Be Regular in Tahajjud

The third condition stipulates that one should offer tahajjud Prayers. Almighty Allah says:1

And offer tahajjud with the recitation of the Qur’an in a part of the night as a supererogatory service for thee. Very soon thy Lord will raise thee to an exalted station.

Hazrat Bilal(ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet(sa) said, ‘You should be very regular in tahajjud. That has been the practice of the righteous ones in the past and is a means of attaining nearness to God. This is a habit that safeguards against sin, removes blemishes and safeguards from physical illness.’ (Sunan-ut-Tirmadhi, Kitab-ud-Da‘wat, Babu Fi Du‘a’in Nabiyyi)

In another hadith:

Hazrat Abu Hurairah(ra) has related that the Holy Prophet(sa) said, ‘Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven. When one-third of the night remains, Allah says, “Who will call upon Me, so I should respond to him? Who will beg of Me, so I should grant him? And Who will ask my forgiveness, so I should forgive him?” Allah the Almighty keeps saying so until dawn breaks.’ (Musnadu Ahmadabni Hanbal, vol. 2, p. 521, printed in Beirut)

Many members of the Community write letters for prayers. If they practice this method of prayer themselves, they will see the blessings of Allah pouring upon them.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah(ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet(sa) said, ‘Allah the Almighty says that whoever is an enemy of My friend, I declare war on him. My servant can be close to Me through things that I love and that I have made obligatory upon him. By offering nawafil My servant gets so close to Me that I start loving him. When I make him a friend of Mine, I become the ears with which he hears, the eyes with which he sees, the hands with which he holds, and the feet with which he walks. That is, I fulfil all that he desires. If he begs of Me, I provide for him; if he seeks My protection, I grant him protection.’ (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab-ur-Riqaqi, Babut- Tawadu‘i)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah(ra) has related that the Holy Prophet(sa) said, ‘Allah will have mercy on a man who gets up at night for his [voluntary] Prayer and awakens his wife for the same purpose, and if she hesitates he sprinkles water over her face to wake her up. And, Allah will have mercy on a woman who gets up at night to offer [voluntary] Prayer and awakens her husband for the same purpose, and if he hesitates she sprinkles water over his face to wake him up.’ (Sunano Abi Dawud, Kitab-ut-Tatawwu‘i, Babu Qayamil-Laili)

The Promised Messiah(as) says:

Our Jama‘at should make it incumbent upon itself to offer tahajjud. Anyone who cannot do more should make at a minimum two rak‘at because he will get an opportunity to make some supplications. Supplications made at this time have a very special characteristic because they are offered with true pain and eagerness. Until there is a special pain and heartfelt agony, how can one wake up from comfortable sleep? To wake up at this time creates a heartfelt pain, which creates a condition of devotion and distress, which in turn become the means of acceptance of supplication. But someone who is lax in waking up is obviously lacking in pain and anguish. But one who wakes up, obviously there is a pain that is waking him up. (Malfuzat, new edition, vol. 2, p. 182)

The Promised Messiah(as) also says:

Get up at night and supplicate that Allah the Almighty may guide you to His path. The companions of the Holy Prophet(sa) also received their training step by step. What were they before? They were like the a seed sown by a farmer. The Holy Prophet(sa) in turn watered and prayed for it. The seed was healthy, and the soil was fertile. With watering, it yielded excellent fruit. They walked the path of the Holy Prophet(sa) without hesitation. They did not wait for day or night. You should repent with a true heart. Wake up for tahajjud. Straighten your hearts. Leave your weaknesses, and make your words and deeds correspond to the will of Allah the Almighty. (Malfuzat, new edition, vol. 1, p. 28)