The Meaning of "Indeed, the Rising by Night Is More Effective", and the Virtue of Night Prayerمعنى «إن ناشئة الليل هي أشد وطئًا»، وفضل قيام الليل

Questioner: His statement, exalted is He, "Indeed, the rising by night is more…" — so what is the "rising" (nashi'ah)?

The brother asks about the meaning of the statement of Allah, majestic and exalted is He: "Indeed, the rising by night is more effective in concord and more suitable for words." Imam Ahmad (audio unclear) explained the nashi'ah as being only after sleep — because it is only after sleep. "Indeed, the rising by night" is standing [in prayer] at night after sleep. "More effective in concord" (ashaddu wat'an) means [greater] concord (muwata'ah).

The meaning of this verse is that reciting the Qur'an in the night prayer is firmer for the heart than elsewhere, or than in other than this setting. Reviewing the Qur'an at night is firmer for the heart and further from forgetting than reviewing in the daytime. For that reason, in Sahih Imam Muslim, in part of a hadith: "And whoever studies it at night retains it." The one who studies the Qur'an at night, reviews it, and stands [in prayer] with it retains the Qur'an, memorises it, masters it, and perfects it. The one who does not review it at night — even if he reviews it in the daytime — is not at the level of the one who reviews at night.

It is taken from this verse that reciting at night establishes the Qur'an in the heart more than reciting in the daytime, because Allah, majestic and exalted is He, said: "Indeed, the rising by night is more effective in concord" — that is, concord. He said, "It is more"; so nothing is more [effective] or better than it. "And more suitable for words."

Especially [since] in this setting more than one [act of] servitude ('ubudiyyah) is combined. The first servitude: standing [in prayer] in the last part of the night. This is an intended servitude, because of his statement ﷺ: "Whoever among you is able to stand at the end of the night, let him do so," and because of the statement of 'A'ishah: "In every part of the night the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed witr — at its beginning, its middle, and its end — until his witr ended at the pre-dawn (sahar)." The second servitude: that the Lord, majestic and exalted is He, descends in the last third of the night and says: "Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?" The third matter: that this is more present for the heart. The fourth matter: that this setting is better for supplication — the depth of the night is more likely to be answered for supplication than other [times]. The fifth matter: that you may combine supplication with prostration, and the Prophet ﷺ said: "The closest the servant is to his Lord is when he is prostrating." These are all [acts of] servitude within a single act of worship.

The student of knowledge — indeed, the Muslim in general — does not neglect the night prayer, as Muhammad ibn Sirin said: "There must be night prayer, even if [only] the length of milking a sheep." And it does not harm a person to wake up even a quarter of an hour before the adhan, calling upon Allah, majestic and exalted is He — asking, seeking forgiveness, and humbling himself before Him — and finding the sweetness of worship, praying witr, and praying to Allah, majestic and exalted is He, whatever has been decreed for him.

If there were a person now who was going to distribute sums of money at the end of the night, no one would stay away from the place. And if he said, "According to how much you pray, you will get such-and-such money," perhaps a person would lie that he prayed in order to take the money. And if he said, "(audio unclear) the money except to whoever has reached such-and-such an age," he would falsify his age [for] this sum. Yet Allah descends, saying: "Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking of Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?" [How] can a sensible Muslim be indifferent to the like of this tremendous reward and recompense? And that the Lord descends in this third and says, "Who is calling upon Me…" (audio unclear).

Allah, majestic and exalted is He, has said: "And when My servants ask you concerning Me — indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me, that they may be rightly guided." In his supplication, the Muslim moves between several ranks, which came in [the hadith of] Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, that the Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no Muslim who calls with a supplication in which there is no sin and no severing of kinship except that Allah gives him one of three: either his supplication is hastened for him, or an equal evil is turned away from him, or it is stored for him until the Day he meets Him." They said, "O Messenger of Allah, then we will do more." He said, "Allah is more."

May Allah preserve you.

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