Allah tells the
reason for offering this prayer to the Prophet: (73:5-6): “For We will soon
send upon you a weighty revelation. Verily, the rising by night (for
Tahajjud prayer) is very hard and most potent and good for governing (the
soul), and most suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allah).”
Many people talk about God, but very few
talk to God. Tahajjud time prayer is when we talk to God. The timing for
the Tahajjud prayer is post-midnight till the start of the Fajr prayer in the
morning. A convenient way of offering this prayer is if we manage to get
up around twenty minutes before the Fajr time. This way we can also ensure
offering the Fajr namaz without missing it.
The prayers at Tahajjud are non-obligatory (nafal). These were, however, obligatory
for the Prophet. He used to offer them in odd numbers (the obligatory prayers
of maghrib are odd-numbered). The Prophet usually used to offer from three to
eleven rakaats. This way one can offer 3,5,7,9,11 rakaats as we wish. Another
aspect of this prayer is reciting the Qur’an in a slightly loud voice, which is
audible to oneself.
A very heart-touching Hadith says, “Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes
every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night
remains, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to
invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is
there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?”
Let's endeavour to offer this beautiful 'night prayer' preferably alone and
invoke God's blessings and forgiveness.
Aamir Yazdani
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