Late night Prayer

“The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is that during the depths of the night.” [Muslim]

 

«أفضل الصلاة، بعد الصلاة المكتوبة، الصلاة في جوف الليل» رواه مسلم

 

There are many aspects that make the late-night prayer special. First and foremost, it is a prayer. The best action or matter is prayer.

 

Second, al-Haitami points out that, in general, the prayer performed in the late-night is more virtuous than the voluntary prayers during the day because it is further from ostentation and being done for show. In other words, the intention behind the late-night prayers should be a pure one. Furthermore, it is easy to have the fear of Allah and concentrate on the prayer in the late-night prayer as there are fewer disturbances at the time.

 

Thirdly, it makes the person realize his real purpose and goal in this life. He is getting up in the middle of the night and forsaking his sleep because he realizes that his goal is not the pleasure or relaxation of this world. Instead, he has a much greater purpose and goal in life. For that reason, he is getting up to pray when the rest of mankind are either sleeping or committing sins under the cover of night.

 

 

Compiled From:

“Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi” - Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, pp. 1100, 1101