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