01. RAGHAIB NIGHT AND THE THREE MONTHS
Prof. Dr. Mahmud Es'ad COSAN
Aùzu bi’llâhi mine’sh-shaytàni’r-rajîm.
Bi’smillâhi’r-rahmâni’r-rahîm.
Al-hamdu li’llâhi rabbi’l-àlemîne hamden kethîran tayyiben mubâraken fîh... Wa’s-salâtu wa’s-selâmu alâ seyyidinâ muhammedini’l-mustafâ… Wa alâ âlihî wa sahbihî wa men tebi'ahû bi-ihsânin ilâ yawmi’l-jazâ... Ammâ ba'd:
I seek refuge with Allah against Satan.
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Mercy Giving.
Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. We praise Him with the best of the praises endlessly.
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad the Chosen, his family, his companions and his sincere followers till the Day of Repayment.
Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters!
May Allah Almighty be pleased with you all. May He grant you happiness in this life and in the hereafter. May He honor you in both lives. May He reward you with His Beauty in the highest ranks of His Paradise.
a. Two Spiritual Seasons
A year has four physical seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It also has two important spiritual seasons. One of these spiritual seasons comes after the Hegira month Shawwal. It starts with the eleventh Arabic month Dhil-Qadah and extends through the months Dhil-Hijjah and Muharram. This is a season people move to perform the Pilgrimage. From distant as well as nearer
lands, in response to the call of Allah, to earn physical and spiritual benefits, to acquire many experiences that are full of wisdom, to observe spiritual states, people, lovers, and unselfish servants start a journey. Saying "Labbayk allahumma labbayk--I respond to your call o Allah!" with tears in eyes, the Pilgrims cross the mountains, valleys and seas; they arrive in the blessed lands via the land, sea, and airways. They earn great rewards for performing the Hajj.
Almighty Allah takes an oath in Surah al-Fajr by ten blessed nights:
وَالْفَجْرِ . وَلَيَال عَشْر (الفجر:١-٢)
(Wa’l-fajri wa layâlin ashrin) "By the dawn and by ten nights." These blessed nights are interpreted as the nights of the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah during which Hajj is performed.
Apart from the verses that instruct performing the Pilgrimage, these verses indicate that this time period is very precious and
rewarding. The worship carried out in this time period is very valuable. Fasting during those days has so much reward. There are reports [of ahadith] that if a person fasts on the day of Arafa, the day before the Eid al Adha, he is forgiven his offences of two years- -of the past year and the year to come. This is for those who are not performing the Hajj. Those who are performing Hajj will have their duties on the plains of Arafa. However, for those who are at their homes, fasting on the day of Arafa earns a great reward. Islamic books describe how great to enliven the first nine days and ten nights of Dhul-Hijjah.
The first of the spiritual season is the season of the Pilgrimage. These are the months people abandon their anger, grudge and enmity towards one another so that they can perform Hajj in peace. These are the months people put their weapons and arms away; the months they put a side the unresolved matters among them. These are called Haram months. There is no fighting during these months, nor is any prevention of people from performing the Pilgrimage. Even if an Arab saw the murderer of his father during this month, he would turn his head and overlook. It is all because these months are blessed and respectable months.
We all are aware that Hajj is one of the most important worships in Islam. Both Muslims and non-Muslims, friends and foes, acknowledge that Hajj is a great worship logically, socially, physically, and spiritually. They express their admiration saying: "It is a colossal ritual worship; there is nothing like that in other religions." There are some people who admired the wisdom and beauties of such ritual worship and entered the realm of Islam.
Hajj is a magnificent ritual worship. Muslims from all parts of
the world gather in on eplace. They respond to the call of Allah and come to the blessed places in the same attire, the same humbleness, and the same way. It is a magnificent worship, a colossal opportunity. It is a great ritual gathering that results in many good things. It is an enormous task, an event that shakes the world.
There is another spiritual season in every year: the blessed season of the three months Rajab, Sha'ban, and Ramadhan. The Prophet Muhammed SAS has stated in his ahadith and showed with his actions, conduct and worship how great, how blessed, and how rewarding these three moths are as a set. Rajab is the month during which the Prophet SAS fasted the most besides Ramadhan. There are great, magnificent rewards for fasting in the month of Rajab.
Here, this evening, we are entering this spiritual season. We have gathered here to learn something, to improve ourselves so that we can be more beneficial to our Muslim brethren. We have come together to figure out what we can do to be more helpful to our brothers and sisters. While we are here, we are observing the first night of the blessed season. This is the first night of Rajab, the first of the three months. When did we enter the month of Rajab? We entered the month of Rajab as we heard the call for the Maghrib Prof. Dr. M. Es'ad COŞAN
prayer. We are in the very first hours of Rajab.
b. The Specialties of Rajab
Our Prophet SAS stated how precious the month of Rajab is. It is stated in the Qur'an that there are four blessed Haram months, and Rajab is one of them. The haram months start with Dhul- Qadah, and continue as Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram consecutively. These are the months for preparation for Hajj, performance of Hajj, and return from Hajj. Yet the month of Rajab is a separate month--five months after the other Haram months. Let us name the Hegira months: Muharram, Safar, Rabi-al-Awwal, Rabi-al-Akhir, Jumâdal-ûlâ, Jumâdal-Akhir, Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadhan, Shawwal, Dhul-Qâdah, and Dhul-Hijjah. Since Rajab is a separate Haram month, it is also called Rajab-al-ferd (The individual, solitaire Rajab). The respect, reverence, regard and honor as well as abstinence from the quarrels and fights are to be observed during the month of Rajab, too.
This month is also called Rajab-ul-Asabb. It is a month in which the rewards are poured in plenty to the record book for each servant. The rewards flow like running river. In Arabic, sabbe means pouring, munsab, is the place where the river running from mountains pours, like a waterfall. It comes from the same root word. Rajab-ul-Asabb is the month that the Mercy of Allah showers the servants, His blessings flood all.
There is another attribute for this month: Rajab-ul-Asamm-- Rajab the deaf. That means, people overlook the enmities and what they hear about them. If a person is informed that his enemy is passing some place, he will act as though he is deaf. That is why it is called this way. There have been various explanations of this attribute. In brief, it has been stated in various sources that Rajab is an interesting and important month, and we have just entered it.
The scholars have indicated in their books that this month is a month of sowing. In this month one does righteous and rewarding
deeds such as repenting and fasting. Like cultivating the soil and sowing the seed, this month is the time for sowing. Sha'ban is the month of attending the crop. Ramadhan is the month of harvesting the crop. That means, Rajab is the first step to prepare us for Ramadhan.
Ramadhan is the king of eleven months. One does not enter Ramadhan all of a sudden. One organizes his deeds and prepares himself for Ramadhan. For this he has to repent in Rajab which is also known as the "month of repentance." A servant must turn to Allah: "O my Lord! I failed to understand Your orders. I have disobeyed You. I confess my shortcomings and offences. Please forgive me my sins." Uttering these words, one shall abandon the offenses and be an obedient servant in the path of Allah. He shall remember that Rajab is the month of repentance.
The following month, Sha'ban, is the month of attendance of the worship. Ramadhan is the month of reaping the rewards. These words express the connection among these months.
It is related from the Prophet SAS that Rajab is Shahrullah. In Arabic, shahr means "month." There is another use of the word shahr in Turkish as in Shahr-i Istanbul and Shahr-i Bursa. This word comes from Farisi, and it means "city, locality." Shahr-i Ramadhan means the month of Ramadhan; Shahr-i Rajab, the month of Rajab. Rajab is Shahrullah--the month of Allah. Of course all months, all years, all time, all space, all beings, all humans, everything belong to Allah. While everything belongs to Allah, what would be the meaning of the sentence: Rajab is the month of Allah"? These words mean the following: "In the month of Rajab, Almighty Allah forgives countless servants who turn to him in repentance."
We have thus entered a month in which Almighty Allah opens the gates of repentance and forgiveness. This is important for me to remind you about this. It is also an important opportunity for you to pull yourselves together, to do a self-accounting, to consider your shortcomings and deeds, to realize our mistakes, and to turn to
Allah to beg for forgiveness. This is what we shall do in this month. Fasting in the month of Rajab is also very meritorious. You are aware that fasting corrects the self and illuminates the heart. It has two major effects. First, the fasting limits and suppresses the desires and ambitions of the self. Second, it illuminates and strengthens the heart and spirit. When a person fasts, his stomach gets empty, and then his feelings become clearer--I am sure you have experienced it in Ramadhan. With fasting the heart becomes more attentive, compassionate and sensitive. Then the person can contemplate on the deeper meanings of things. He observes good states.
For these reasons, we shall fast in the month of Rajab and do deeds to incur the mercy and forgiveness of Almighty Allah. Remember the verse:
إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَاب (الزمر:٠١)
(Innemâ yuwaffas sàbirûne ajrahum bighayri hisâb) There is a multiplier for the rewards of everything, yet "the patient will be given their reward without account or limit" (Zumer 10).
Since fasting requires patience and perseverance, it will be rewarded without limit. That is why we should try to fast in this month as much as possible. Our beloved Prophet SAS would fast many days in Rajab.
Renew your repentance! The repentance does not mean the mere utterance of the words "Astaghfirullah wa atûbu ileyh." The meaning of repentance is making a turn towards Almighty Allah. A repenting person abandons his state and deeds that are unpleasant to Allah, and he follows a path that is pleasing to Allah. If he fails to make that turn and if he does not abandon the wrong deeds, then his repentance will be the repentance of liars--as pointed out Hadrat Ali ibn-Abu Talib.
Once our master, Hadrat Ali ibn-Abu Talib entered the mosque
of Kûfa. He heard a person uttering the words: "Tawba yâ Rabbî! Tawba yâ Rabbî!" Hadrat ali went to him and said: "O respectable Brother! The repentance by the tongue alone is the repentance of the liars."
The repentance does not concern the tongue only. The repentance is the total turning to Allah with all parts of the body and with all activities in life. We have to be aware of this! We shall not think of the repentance as something we say only. Even a parrot would utter these words, yet it would not know their meanings. I have seen a parrot who says three times the kalima "Lâ ilâha illallah!"
Eylesen tûtîye ta'limi eder kelimât, Sözü insan olur amma, özü insan olmaz!
Tûtî means parrot. If you teach a parrot how to speak, its words will be human words, yet its essence will not be human. It still will be a bird. It will keep its nature and remain a parrot.
We shall remember that the condition and state of the person who repents shall change to comply with the consent of Allah. We shall appreciate these days as opportunities to turn to the path of Allah, to become a good Muslim, to become a true Muslim, a Muslim like one of the companions of the Prophet SAS. We should interrogate ourselves and take an account of our intentions and deeds. We should turn to Allah and follow the path he prescribed for us.
Our becoming good practicing Muslims is a must not only for us, but for the entire Nation of Prophet Muhammed SAS. It is necessary for Turkey, for the Muslim world, and for the entire world. It is necessary even for the disbelievers! Our practice of Islam will be a good opportunity for the disbelievers to hear about the truth, understand the path Almighty Allah has prescribed for His servants, and accept the path of Allah. That is why we shall consider our correction, improvement, and salvation as an important world-wide phenomenon. With this in mind, we shall
repent truly, with the tawba-i nasuh. Tawba-i nasuh is the sincere and heartfelt repentance. That is how we should repent!
This is such a month. "Rajab is the month of Allah-- a month in which Almighty Allah accepts the repentances," said the Prophet SAS. He continued: "Sha'ban is my month, and Ramadhan is of my Ummah." That means we shall repent in Rajab and seek forgiveness from Allah. In Sha'ban, we shall try to be the special Ummah of the Prophet SAS. In Ramadhan, we shall try to receive the grace of Allah and rewards from Him for our deeds as the Ummah of the Prophet SAS.
In a hadith, the Prophet SAS said: "Woe to a person who lived in Ramadhan and yet failed to correct himself and benefit from the blessings of Ramadhan. May his nose be rubbed to dirt --may he be humiliated." To benefit from Ramadhan, we shall prepare ourselves for Ramadhan. It is like the preparation of an athlete before the competition. One prepares for the competition and does the exercises regularly will be in the top positions. One who does not prepare will earn nothing in the competition. Just like that, we have to start our preparation process for Ramadhan early--starting this month.
Tonight is also the Friday night. Tomorrow is Friday; the night belongs to the day that comes after the night. When sun goes down, a day ends, and a new day starts. This is how it is Islamically.
When sun is setting, it completes a day. A new day starts with the call for the Maghrib prayer. If we see the new crescent in the sky soon after the sunset, we say: "Here is the sliver of the crescent moon that became visible in the sky where sun has set. That means tomorrow is the first day of Ramadhan." Since it would be the first night of Ramadhan, we offer the Tarawih prayers after Isha and get up for the suhur meal to fast during the day. This is all because a new day starts with Maghrib. We see the crescent in the evening, and we start fasting of Ramadhan.
At the end of Ramadhan, we observe the crescent. If we see the
crescent in the sky where the sun has set, we say "It is Eid tomorrow!" That evening we do not offer the Tarawih prayers because Ramadhan would be over with Maghrib, and it would be the first night of the month Shawwal. The next morning we offer the Eid prayer. Keep this in mind, too.
Tonight is the night joining Thursday to Friday: it is the Friday night. Tomorrow is Friday, and we will offer the Friday prayers. The Friday night is a blessed night throughout the year, every week. It is a night full of spiritual lights. It is a precious and meritorious night, so the Prophet SAS described it as "Al-laylatul gharrâu" -- a gleaming night that is illuminated with spiritual lights.
We shall be aware of how precious the Friday night is. We must appreciate every night, of course. We have to spend each and every night in accordance to the consent of Allah Almighty, yet Friday night is the most precious of the nights of the week, and Friday is
the most precious of the days of the week.
Tonight is a triple blessed night. First of all, we are in the first day of Rajab--a blessed day and a blessed precious night. It should be enlivened and appreciated. Second, tonight is a Friday night--a blessed night to be appreciated, too. And third, this is the first Friday night of Rajab which is called Raghâ'ib Night--a very precious and blessed night to be enlivened and appreciated. These three nights coincided tonight. This is a night with three folded blessings.
The first Friday night of Rajab is called Raghâ'ib Night. It could be any night from the first to the sixth night. This year it is the first night of Rajab. Raghâ'ib is the plural of raghîba which is something that is desirable, a reward, a gift or a favor. During this night, Almighty Allah bestows so much rewards, gifts and blessings for His servants. That is why the angels named this special night as Laylat-ur-Raghâ'ib. It is the night of grace and blessings that Allah bestows on His servants. That is we are in such a blessed night.
c. Enlivening a Special Night
I have been asked how one should enliven such a precious night and how one should appreciate this special night in prayers. This is in opposition to the spending the night aimlessly in vain. On one hand, wasting the night; on the other hand, enlivening it as much as possible.
How would one enliven a night? Enlivening a night starts with offering the Isha and Fajr prayers in congregation in mosque. This is also enlivening the day, too. Offering the Isha and Fajr prayers in the mosque equals the enlivening of the night and the day. If a person does that, he receives rewards as though he has spent the entire night and day in prayers.
That is why we must pay special attention to offering Isha and
Fajr prayers in mosque. Our beloved Prophet SAS said: "Try your best to attend these two prayers in the mosque." These are the times people have the lack of zeal to offer the prayer in congregation. A person may lack the eagerness to go to the Isha prayer. His nafs and Satan would prevent him from going to the mosque: "You are very tired! Eat your food and offer your prayer at home. Then go to bed right away. Your eyes look extremely sleepy. What would you do going out in the dark?" That is how they try. As a matter of fact, the person would be a tired as a consequence of the days work--be it a worker or an employer. After eating dinner, the person becomes sleepy and mellow and falls asleep watching television. Sometimes he may even forget turning the television off. The television may be left on until the end of the day's broadcast. The sleep takes over making it difficult to come to the mosque for the Isha prayer.
The Fajr prayer is even harder to attend. It requires for the person to break the sweet sleep and get out of the warm and cozy bed. It requires overcoming his nafs. It requires a significant amount of effort to do so. It is a difficult task for the person to overcome his own desires, to go beyond himself, and to be superior to himself. This is a matter of training. Those who have not received such training will not be victorious over themselves.
I was told a story during the Hajj. While a sheikh effendi was with his disciples at a meeting, a man entered the room and handed a paper to the sheikh effendi. The sheikh effendi read the message on the paper and said: "No, son. What you want is not possible."
The man insisted: "It has to be!"
All the disciples of the sheikh got up as though they were going to silence the man. How dare a stranger comes to their sheikh and insistently demands something despite the negative response from the sheikh? If the sheikh effendi made a gesture, the man would be removed from there at that instant and perhaps be well beaten up.
When the stranger insisted, the sheikh effendi lowered his head
and stayed in that position and contemplated for a while. Then he lifted his head, inhaled, and said gently: "One who has been patient, one who has overcome his nafs, has been the winner."
A person may get angry; everybody may get angry. A person gets angry when he was wronged: "Are you insulting me? Am I your slave?" He says something and get angry. It is not easy to swallow one's own anger and keep control. It is not easy to be gentle and lenient. Being patient is not an easy task. We have to be patient. If one remains patient and in control of his nafs, if one overcomes his desires, then he will be a mature Muslim.
One has to overcome his own desires. What does his nafs want? It wants to stay in bed with a justification: "I went to bed late. I have slept little. Let's continue sleeping and pray later." One objects the nafs and gets up. Then the nafs starts again: "Get up but don't go the mosque. Pray here and get back to the bed before it gets cold. The mosque will be far and it is hard to go there." This is another excuse.
Nullifying the excuses and attending the mosque for the Isha and Fajr prayers are tasks not for the ordinary people. It is for the Muslims who have the control and power over their nafs. Our beloved Prophet SAS stated: "The hypocrites do not have the strength for these two prayers." they cannot wake up or get up. They cannot spare some sleep and leave the comfort behind. They come to neither the Isha prayer nor the Fajr prayer. They have no problem coming to the mosque for other prayers because they are
already awake. If other people notice that they are not attending the prayers in the mosque, their status may be shaken in the society.
"The hypocrites do not have the strength for these two prayers," said the Prophet SAS. That is why performing these two prayers in mosque is for the perfect believers and mature Muslims. Keep this in mind and do not neglect offering these prayers in congregation in mosque.
d. Importance of Offering Prayers in Congregation
What is the difference between offering the prayer in the mosque and offering it at home? For men, offering the prayer in congregation in the mosque is 27 times more rewarding than offering it individually at home:1
صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَ ةَ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْع وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً (مالك، حم. خ. م. ت. ه. ن. حب. عن ابن عمر)
RE. 309/9 (Salâtul jamâati tafdilu salâtel fardi biseb'in wa 'ishrîne darajah) This is an authentic hadith: "Congregational prayer is 27 times more rewarding over the individual prayer." This is for the local mosque. If the prayer is performed at a large mosque where Friday prayer is held, the reward is 50 times more than the individual prayer.
Dear Brothers and Sisters. Let me remind you something else. The congregation is so important that the Prophet SAS stated the following: ki:2
مَا مِنْ خَمْسَةِ أَبْيَات ، لاَ يُؤَذَّنُ فِيهِمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ، وَتُقَامُ فِيهِمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ؛
إِلاَّ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ (حم. طب. عن أبي الدرداء)
1 Buhari, Sahih, c.III, s.34, no:609; Tirmizi, Sünen, c.I, s.365, no:199; Nesei, Sünen, c.III, s.347, no:828; İbn-i Mace, Sünen, c.III, s.9, no:781; Ahmed ibn-i Hanbel, Müsned, c.II, s.65, no:5332; İmam Malik, Muvatta’, c.II, s.177, no:425; İbn- i Hibban, Sahih, c.V, s.401, no:2052; Beyhaki, Sünenü’l-Kübra, c.III, s.59, no:4734; Begavi, Şerhü’s-Sünneh, c.II, s.62; Abdullah ibn-i Ömer RA’dan.
2 Ahmed ibn-i Hanbel, Müsned, c.VI, s.445, no:27553; İbn-i Asâkir, Târih-i Dimaşk, c.LIX, s.340, Ebü’d-Derdâ RA’dan.
Kenzü’l-Ummâl, c.VII, s.978, no:20372; Câmiü’l-Ehàdîs, c.XIX, s.153, no:20443.
RE. 381/5 "If there are five Muslim houses in a locality, it is an
obligation for them to call the prayer regularly and establish the congregational prayers." The measure is five houses. If there are five Muslim houses in the village, in the plains, in the city, in any locality, Muslims must call Adhan and establish the congregational prayers. "If they do not call Adhan and establish the congregational prayers, (istahwedhe alayhimush-shaytân) Satan dominates them." They would enter the dominion of Satan. When Satan takes over a home, then there would be no peace there. They will be manipulated by Satan.
Satan is a skilful creature. It is an expert in deceiving people. He has quite an experience accumulated since the time of Adam AS. When a person falls to the trap of Satan, Satan will ruin his life for him. What is solution for this terrible condition? Adhan should be called and the congregational prayers should be established so that Satan could not get a foot hole or dominate. The prayer is so important; the congregation is so important,
too. Wherever the Adhan is not called and the congregational prayers are not established, Satan dominates that locality.
Once we visited a friend in his village which is located on the Bolu Mountains in Turkey. At the friend's house, we waited for the Adhan. Its time had passed yet there was no call for the prayer. We asked why there is no Adhan. The imam of the mosque had retired, and no imam was appointed to replace him. Because of that, there had been no imam and no Adhan in the village. I told then that was not good. There is a mosque, it has a minaret, and there are people in the village. No prayers are performed in the mosque--people would pray at home. The congregational prayers had not been observed for so long. Isn't there a person who would call Adhan? He does not have to have excellent voice for the call, for it is not a competition. There is no such condition for the call. Get up and with the loudest voice you have, start the call with all of your might. Say "Allahu akbar!" sincerely from the bottom of your heart, and be heard in all directions.
I told the host of the house there: "You are going to call the Adhan and lead the prayers. You are not going to deprive this village from the sound of the Adhan. Let's go to the mosque!" We went to the mosque. A friend of ours walked up to the minaret and called Adhan. Then we offered the prayers in the mosque. We were told later that some women in the village cried because they were happy to hear the Adhan in the village again.
Dear Brothers and sisters! These are important things! You may not appreciate its significance, or some may not appreciate it, yet it is very important. Offering the Isha and Fajr prayers in congregation in Mosque is a way towards enlivening a night.
The second way towards enlivening a night is going to bed after having fresh wudhu and offering two/four units of prayers. In a hadith the Prophet SAS stated: "An angel between the skin and the underclothing of that person prays: 'My Lord! This servant of Yours went to bed in a state of purity with wudhu; forgive him his
shortcomings!'" That is what the Prophet SAS stated. We would not know it or see it, yet that is the statement of the Prophet SAS.
Then, "The guardian angels, kirâmen kâtibîn angels, register the person as one who prayed throughout the night till the morning. The rewards will be registered in his record book till the morning for going to bed with wudhu." This is also something the Prophet SAS informed us about. Then, "The angels in heaven see the spiritual light of the person and understand that the person went to bed with wudhu. They gather around the person in large numbers forming a crowd." The Prophet SAS indicated that there will be so many angels around the person for his going to bed with wudhu. For this reason, making a fresh wudhu and offering two or four units of prayer before going to bed is a way of enlivening a night.
Yet another way of enlivening a night is the classical way: having slept for some time, getting up, making wudhu and offering night vigil prayers. The Prophet SAS stated:3
رَكْعَتَانِ مِنَ اللَّيْ لِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنـْيَا وَمَ ا فِيهَ ا
(Rak'atâni mina’l-layl) "Two units of the night prayer, (khayrun minad dunyâ wa mâ fîhâ) is better than this world and everything in it." Who is said this? Our beloved Prophet, Muhammad the Chosen SAS stated this. Asdaqul qàilîn, the most truthful of speakers, the most beloved of Allah, Muhammad the Chosen, SAS stated this. These are not the words of an ordinary person. What did he state? He said, "Better than everything in the world."
Dear Brothers and Sisters. What would you do if you were given this great Alâaddin Hotel of Alanya? Imagine that a billionaire
3 Lafız farkıyla: Deylemi, Müsnedü’l-Firdevs, c.III, s.455, no:5404; Abdullah ibn-i Ömer RA’dan.
Kenzü’l-Ummal, c.VII, s.785, no:21405; Camiü’l-Ehadis, c.XIII, s.145, no:12782.
generous rich man got up and said: "I like you. I have so much money but no children. I bought this Alâaddin Hotel, and I am giving it to you." What would you do? A person may lose his mind in such a situation because of excessive happiness.
Dear brothers and Sisters! Don't we believe in what the Prophet SAS said? We need to comprehend the meaning the words carry. "Better than this world and everything in it!" said the Prophet SAS. Why is it so? It is because the night vigil prayer is "a shammatun min ma'rifetullah--a sniff of the knowledge of Allah," and it is very important. You are going to get up at night and make wudhu. There would be nobody but you in your room. There is no possibility of show-off or fame. You turn to your Lord, the Lord of the universe. Alhamdu lillahi rabbil âlemîn-- praise is due to the Lord of universe. What a great sentence! You are in the presence of the owner, the creator of the universe, and you say, "Praise is due to You O my Lord!" You bow down and prostrate before Him. You enjoy the taste of the worship as though you sip from an elixir.
If one were to come in the room and looked at you, you would feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. You would not want anybody see you; you would want not to offer the night vigil prayer in the presence of another person. Yet you are alone at night, nobody is watching you. You are on you prayer rug, and you shed tears. The place you put your head in prostration gets wet from the tears. You turn to Allah with words: "O my Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me!" These feelings are very precious. They could make a person one of awliyâ. These feelings make a person the most valuable individual in the world. These feelings make a person the most beneficial to mankind with his services. One can enjoy these feeling when he gets up for the night vigil prayer.
Our beloved Prophet ASA was ordered in Surah Muzzammil:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ . قُمْ اللَّيْلَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً . نِصْفَهُ أَوْ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلاً
أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلْ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلاً (المزمل:١-٤)
(Yâ ayyuhel muzzammil. Qumil layla illâ qalîlâ. Nisfahû awinqus minhu qalîlâ. Aw zid 'aleyhi wa rattilil qur'âna tertîlâ.) [O you who wraps himself in clothing. Arise to pray the night, except for a litle--half of it--or subtract from it a little, or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation.] (Qur'an 73:1-4) The verses of the Qur'an that were revealed first were the first five verses of Surah 'Alaq. The second group of verses that were revealed was in the beginning of Surah Muddeththir or in the beginning of Surah Muzzammil. Either case, the verses above were revealed to the Prophet in the second or third revelation. In other words, in the third revelation of the verses, the Prophet was instructed to get up in the middle of the night.
The greatness and beauty of the nights... The new generations who live among the piles of concrete building are unaware of it. How beautiful is the grandeur of the nights! How spiritual is the time of the nights!
Our beloved Prophet SAS stated: "At night the gates of heavens will be opened." Are the gates of heavens? Yes there are. During the Night Journey (Isra) and Ascension (Miraj) of the Prophet SAS, they arrived in Jerusalem first. Then the Prophet and the archangel Gabriel AS started the ascension from Jerusalem. When they arrived at the first heaven, an angel stopped them. What is the first heaven?
وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ (الملك:٥)
(Wa laqad zayyannas samâ-ad dunyâ bimesâbiha) "We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with lamps [i.e., stars]" (Qur'an 67:5) says Almighty Allah. The heaven that has the stars is the first heaven. What is in the other heavens is unknown to us. Almighty Allah knows what is beyond the heaven that has the stars.
The guard at the gate of the first heaven stopped the Prophet and Gabriel AS. Gabriel AS is one of the four major angels who brought the revelation to the Prophet AS. The guard angel asked Gabriel AS: "Man anta--who are you?"
In Arabic man means "who."
"Ana Jibrîl!--I am Gabriel!"
He introduced himself. In the Islamic code of manners, there is the introduction, the statement of the name. You hear a door is knocked, so you inquire: "Who is it?" One who knocks at the door responding: "Me!" Oh no! Fa subhanallah! If everybody is to respond as "Me," how would you identify the person? You must state your name instead of saying "Me!" The archangel said, "I am Gabriel!" Here is a lesson in proper conduct.
Here on earth, after receiving the answer "Me!" you inquire: "Who are you?"
"It is me; open the door!"
You need to identify the person at the door. You could not open the door to everybody. We are warned by the police department, "Do not open the door for everybody; they would go in and get your gold bracelets and jewelry." The person at the door could stick in his foot through the opening of the door and pull a knife. You would not know if it is a good person or a trouble maker at the door. The proper conduct would be stating the name at the door.
What happened then? The guard angel at the gate of the first heaven asked: "Wa men ma'aka--and who is with you?"
"Muhammad!" Muhammed the Chosen SAS' the messenger of Allah.
"Has he been permitted to go beyond this gate?"
"Yes he has."
"Then, he may pass."
Dear Brothers and Sisters! There are such things in heavens. There are guards who stop Gabriel and ask questions. There are gates of heavens. We do not see or know how they are, yet there are those who see them and understand them. Those who
had seen them informed us that the gates of the heavens will be open during the night. It is such a special treatment: "Here, please, this way!" It is a free pass.
There is the second major event at night that the Prophet SAS informed us. Almighty Allah descends to the lowest heaven. That is, He gets closer to his servants. Then He calls His servants: "Who wants to be forgiven? Ask Me My forgiveness, I will grant it. Who has a request from Me? Ask Me, and I will grant it. Who wants the cure for his illness? Ask Me, and I will grant it. Does anybody want anything? Ask me I will grant it!" The call continues until dawn:
هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ (القدر:٥)
(Hiya hattâ matlai’l-fajr) "Until the emergence of dawn" (Qur'an 97:5). The night ends with the emergence of the dawn. It is similar for the Night of Power, too:
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْر . سَلاَمٌ
هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ (القدر:٤-٥)
(Tanazzalul malâ-ikati war-rûhu fîhâ bi-idhni rabbihim min kulli amrin) "The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. (Salâmun hiya hattâ matla'il fajr) Peace it is until the emergence of dawn." (Qur'an 97:4-5). the dissension of the angels is until the emergence of dawn, the beginning of the Fajr time.
If we do not see it, if we are not familiar with the sky and the night, we look at the time of dawn (imsak, fajr) on the calendar. We get up before the time of dawn, make wudhu, and offer prayer. Then we ask from Almighty Allah: "My Lord, I want Your forgiveness. My Lord, I am the needy. May Lord, I have a request from You!"
That is the proper time to ask. It is the time that Almighty Allah says he will grant the requests. Worship at that time of the night is the practice of the prophets, the awliya, and the righteous servants of Allah. One must experience the pleasure of being with Almighty Allah. One should not run away from solitude.
Man takes his jacket and tells his wife: "I will be away for a
while."
"Where are you going?"
"To the coffee house."
"Why?"
"I am so bored of solitude."
One should love solitude. One should enjoy solitude and say: "O Lord! Praise to Allah there is nobody here. This is a good time for me to be with my Lord and contemplate." One should take pleasure from solitude. Solitude is the nutrition for the great spirits. Solitude is an important phenomenon. Making connection with Almighty Allah while in solitude is very important deed. That could happen at night in an excellent way.
For this reason, one way of enlivening a night is getting up at night, making wudhu, and offering night vigil prayers--two units, four units, six units, eight units, ten units--as much as Almighty Allah wills. It is a way of enlivening the night because salâh is one of the best forms of worship. It is a complex and complete form of worship. The Prophet SAS stated:4
4 Neseî, Sünen, c.VII, s.61, no:3939; Ahmed ibn-i Hanbel, Müsned, c.III, s.128, no:12315; Hàkim, Müstedrek, c.II, s.174, no:2676; Taberânî, Mu’cemü’l-Evsat, c.V, s.241, no:5203; Ebû Ya’lâ, Müsned, c.VI, s.199, no:3482; Beyhakî, Sünenü’l-Kübrâ, c.VII, s.78, no:13232; Neseî, Sünenü’l-Kübrâ, c.V, s.280, no:8887; İbn-i Sa’d, Tabakàtü’l-Kübrâ, c.I, s.398; Hatîb-i Bağdâdî, Târih-i Bağdad, c.XII, s.371, no:6812; İbn-i Adiy, Kâmil fi’d-Duafâ, c.III, s.303; İbn-i Hibbân, Mecrûhîn, c.III, s.135, no:1234; Ukaylî, Duafâ, c.II, s.160, no:666; İbn-i Asâkir, Târih-i Dimaşk, c.LX, s.454; Deylemî, Müsnedü’l-Firdevs, c.II, s.143, no:2733; Enes ibn-i Mâlik RA’dan.
Kenzü’l-Ummâl, c.VII, s.449, no:18912, 18913; Keşfü’l-Hafâ, c.II, s.73, no:1089; Câmiü’l-Ehàdîs, c.IX, s.496, no:8916.
قرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّ لاَةِ
(Qurrati 'aynî fis salâh) "Happiness of my eye is in the prayer." That means, "I am in a state of peace and happiness when I perform the formal prayer." While the Prophet enjoys the prayer this much, one should check himself if he does not feel anything while he performs the salâh. He should question himself: "Why am I not enjoying the prayer?" He should ponder about the reasons and solutions. He should figure out why he is so insensitive, why he is so ignorant, and why he is still like a beginner.
Dear Brothers and Sisters! We ought to enjoy solitude [at night].
Also, reading Qur'an is also very meritorious. The new generations have failed to make a good connection with the Qur'an. They learn English, German, French; they think one foreign language is not enough. They learn the western languages, yet they have no desire for learning Arabic and studying Qur'an. Those who have the interest and who learn the Qur'an are not well received: "Come here, Hafiz. Sit down and recite! Here, take the money in this envelope. You may leave now."
Perhaps, the person gets angry when he is told, "Hafiz, come
here!" That is interpreted as a form of insult. How was it in the past? A hafiz, one who has the entire Qur'an in his memory, used to be well respected in the past. Now memorization is downgraded and posed as something undesirable. The honor of being hafiz and the appreciation for it have been forgotten.
As a matter of fact, the Qur'an is the Word of Allah: one earns reward by just looking at it. When one understands its meaning and practices it in his life, he will earn much more rewards. Reading Qur'an earns rewards for a person. Some have problems with vision, some do not know how to read Arabic, some do not understand Arabic, thus even if they read it, they do not enjoy it because they would not know the meaning.
Another way of enlivening a night is doing dhikr. Dhikr is repeating certain blessed words again and again. What are those blessed words? For instance, "Lâ ilâha illallah" is a blessed statement. It can lead a person to Paradise. Likewise, "Allahumma salli 'alâ sayyidinâ muhammadin wa 'alâ âli sayyidinâ muhammad" [O Allah! Bless our master Muhammad and the family of our master Muhammad] is a very precious dhikr. When a person says these words, the angels will inform the Prophet SAS spiritually. Another example is "Astaghfirullah" which means the person is asking Allah for forgiveness. There are other dhikr words and statements such as "Subhànallah" [Allah is glorified], "Alhamdulillah" [praise is due to Allah], "Allahu akbar" [Allah is the greatest], and "Lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ billâhil 'aliyyil azîm" [There is no power or force except with Allah Who is the highest and the most magnificent]. These are blessed words and clauses. Doing dhikr with them is meritorious.
Saying the greatest name of Almighty Allah or any of the beautiful names of Allah is also dhikr. One could repeatedly say "Allah... Allah... Allah..." or "Yâ Qayyûm... Yâ Qayyûm... Yâ Qayyûm..." Likewise, "Yâ Wadûd... Yâ Wadûd... Yâ Wadûd..." and "Ya Hû..." constitute dhikr. All of these are dhikr, and dhikr is a way of enlivening a night.
Dhikr also means "remembrance." If a person does the dhikr of Allah, Almighty Allah does the dhikr of the person:
فَاذْكُرُونِي اَذْكُرْكُمْ (البقرة:٢٥١)
(Fadhkurûnî adhkurkum) "So remember me; I will remember you" says Almighty Allah (Qur'an 2:152). When you say "Allah," Almighty Allah says your name, too. If a servant says "Allah" by himself, Allah says his name by Himself. If a person does the dhikr of Allah in a group of people, Almighty Allah does the dhikr of the person in a better group. This the servant gets closer to Allah, and
Allah loves the servant. Then the love of Allah is formed in the heart of the servant eventually. That is why dhikr is one of the best ways of worship, and a night could be enlivened with dhikr.
There are also some formal prayers (salâh) that the Prophet SAS performed. One such prayer is salât-ul-tasbih. In this prayer, one says these words 300 times: "Subhânallàhi wal hamdu lillâhi wa lâ ilâha illallahu wallàhu akbar" [Glory be to Allah, and Praise be to Allah, and there is no deity but Allah, and Allah is the greatest]. At every 10th or 15th of this dhikr, "Wa lâ hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ billâhil 'aliyyil azîm" [There is no power or force except with Allah Who is the highest and the most magnificent] dhikr is added. It is a four units of prayer. [The 300 dhikr is distributed to the each part of each unit of the prayer]. This prayer may be performed individually or in congregation. It is stated in some authentic ahadith of the Prophet SAS. It has lots of rewards. One could enliven a night with such prayers.
May Almighty Allah be pleased with you all.
November 23, 1995
Raghâib Night - Alanya, Turkey