Many ayats of the Qur’an as well as hadiths (narrations) by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) show the significance as well as importance of the Night Prayer and the merits attributed to those who regularly and properly perform it.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) also said: “You should pray Qiyam al-Layl, for it is the habit of the righteous people who came before you, and it will bring you closer to your Lord, expiate for bad deeds, prevent sin, and expel disease from the body.”(At-Tirmidhi and Ahmad)
1. 'Ibad Al-Rahman (i.e., Servants of the most compassionate)
Allah the Almighty says, “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them (harshly), they say (words of) peace. And those who spend (part of) the night to their Lord prostrating and standing (in prayer).” (Al-Furqan 25: 63-64)
وَعِبَادُ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الَّذِيۡنَ يَمۡشُوۡنَ عَلَى الۡاَرۡضِ هَوۡنًا وَّاِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الۡجٰهِلُوۡنَ قَالُوۡا سَلٰمًا
وَالَّذِيۡنَ يَبِيۡتُوۡنَ لِرَبِّهِمۡ سُجَّدًا وَّقِيَامًا
2. The Righteous
Allah the Almighty says, “Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs. Accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doers of good. They used to sleep but little of the night. And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness.” (Al-Dhariyat 51: 15-18)
اِنَّ الۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ فِىۡ جَنّٰتٍ وَّعُيُوۡنٍۙ
اٰخِذِيۡنَ مَاۤ اٰتٰٮهُمۡ رَبُّهُمۡؕ اِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوۡا قَبۡلَ ذٰلِكَ مُحۡسِنِيۡنَؕ
كَانُوۡا قَلِيۡلًا مِّنَ الَّيۡلِ مَا يَهۡجَعُوۡنَ
وَبِالۡاَسۡحَارِ هُمۡ يَسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡنَ
3. The Devoutly Obedient or The People of Understanding
Allah the Almighty says, “Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing (in prayer), fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (like one who does not)? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only they will remember (who are) people of understanding.” (Al-Zumar 39: 9)
اَمَّنۡ هُوَ قَانِتٌ اٰنَآءَ الَّيۡلِ سَاجِدًا وَّقَآئِمًا يَّحۡذَرُ الۡاٰخِرَةَ وَيَرۡجُوۡا رَحۡمَةَ رَبِّهٖؕ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى الَّذِيۡنَ يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ وَالَّذِيۡنَ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَؕ اِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبَابِ
4. High Unique Station
The “high unique station” designated for those standing in prayer at night, as Allah says,
“They are not (all) the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing (in obedience), reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating (in prayer).” (Al-Imran 3: 113)
لَـيۡسُوۡا سَوَآءً ؕ مِنۡ اَهۡلِ الۡكِتٰبِ اُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَّتۡلُوۡنَ اٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ اٰنَآءَ الَّيۡلِ وَ هُمۡ يَسۡجُدُوۡنَ
5. Supplication may be Answered
“Supplication may be answered” such as that of Prophet Zakariya, as Allah the Almighty says, “So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, “Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word from Allah and (who will be) honorable, abstaining (from women), and a prophet from among the righteous.” (Al-Imran 3: 39)
فَنَادَتۡهُ الۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَآئِمٌ يُّصَلِّىۡ فِى الۡمِحۡرَابِۙ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحۡيٰى مُصَدِّقًۢا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَّحَصُوۡرًا وَّنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصّٰلِحِيۡنَ
6. Be Protected and Assisted
Allah the Almighty, Allah says, “O you who wraps himself (in clothing). Arise (to pray) the night, except for a little – Half of it – or subtract from it a little. Or add to it, and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation. Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word. Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence (of heart and tongue) and more suitable for words.” (Al-Muzammil 73: 1-6)
يٰۤاَيُّهَا الۡمُزَّمِّلُۙ
قُمِ الَّيۡلَ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلًا ۙ
نِّصۡفَهٗۤ اَوِ انْقُصۡ مِنۡهُ قَلِيۡلًا ۙ
اَوۡ زِدۡ عَلَيۡهِ وَرَتِّلِ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ تَرۡتِيۡلًا ؕ
اِنَّا سَنُلۡقِىۡ عَلَيۡكَ قَوۡلًا ثَقِيۡلًا
اِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ الَّيۡلِ هِىَ اَشَدُّ وَطۡـاً وَّاَقۡوَمُ قِيۡلًا ؕ
7. Good deeds do away with Misdeeds
The opportunity that his “good deeds do away with misdeeds” as one of the preconditions for this is that one performs the prayer at the approach of the night. Allah the Almighty says, “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” (Surah Hud 11: 114)
وَاَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ طَرَفَىِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَـفًا مِّنَ الَّيۡلِ ؕ اِنَّ الۡحَسَنٰتِ يُذۡهِبۡنَ السَّيِّاٰتِ ؕ
ذٰ لِكَ ذِكۡرٰى لِلذّٰكِرِيۡنَ ۚ
8. Be resurrected to a praised station in Paradise
Allah says in His Ever-Glorious Qur’an, “And from (part of) the night, pray with it as additional (worship) for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.” (Surah Al-Isra 17: 79)
وَمِنَ الَّيۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهٖ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ ۖ عَسٰۤى اَنۡ يَّبۡعَـثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحۡمُوۡدًا
9. Allah's Satisfaction
Allah says, “So be patient over what they say and exalt ( Allah ) with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night (exalt Him) and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied.” (Surah Taha 20: 130)
فَاصۡبِرۡ عَلٰى مَا يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ طُلُوۡعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَقَبۡلَ غُرُوۡبِهَا ۚ
وَمِنۡ اٰنَآىٴِ الَّيۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡ وَاَطۡرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرۡضٰى
10. Allah's Constant Care
Allah the Almighty says in His Ever-Glorious Qur’an, “And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful. Who sees you when you arise. And your movement among those who prostrate.” (Surah Al-Shua'ra' 26: 217-219)
وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى الۡعَزِيۡزِ الرَّحِيۡمِۙ
الَّذِىۡ يَرٰٮكَ حِيۡنَ تَقُوۡمُۙ
وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِى السّٰجِدِيۡنَ
11. Allah says - You are in Our Eyes
The opportunity to be among those regarding whom Allah says “You are in Our Eyes”. Allah says in the Qur’an, “And be patient, (O Muhammad), for the decision of your Lord, for indeed, you are in Our eyes. And exalt ( Allah ) with praise of your Lord when you arise. And in a part of the night exalt Him and after (the setting of) the stars.” (Surah Al-Tur 52: 48-49)
وَاصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ فَاِنَّكَ بِاَعۡيُنِنَا وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ حِيۡنَ تَقُوۡمُۙ
وَمِنَ الَّيۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡهُ وَاِدۡبَارَ النُّجُوۡمِ
12. Good that is Hidden
Allah says, “And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.” (Al-Sajdah 32: 17)
فَلَا تَعۡلَمُ نَفۡسٌ مَّاۤ اُخۡفِىَ لَهُمۡ مِّنۡ قُرَّةِ اَعۡيُنٍۚ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ
13. Follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad
Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an, “Indeed, your Lord knows, (O Muhammad), that you stand (in prayer) almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and (so do) a group of those with you.” (Al-Muzammil 73: 20)
اِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعۡلَمُ اَنَّكَ تَقُوۡمُ اَدۡنىٰ مِنۡ ثُلُثَىِ الَّيۡلِ وَ نِصۡفَهٗ وَثُلُثَهٗ وَطَآئِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِيۡنَ مَعَكَؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُقَدِّرُ الَّيۡلَ وَالنَّهَارَؕ عَلِمَ اَنۡ لَّنۡ تُحۡصُوۡهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَاقۡرَءُوۡا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنِؕ عَلِمَ اَنۡ سَيَكُوۡنُ مِنۡكُمۡ مَّرۡضٰىۙ وَاٰخَرُوۡنَ يَضۡرِبُوۡنَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ يَبۡتَغُوۡنَ مِنۡ فَضۡلِ اللّٰهِۙ وَاٰخَرُوۡنَ يُقَاتِلُوۡنَ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ ۖ فَاقۡرَءُوۡا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنۡهُ ۙ وَاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَاَقۡرِضُوا اللّٰهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنًا ؕ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوۡا لِاَنۡفُسِكُمۡ مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ تَجِدُوۡهُ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ هُوَ خَيۡرًا وَّاَعۡظَمَ اَجۡرًا ؕ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرُوا اللّٰهَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ
Allah measures the night and the day. He knows that you cannot keep an accurate count of it, so He has shown mercy to you. So now recite as much of the Qur'an as you can. He knows that there are among you those who are sick and others who are journeying in the land in quest of Allah's bounty, and still others who are fighting in the cause of Allah. So recite as much of the Qur'an as you easily can, and establish Prayer, and pay Zakah, and give Allah a goodly loan. Whatever good you send forth for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah. That is better and its reward is greater. And ask for Allah's forgiveness; surely He is Most Forgiving, Most Compassionate.
So, will you neglect or abandon standing in prayer in the night or the Night Prayer? Turn to Allah before you return to Allah.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Verily, there is one hour during the (entire) night when any Muslim (submitting to the Will of Allah the Almighty) may call upon Allah and request anything of Him, regardless of whether the matter be worldly or of the hereafter. Allah, the Almighty will grant and fulfill the request. This is the case every night.” (Muslim)
Rest Allah knows best.
Source: Quran, Hadith, The article is taken from truth-seeker.info written by Dr. Ali Al-Halawani.