Tahajjud: The Prayer of Reformation and Proximity to Allah
• Last Updated on July 13, 2024 @ 4:52 am by Islaminlife Admin
Among all ‘Nawafil’ (supererogatory) salat/namaz/prayer, Tahajjud is regarded as the best. Every pious Muslim of all ages has been practicing this supererogatory Salah (prayer) with great zeal. Obviously, this zeal does not relate to any worldly affair, rather the craving to say Tahajjud relates to the servant’s high submission to Allah Taala. In addition to all benefits of Salah, Tahajjud prayer expedites the achievement of high spiritual development and proximity to Allah Taala.
The sincere and obedient slave always looks for an opportunity — when, where and how could he earn the pleasure of his Lord. Until the real meeting to be taken place in the afterlife, there is a great desire from the servant’s side that he engages himself to his Lord’s worship in this world. After a slave had fulfilled the obligatory prayers, he looks for more ways to go close toward his Lord. The Supreme Lord, Almighty Allah Taala has given a special opportunity to meet Him in seclusion. This privacy (during the Tahajjud prayer) allows a servant another dimension of spiritual exercise and improvement; besides worshiping alone, he relates every desire to his Lord privately and peacefully — seeks refuge from all the evils and unwanted situations surrounding this world and the afterlife. The slave fervently applies in the Court of the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe for all his needs and necessities. When the relationship between the Lord and slave reaches a greater height through supererogatory worship, all the desire and achievement of the slave unite to ‘one’ and that is nothing, but the ‘Love’ of Allah Taala!
The aspect of Love with the Beloved is truly the most preciously recognized reason why our pious predecessors have always been so caring about Tahajjud. Pursuing Allah’s Love could be mentioned as the ‘sole motivational factor’ of preserving and practicing this virtuous Salah. In fact, Tahajjud prayer enjoins both the two components of sincerity and obedience — Love and Fear. When Love relates to Fear, the slave achieves more spiritual strength that allows him to refrain from sinning. Gradually some in-depth understandings of many mysteries of servitude open up for him that results in high spiritual development. However, the state and result may vary from person to person. These are not the objectives of Tahajjud! These are some implicit benefits. Of course, Allah Taala provides his servants whatever He wishes in the best manner and chooses the best for His obedient servant. The overall spiritual state of an obedient slave thus become very balanced. Tahajjud is ‘a prayer for reformation’ in this regard.
If we take a closer look at the verses regarding Tahajjud prayer in the Holy Quran and Hadith, stylishly has been mentioned regarding its virtue in both. In addition, it becomes apparent that this prayer bears exceptional qualities to connect the servant to Allah Taala.
Allah Taala has mentioned the qualities of a Believer in Sura Furqan, verses 63 to 74 so touchily that by reciting or listening to the verses any believer’s heart would be moved and s/he would earnestly desire to pursue and achieve those. Among those qualities, the third virtue relates to Tahajjud. Allah Taala states in Sura Fuqaan (meaning):
The servants of the Rahman (the All-Merciful, Allah) are those who walk on the earth humbly, and when the ignorant people speak to them, they reply peacefully, (63) And those who pass the night prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord, (64) And those who say, “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Jahannam (the Hell); indeed, its punishment is a persisting affliction.” (65) Indeed, it is evil as an abode and a place to dwell in (66) And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly, and it (i.e. their spending) is moderate in between (the two extremes,) (67) And those who do not invoke any other god along with Allah, and do not kill a person whom Allah has given sanctity, except rightfully, nor do they fornicate; and whoever does it, shall face the recompense of his sin, (68) The punishment will be doubled for him, and he will remain there disdained, forever, (69) Except the one who repents and believes and does good deeds, then Allah will replace the evils of such people by good deeds, [QETafseerComment] and Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. (70) Whoever repents and does righteous deeds turns to Allah truly (71) And those who do not witness falsehood, and when they pass by the absurd things, Pass by them with dignity, (72) And those who, when they are reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall at them as deaf and blind ones, (73) And those who say, “Our Lord, Give us, from our spouses and our children, comfort of eyes, and make us heads of the God-fearing.” (74)
