Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from the Mother of the Believers, Aisha bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with them both), regarding the state of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the last ten nights of Ramadan, that when the ten nights entered, he would tighten his waist sash, keep the night awake, exert himself in worship, and prepare himself (peace and blessings be upon him). It was mentioned in the previous lesson that he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand in prayer at night until his feet would crack, and that he would stand for more than half the night, or half, or a third. However, in the nights of the last ten of Ramadan, he would stand the entire night, keeping the whole night awake (peace and blessings be upon him) in worship, but with breaks after the sun sets, after 'Isha', and after the prayer of 'Isha, and other things he saw to be nearness to Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). It does not mean that he spent the entire night in prayer, as evidenced by the fact that Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab would come to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and he would converse with her after the prayer of 'Isha. However, everything he (peace and blessings be upon him) did in those nights was a means of nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), whether it was prayer, preparation for prayer, or something else.
And in this is evidence that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would keep the last ten nights of Ramadan awake, but he would not keep any other night awake. That is, he did not stand in prayer until morning except in the last ten nights of Ramadan. This was to seek the Night of Decree, which is a night that occurs in the last ten nights of Ramadan, especially in the last seven nights. In this night, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) decrees what will happen in that year. And as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Qadr 97:3] So he would keep it awake. And whoever stands in prayer on the Night of Decree with faith and seeking reward, Allah will forgive him what has passed of his sin.
Then the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the meaning of his statement: “tightened his waist sash”. Some said that it is an allusion to abstaining from women, because he would be in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat), and one in i'tikaf is not permitted to have relations with women, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:187]. And some said that rather, it is an allusion to exertion and preparation for work. Both matters are correct, for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not come to his family in the last ten nights of Ramadan because he was in i'tikaf, and he would also tighten his waist sash, exert himself, and prepare himself (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him). This is one of the types of self-struggle, where a person struggles against his self in the noble times so that he may devote them entirely to the obedience of Allah. And success is from Allah.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from the Mother of the Believers, Aisha bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with them both), regarding the state of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the last ten nights of Ramadan, that when the ten nights entered, he would tighten his waist sash, keep the night awake, exert himself in worship, and prepare himself (peace and blessings be upon him). It was mentioned in the previous lesson that he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand in prayer at night until his feet would crack, and that he would stand for more than half the night, or half, or a third. However, in the nights of the last ten of Ramadan, he would stand the entire night, keeping the whole night awake (peace and blessings be upon him) in worship, but with breaks after the sun sets, after 'Isha', and after the prayer of 'Isha, and other things he saw to be nearness to Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). It does not mean that he spent the entire night in prayer, as evidenced by the fact that Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab would come to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and he would converse with her after the prayer of 'Isha. However, everything he (peace and blessings be upon him) did in those nights was a means of nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), whether it was prayer, preparation for prayer, or something else.
And in this is evidence that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would keep the last ten nights of Ramadan awake, but he would not keep any other night awake. That is, he did not stand in prayer until morning except in the last ten nights of Ramadan. This was to seek the Night of Decree, which is a night that occurs in the last ten nights of Ramadan, especially in the last seven nights. In this night, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) decrees what will happen in that year. And as Allah the Exalted said:
better than a thousand months.
خير من ألف شهرThen the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the meaning of his statement: “tightened his waist sash”. Some said that it is an allusion to abstaining from women, because he would be in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat), and one in i'tikaf is not permitted to have relations with women, as Allah the Exalted said: