What is the Purpose of Qiyaamullail?

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I read this in our musalla just after Ishaa' service where they had pasted it at the board of current issue. I think the reminder is quite nice and I would like to share it with brothers and sisters world wide who unintentionally hit this humble site may Allah bless all of you. 

Introduction to Qiyaamullail

First of all I would like to explain what is Qiyaamullail. It is Arabic compound words which means wake up in the night. This term means we sleep early at night maybe around 22:00-23:00 at night and wake up again at maybe 3:45 or 4:00 at the morning. About an hour or half an hour before obligatory Fajr prayer service. For a traditional person, he might be walking to masjid after the Qiyaamullail according to the prayer time. For me usually, I will take bath and finding my hygienic stuffs first before Qiyaamullail so if brothers and sisters could not bear cold water use hot water if you wanted to take bath. If you don't smell like rotten socks then it is ok to talk with Him without shower or bath, lol.

This thing is also founded in other traditions such as the Brahmin traditions as to make it easier to understood by non-Muslims or non-religious Muslims. They have several what I could say as quite harsh rites which should be followed by Brahmins as part of customs. I don't call it as Hinduism but only Brahmanism because not all Hindus perform this as this is only the duty for Brahmins and I am not going to talk in detail about it but in Islam it could be practiced by everyone who feels it as a necessity for them. I think Christians for example Roman rites also have this and they call it with few terms such as the three nocturns during special religious festivals. Orthodox churches as well and they also have terms in Syriac and in Christian nations' languages who adhere to Orthodox faith. I went to several churches and asking here and there to priests just after prayer services in churches. Avoid speculating if we never ask anything from the right person. We would be outraged too if people speculate something which does not really represent us right? 

Qiyaamullail is a discipline which helps human-being to develop their spiritual strength and it protects us from diseases because our weak inner selves will harm our physical selves. Psychological problem is about spiritual. I read psychological journals too about Sigmund Freud and others but I am not as fanatic as people who are obsessed to certain things. I rely also on researches when talking about things and this is what we are. We believe in holistic approaches and it is also approaches used in several fields such as in nursing in the United Kingdom for example since I helped my sister with her assignments and I read all of the journals for her thesis and assignments. I hate people who love to boast such as those who claim themselves as proving this and that as false, comparing this and that trying to show to people who is better who is not. I believe that they have no life, ugly attention whores and I bet their life must be boring and pathetic as hell, hahaha. This is addressed equally for Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Wiccans, Satanic religion followers and etc, hahaha. We hate all of you boastful people!!  

For Muslims, we have Qiyaamullail during Ramadan and also Qiyaamullail in everyday if we had already make our selves familiar with it. It is wrong and sinful to stop from Qiyaamullail when one has chosen to perform it everyday and already familiar with it.

Qiyaamullail as a Sunnah

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w mentions that: "Wake up in the night to pray and remember the Lord at that time as it is the common acts of pious people before you. It helps you to be close to the Lord and prevents you from committing sinful acts. It blows away your past sins and evil around you besides prevents you from diseases" (Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad, at-Tirmidzie, Hakim and Baihaqi).

Goals of Qiyaamullail as a Discipline

Now let us see the purpose of Qiyaamullail and the article pasted at the musalla stated there are 10 goals for it.

1. Merit will be granted without obstacles to His servant who wake up to remember Him (Surah Ali-Imraan 113-115).

2. His Grace in the paradise descends on those who remember Him in the early hours (Surah Ali-Imran 15-17).

3. A person who wakes up early at nights only for His Lord are assured noble and appraised position in His view (Surah al-Israa' verses 78-79)

4. When a person performs Qiyaamullail, the Lord will grant him with a sacred heart and noble manner. He is respectful to people and environment around. This is the sign of a person who remembers His Lord in contrast to boastful people who writes nonsense things like in answering Islam or answering whatever it is (Surah al-Furqan verses 63-64). When I read those things I just laugh at the writers and I think that they are just clowns. The same thing also about scientific proving of the scriptures and etc. Scriptures are beyond scientific research. It is metaphysical, beyond physical boundaries. I read physics and chemistry books though I was from Shariah streams, not a talented student in academic and I don't know why people love to look at us as stupid than them just because we are humble. Sometimes these people confuse me and make me think should I also show off to make them realize that their attitude is so annoying? I don't like to make people crying and I made one of our colleague crying simply because he showed off to me and my friend, Amir ahahaha. I am so sorry for being bad ass person but sometimes we can't bear these kind of people.

5. A person who performs Qiyaamullail is hardly a boastful and hardly a show off person (Surah as-Sajjadah 15-17). It is because boastful and show off are some kinds of mental illnesses.

6. When performing Qiyaamullails, a person will receive profits and benefits through His Mercy (Surah az-Zumar verse 9). If one is conducting say business, his business will receive blessings from the Lord and though we can't see the blessings but we can feel it. If we are on some affairs, the Lord will bless us and make everything goes smooth though we do not notice it. So, we have to be very careful with environment as we don't know where is his blessings and mercy and how they look like.

7. Qiyaamullail teaches a person to be patient and it is a very good discipline for a person who can't control patience (Surah Qaaf verses 39-40). Try perform this for few nights and feel it your selves. You don't have to be a Muslim to perform this. If you are a Christian, then perform this according to your rites. If you are a Buddhist or Hindu, try perform it according to your responsibility of birth. If you are a Muslim, then perform it according to Sunnah and prophetic traditions. Who says that when we are different from each other and trying to return to the faith, we have to chop everyone's head? This is the act of a pea-brain sized person not the act of civilized people. We can see this kind of people in all community, society, and faiths. Their mind is dirty their heart is filthy thus their mouth instigate evil things for people to scratch each others' faces.

8. It will lead a person who performs it to feel wrong if they do not sacrifice themselves to help the poor, the unfortunate and the tyrannized people (Surah az-Zaariyat verses 15-19). A person who always remember his Lord alone in the darkness of the night will try to take part in social works in the daylight.

9. The Lord will grant a person who performs Qiyaamullail with perseverance to wait the decree of the Lord (Surah at-Tuur verses 48-49). Whatever decree of Lord will be the things which is uncertain in the future or anything which had already happened. This discipline teaches us to accept everything that will happen or that had happened as it helps us to get rid anxiety.  

10. Waking up in the darkness of night alone to worship makes us more focus to Him and it is more effective rather than when we pray optional prayers in front of people because we might get distracted (Surah al-Muzammil verses 1-6). We will recite things and ponder the meanings of the recitation. It will make us think deeper as we contemplate the messages of the Lord in His divine revelation. We also can cry and confess everything to the Lord without being known by others because many people are sleeping so they can't see or even hear us, lol!

Respected brothers and sisters in faith, please check the meaning and messages of the surahs for yourselves. A person who performs Qiyaamullail usually possesses wisdom and he is always blessed by the Lord though people look at him as no less than a tiny dust. Qiyaamullail is an additional worship act apart of the obligatory prayer services performed by orthodox sunnah Muslims. It helps us to get His Mercy and Love while we are still in this harsh world. In Qiyaamullail, a person will perform the salaat tahajjud, recites supplication or wazifas in devotion to the Lord and begging His Divine intervention to solve daily problems. 

So, brothers and sisters, I would like to advise myself and those who share the faith with me to stop talking about my Wahhabi movement is better, my Barelwi movement is better, my Deobandi movement is above all, my Tabligh movement is better, my Sunnah madzhab is correct, my Shi'ah madzhab is more honorable. Stop talking about who is wrong or who is correct. Let us together open up our scripture (Quran) and open up our Sunnah (prophetic traditions). We won't scratch each other faces when we are uniformly guided by these two primary sources of our Sacred Path. Stop fanaticism, stop being obsessed with our selves. The first creature/being who is obsessed with his self is the Devil the father of genies and the leader of evil genies, animals and human-being. Are we going to be one of his followers? Na'udzubillahu min dzaalik (may Allah helps us to be away from evil traits) may Allah makes us only as His followers and not others'!

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Lecture of Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasideen: Taharah Chapter

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Himalaya Mountain Range by Ursula Gahwiler

When a person saves the usage of water while performing ablution, that is not something which is regarded as munkar (evil). Cleanliness is emphasized together with the economic attitude. When we think about others while using water, it is considered a noble morality. Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w was reported as saying that there is a waste in the usage of water, even in a river which flows in front of a person who use the water from it. Water is used by society, so we must avoid from wasting it even in cleanliness matter. 

What about the ruling in the usage of water in the mosque or community center for cleanliness and ablution? The ruling of using mosque's water excessively is illegal. So, there is a reason why we should avoid from being doubtful and focusing our attention during ablution as not to waste the water. Puak-puak yang beramal dengan Islam menurut hawa nafsu pula tidak menurut syara' walaupun dalam hal menghilangkan lebihan kotoran. The groups of people who performs religious conduct according to their own desire are not following the divine way even in the matter of cleaning dirt from their selves.

There is a need to differentiate excrement and dirt where dirt could be cleaned by just wiping it out. The example for this kind of dirt is dust. If our head is covered with dust or scalp, it is optional for us to clean it up according to prophetic tradition by cleaning it up with water and comb our hair neatly after washing it, then anoint some oil on it. The same thing goes to ear wax or cleaning the tongue, brushing teeth with miswak or nowadays we may also use toothpaste and tooth brush according to our convenience. It is also optional to take bath if our body sweats before congregational prayer services. Ini beberapa hari tidak mandi, sudah berbau dan tidak menjaga kekemasan diri bukan juga akhlak umat Islam. Not taking bath for few days and letting our selves stink is not the character of a Muslim nation too. Being Muslim must be internally and externally. 

It is not a sin to go for public shower or hammaam or sauna as it is also good to purify one self. But one thing everyone must remember, 'aurat must be guarded even when the sauna is for unisex. The 'aurat of a man in prayer service is from the belly button to knees. So a man may cover their private parts from belly button to knees when in prayer service. But outside of prayer service, the limit of part should be covered by a man is the whole body. Non-related man must not see others' body part. The same thing applies to women as well. The difference of 'aurat is only in prayer service. When ones are in the sauna, they should reflect the heat in sauna as the heat of the hell and torment. This is how a faithful Muslim think when he or she is in any situation. He or she reflects everything in the world with the events of hereafter.  

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w while eating meat, he still reflects the hereafter. How about us? When we eat, we forget everything. We even forget the world that revolves around. The hereafter has a great meaning in faithfuls' life. An Arabic proverb says: "water in a vessel will splashes out when it's being stirred up." It means, the thought of people seems like the same, but the angle of the thought is influenced by ones' tendency toward something. For example, a person who makes carpet would particularize carpets when he or she sees everything. They will relate everything that they see to carpet. The same thing goes to a faithful person. When he sees darkness, he will reflect the hereafter. When he hears a scream, he will reflect it to the sound of trumpet during the hereafter. When we are in a dark house, we try to imagine that we are in the grave. A house is still big compared to the space in the grave. A faithful person will always feel that he is with the God.  

So, this is some reflects on the thought of faithful people who believes that death and hereafter is a fact according to the summary of the Ihyaa Ulumuddin by Imam al-Ghazali may Allah be Merciful to him. It may be called by some who denies the hereafter and natural events like death with the notion of death cult. It is also mentioned in the Christians' Nicean Creed regarding the resurrection. So, I wonder why it is difficult for people who are familiar with Christian tradition to understand this? I am not like typical Muslim who only follows others or parents so I don't consider Western world as related to Christianity or religious anyway. The West seems like having no religions no divinity but only believing in their selves (they are the God of themselves) : )

How about the mentality of a person regarding faith? Everything that happens around reflects a person's creed. Every grace by the God will be taken into account. It is not favorable to enter bathroom after the sun sunken down in the time between maghrib and 'isya' for those who have their bathroom outside of the house. Take note also at things which could be cleaned up regarding physical cleanliness for example plucking the armpit hair or pubic hair. It is not favorable to pluck out the grey hair but optional to color it with brown henna or trimming beard nicely for men. This is the explanation of the first level of taharah or purification, the physical purification and cleanliness. It covers the physical purification and moral values behind it.

Then the second level of taharah or purification and cleanliness which deals with the purification of sins through curbing body parts from committing vices. The third level deals with the purification of oneself from evil characteristics. The fourth level deals with the purification of soul from anything other than the God. No attribution to the God in terms of anything in the heaven and the earth. How we determine this? We ask our heart whatever that we do, is it because of the God or because our selves or others than the God?

This purification and cleanliness chapter though just a sub-topic but it reflects the methodology of Islam as a system of life. It taught us the meaning of being a Muslim. It is not only in superficial act or imitation but must be understood and being performed through understanding as it is a system of life. Taharah or purification of one selves is more than just cleanliness. It cleans ones life from the obstacles which obstruct the Love of the God to descend upon them. 

The noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w says: "the God does not look at how pretty we are or how ugly we are. He does not judging us based on our appearance. He looks and judges us based from our heart." So, He does not give us privilege just because we are Caucasians and fairer than the other or just because our eyes are blue compared to others who have only dark eyes. He does not care whether we are Palestinian, American, European or Israeli. He does not care if we walk like a model cat-walking on the stage with high heels. He cares for those who are sincere in embracing His Love and devoting themselves only to Him. 

A spoke person for YAPEIM had came to Pusat Islam last time and delivered talks about Palestine issue. He said that it is a sin to feel bored with this global issue. I don't see this as a special case. Inequality happened throughout this era and it is rampant. And I felt as if I wanted to puke when the Palestinian spoke person mentioned that they are the center and the star of the world. The center of the world for me is only the God none other than Him!!! This issue had long been played like a broken record. The same thing goes to Israel. I don't care about both of Israel or Palestine. What makes them so special compared to the God? Kalau 'negara-bangsa' wujud pun adakah orang ramai akan berkunjung ke masjid-masjid mendengar kuliah keagamaan memperhamba diri kepada Allah 'Azza wa Jalla? Apabila susah baru keluar Nama Tuhan. Semasa senang Nama Tuhan dibuang ke longkang dan dibuat main sewenang-wenangnya sahaja. This is what we call as thaghut, without we realize it. Human-being...

When we wash up our face during ablution, we think that it is our identity. There are many grace of the God at our face such as nose, mouth, eyes, and etc. While washing our face, we imagine that we clean up all of disgusting events which comes into contact with our face. Whatever that we performs regarding our physical cleanliness is related to our heart. A person who understood his or her religion perceives matters like physical matter deeper than it is in physical eyes.   

The Advantage of Salat Service

It is the central act of worship in a faithful Muslim life. A hadith mentions that among important thing is concentration in salat service. Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w reported as saying: "A Muslim who come to congregational prayer service and trying to perform the service such as in the act of ablution, bowing, prostrating and etc well will be forgiven all of his sins as long as he or she is not involved in great sins." Hadith sahih collected by Imam Bukhari and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal. 

It is important to see that a faithful person sees daily salat service as very important. He or she will leave everything he or she conducts when it comes to salat service to see his or her Lord and only being late if there is excuse permitted by the shara' (way) or facing obstacles. Dia tidak lah akan melayah salat. In Surah al-Maa'un, it is mentioned in verse 4-6 about prayer service which should be taken seriously by everyone: "Accursed be those who are praying 4 Those who are careless in his salat service 5 And those who shows off (their prayer service to others) 6"

The sixth verse means those who are doing charity and penance not because of the God but only to show off to others as to get praises from society. So, his creed now is flawed and he has been involved in idolatry. Society now becomes his God, not the Real God anymore. So, it is very important to determine everything through ones' intention. 

Nowadays people have Facebook. They would be in front of their computer more than four hours just looking at the Facebook wall. So, they perhaps pray at the end of prayer service time where the time is almost out. Even a person would be engrossed with it till they do not realize anything happened around. Macam sampai maqam fana' pulak, hahaha. A faithful Muslim when he or she listens to the adzan calling must hastily go to the mosque or any congregational place to perform it. A prayer service with concentration, ablution, bowing and prostration 'only' for the God will be the redeemer of sins except for great sins. Great sins committed must be redeemed through repentance to the God. - end, lecture at 29th of Sept 2011

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad. Our Lord please be in contact with noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w and his family. Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!