The Best Times for Standing in Night Prayer
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Question:
After this, a message was received by the program from Libya, sent by the listener Muhammad Saleh al-Mahdi. The brother Muhammad asks Your Eminence, saying: What is the appropriate time for the night prayer? What is the appropriate time for supplication? And what should a person say in it? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The best times are the last third, if that is feasible; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): narrated by Muslim in the Sahih.
And due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): agreed upon for its authenticity.
This great hadith indicates that worship in the last of the night, in the last third, is better because of this great hadith. He should increase in supplication, asking, and repentance to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in this great time.
And if he prays in the middle of the night, that is also a great time... the middle of the night. And if he prays in the first part of the night, likewise, after the 'Isha' prayer, it is all good, especially if he fears that he will not be able to get up; so the Sunnah is to pray before he sleeps. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda' to perform the witr prayer before sleeping. The reason—Allah knows best—is that they were studying the hadith and feared they would not be able to get up in the last of the night.
And the summary is: whoever hopes to be able to get up in the last of the night, that is better. And whoever fears that he will not be able to get up in the last of the night, let him perform the witr in the first part of the night. And praise be to Allah.
And as for his saying: this is a description that befits Allah according to the people of the Sunnah and the community. They affirm it as it befits Allah: a descent that befits Allah, not resembling His creation in their descent, just as He does not resemble His creation in all His attributes, not in rising above the Throne, nor in mercy, nor in anger, nor in pleasure, nor in any other of the attributes. It is obligatory to affirm the attributes of Allah for Allah in the manner that befits Allah (Mighty and Majestic) without distortion, nor denial of the divine attributes, nor asking how an attribute is, nor comparing Allah to creation. This is what the people of the Sunnah and the community said, as the scholars explicitly stated, such as Malik ibn Anas (may Allah have mercy on him), al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, al-Thawri, Ibn al-Mubarak, al-Awza'i... and others.
Abu al-Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) collected their statements in the Risalah al-Hamawiyyah, which is a great and beneficial book. So the people of the Sunnah and the community affirm all the attributes of Allah that are mentioned in the Qur'an and in the authentic Sunnah in the manner that befits Allah, such as rising above the Throne, descent, anger, pleasure, mercy, hearing, seeing, and speech... and others; they affirm all of them for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in the manner that befits Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) without distortion, nor denial of the divine attributes, nor asking how an attribute is, nor comparing Allah to creation, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:[Al-Ikhlas 112:1] Allah the Self-Sufficient He has not begetten nor been begotten And there is none comparable to Him [Surah al-Ikhlas: 1-4]. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Surah al-Shura: 11]. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Surah al-Nahl: 74].
This is the obligation upon all Muslims: to affirm the attributes of Allah and His names for Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) as they came in the Qur'an and as they came in the authentic Sunnah, without distortion, nor denial of the divine attributes, nor asking how an attribute is, nor comparing Allah to creation. Rather, it is obligatory to affirm them for Allah in the manner that befits Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with belief in their realities, that they are true, and that they do not resemble the attributes of the created beings. Rather, they are established for Allah in the manner that befits Allah (Mighty and Majestic) without any resemblance to His creation in any of His attributes (Exalted and Majestic is He). This is the statement of the people of truth, this is the statement of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and they are the victorious group, and they are the saved sect.
The people of the Sunnah and the community are the victorious group, and they are the saved sect, and they are the people of truth. So it is obligatory to follow their methodology and to be upright on their path, which is obedience to Allah and His Messenger, sincerity to Allah in deeds, following the Shari'ah, and avoiding religious innovation. This is how the people of the Sunnah proceeded, from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who followed them with excellence, with the oneness of Allah, sincerity to Him, belief in everything that Allah and His Messenger informed about, uprightness on the religion of Allah, and affirming the attributes of Allah and His names in the manner that befits Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is how the people of the Sunnah and the community proceeded: they are the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who followed them with excellence, and they are the saved sect mentioned in his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 3993Sahih (Darussalam) This one group is the people of the Sunnah and the community, and they are the victorious group about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
And the scholars are the head of this group. The scholars and the people of hadith are the head of this group, and they are the imams of this group. And at their head are the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who are the best of this nation. Then the scholars of the people of the Sunnah and the community after them. And the people of hadith are the imams of this group; they are among their leaders and commanders. For this reason, some of the Salaf said: If they are not the people of hadith, then I do not know who they are?
The meaning is that the people of hadith are their essence, and they are their imams. And so, the scholars, all scholars of truth, are from the people of the Sunnah and the community, and all of them are from the victorious group. And so, the common people enter into the victorious group. The common people, men and women, who have proceeded on this methodology and walked on the path of the people of the Sunnah and the community in uprightness on the truth, belief in the names of Allah and His attributes in the manner that befits Allah, and holding fast to His legislation. All of these are the people of the Sunnah and the community, and all of them are called the saved sect, and all of them are called the victorious group until the Hour comes.
We ask Allah to make us and you, O listeners, from the people of the Sunnah. We ask Allah to make us and you from them. We ask Allah to make us and all our listening brothers from the people of the Sunnah and the community. We ask Allah to keep us firm on the truth and to protect us from the misleading trials. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
After this, a message was received by the program from Libya, sent by the listener Muhammad Saleh al-Mahdi. The brother Muhammad asks Your Eminence, saying: What is the appropriate time for the night prayer? What is the appropriate time for supplication? And what should a person say in it? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The best times are the last third, if that is feasible; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever fears that he will not be able to get up in the last of the night, let him perform the witr in the first part of the night. And whoever hopes to be able to get up in the last of the night, let him perform the witr in the last of the night; for the prayer of the last of the night is witnessed, and that is better.
من خاف ألا يقوم من آخر الليل؛ فليوتر أول الليل، ومن طمع أن يقوم آخر الليل؛ فليوتر آخر الليل؛ فإن صلاة آخر الليل مشهودة، وذلك أفضلAnd due to his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night remains, and He says (Glorified and Exalted is He): Who is calling upon Me, that I may respond to him? Who is asking Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him? Until the dawn breaks.
ينزل ربنا إلى سماء الدنيا كل ليلة حين يبقى ثلث الليل الآخر فيقول سبحانه: من يدعوني؛ فأستجيب له؟ من يسألني؛ فأعطيه؟ من يستغفرني؛ فأغفر له؟ حتى ينفجر الفجرThis great hadith indicates that worship in the last of the night, in the last third, is better because of this great hadith. He should increase in supplication, asking, and repentance to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in this great time.
And if he prays in the middle of the night, that is also a great time... the middle of the night. And if he prays in the first part of the night, likewise, after the 'Isha' prayer, it is all good, especially if he fears that he will not be able to get up; so the Sunnah is to pray before he sleeps. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Abu Hurayrah and Abu al-Darda' to perform the witr prayer before sleeping. The reason—Allah knows best—is that they were studying the hadith and feared they would not be able to get up in the last of the night.
And the summary is: whoever hopes to be able to get up in the last of the night, that is better. And whoever fears that he will not be able to get up in the last of the night, let him perform the witr in the first part of the night. And praise be to Allah.
And as for his saying:
Our Lord descends
ينزل ربناAbu al-Abbas Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) collected their statements in the Risalah al-Hamawiyyah, which is a great and beneficial book. So the people of the Sunnah and the community affirm all the attributes of Allah that are mentioned in the Qur'an and in the authentic Sunnah in the manner that befits Allah, such as rising above the Throne, descent, anger, pleasure, mercy, hearing, seeing, and speech... and others; they affirm all of them for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in the manner that befits Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) without distortion, nor denial of the divine attributes, nor asking how an attribute is, nor comparing Allah to creation, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُSo do not assert similarities to Allah. Indeed, Allah knows and you do not know.
فَلا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الأَمْثَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَThis is the obligation upon all Muslims: to affirm the attributes of Allah and His names for Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) as they came in the Qur'an and as they came in the authentic Sunnah, without distortion, nor denial of the divine attributes, nor asking how an attribute is, nor comparing Allah to creation. Rather, it is obligatory to affirm them for Allah in the manner that befits Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with belief in their realities, that they are true, and that they do not resemble the attributes of the created beings. Rather, they are established for Allah in the manner that befits Allah (Mighty and Majestic) without any resemblance to His creation in any of His attributes (Exalted and Majestic is He). This is the statement of the people of truth, this is the statement of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and they are the victorious group, and they are the saved sect.
The people of the Sunnah and the community are the victorious group, and they are the saved sect, and they are the people of truth. So it is obligatory to follow their methodology and to be upright on their path, which is obedience to Allah and His Messenger, sincerity to Allah in deeds, following the Shari'ah, and avoiding religious innovation. This is how the people of the Sunnah proceeded, from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who followed them with excellence, with the oneness of Allah, sincerity to Him, belief in everything that Allah and His Messenger informed about, uprightness on the religion of Allah, and affirming the attributes of Allah and His names in the manner that befits Allah (Mighty and Majestic). This is how the people of the Sunnah and the community proceeded: they are the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who followed them with excellence, and they are the saved sect mentioned in his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
my nation will split into seventy-two, all of which will be in Hell apart from one
افترقت أمتي على ثلاث وسبعين فرقة، كلها في النار إلا واحدةA group from my Ummah will remain upon the truth, victorious. Those who abandon them or oppose them will not harm them until the command of Allah comes.
لا تزال طائفة من أمتي على الحق منصورة، لا يضرهم من خذلهم، ولا من خالفهم حتى يأتي أمر اللهAnd the scholars are the head of this group. The scholars and the people of hadith are the head of this group, and they are the imams of this group. And at their head are the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who are the best of this nation. Then the scholars of the people of the Sunnah and the community after them. And the people of hadith are the imams of this group; they are among their leaders and commanders. For this reason, some of the Salaf said: If they are not the people of hadith, then I do not know who they are?
The meaning is that the people of hadith are their essence, and they are their imams. And so, the scholars, all scholars of truth, are from the people of the Sunnah and the community, and all of them are from the victorious group. And so, the common people enter into the victorious group. The common people, men and women, who have proceeded on this methodology and walked on the path of the people of the Sunnah and the community in uprightness on the truth, belief in the names of Allah and His attributes in the manner that befits Allah, and holding fast to His legislation. All of these are the people of the Sunnah and the community, and all of them are called the saved sect, and all of them are called the victorious group until the Hour comes.
We ask Allah to make us and you, O listeners, from the people of the Sunnah. We ask Allah to make us and you from them. We ask Allah to make us and all our listening brothers from the people of the Sunnah and the community. We ask Allah to keep us firm on the truth and to protect us from the misleading trials. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.