20. Allah commands to Mohammed (ﷺ) the reward of performing Thahajud prayer for him is to get

    a) a high rank in this world

    b) the mercy of Allah

    c) a status Maqam Mahmud

    d) all favors from Lord

Answer: c) to get a status Maqam Mahmud,

In the second revelation, Allah called the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “O you wrapped in a garment! Arise (to pray) the night, except for a little—half of it—or subtract from it a little—or add to it and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation.” (73:1-4). Then He commands specifically to the Prophet (ﷺ) to pray extra, daily, the “Night prayer” - Tahajjud. All his previous and future sins had been forgiven by performing this nafil prayer. Allah promised to raise him on the Day of Resurrection, to Maqam Mahmud - a station of praise and glory. "And rise at the last part of the night, offering additional prayers, so your Lord may raise you to Maqam Mahmud. " (Al-Isra,17:79)

Ibn Kathir, said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) will have honors in the Day of Resurrection. He will be the first one to resurrect from earth, ride to the place of gathering and will have a banner under which Adam and all mankind will have gathered together, barefoot and naked as they were born. Allah will call out `O Muhammad,' he will respond, “At your service, all goodness is in Your Hands and evil is not to be attributed to You. The one who is guided is the one whom You guide. Your servant is before You, from You, and to You and there is no salvation or refuge from You except with You. May You be blessed and exalted, Glory be to You, Lord of the Kaba’’ All will glorify and exalt their Creator – Allah. Along with that all creations will praise the Prophet (ﷺ) also. To this only Allah mentioned as Maqam Mahmud - a station of praise and glory. Ibn Abbas said, "The position of praise and honor is the position of intercession.''

Then Allah comes to judge between His creation. Many of the mankind will be facing hardship.  They will go to Adam (AS), then Nuh (AS), then Ibrahim (AS), then Musa (AS), then `Isa (AS) to intercede, and each of them will say, "I am not able for that.'' Then they will come to Muhammad (ﷺ). Ibn Jarir said, "Most of the commentators said, `This is the position to which Muhammad (ﷺ) will be raised on the Day of Resurrection, to intercede for the people so that their Lord will relieve them of some of the hardships they are facing on that Day.' He will have the right of the ‘Grand Intercession’ with Allah.

In another version the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “They will come to me and say, ‘O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. Allah has forgiven you your past and future wrong actions. Intercede with your Lord on our behalf. Do you not see what we are suffering?’ I will go and arrive under the Throne and fall down in prostration to my Lord. Then Allah will inspire me with some words to praise and laud Him with which He will have inspired no one before me. Then it will be said, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Ask and your request will be granted. Intercede and your intercession will be accepted. Lift your head!’ I will lift my head and say, ‘O my Lord, my community! O my Lord, my community!’ He will say, ‘Go and bring forth everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of a barley-grain.’ So I will go and do that.

Then I will come back and praise Him with those words of praise and I will fall down prostrate before Him. He will say, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and intercession will be granted to you, ask and you will be given, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will say, ‘O Lord, my ummah, my ummah!’ He will say, ‘Go and bring forth everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of a small ant or a mustard-seed.’ So I will go and do that.

Then I will come back and praise Him with those words of praise and I will fall down prostrate before Him. He will say, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and intercession will be granted to you, ask and you will be given, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will say, ‘O Lord, my ummah, my ummah!’ He will say, ‘Go and bring forth from the Fire everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of the lightest, lightest grain of mustard-seed.’ So I will go and bring them forth.”  (Al-Bukhaari, 7510)

 

Jabir ibn Abdullah reported: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever hears the call to prayer and says,

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّداً الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَاماً مَحْمُوداً الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ،  حَلَّتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏‏‏

"O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and established prayer, give Muhammad (ﷺ) the means of nearness and the most excellent reward, and raise him to the praiseworthy station that You have promised him,’ then my intercession will be allowed for him on the Day of Resurrection." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 614)

 

Allah has revealed thahajud to the believers in the following verses:

"Perform Salath at the two ends of the day and in hours of the night" (11:114).

"Glorify the praises of your Lord before sunrise after sunset a part of the night after prayers" (50:39-40).

“And the (faithful) slaves of the most Gracious Allah are those (25:63) ...... who spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrate and standing.” (25:64).

 "Is one who is obedient to Allah, prostating himself or standing (in prayers) during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord (like one who disbelieves)? (39:9).

 "Muttaqun (pious) used to sleep but little by night & before dawn asking for forgiveness" (51:17 & 18

"Your Lord knows that you do stand for prayer little less than two-third of night or half night or one-third of the night and also a party of those with you" (73:20). 

         

It is preferable to pray Thahajjud the last third of the night. The Prophet ﷺ said: The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says "Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him. Who will seek my forgiveness that I may forgive him?" (Sahih Bukhari, 1145 & Muslim, 1261 by Abu Hurairah). Of course His command and Mercy descend all the time, it is not restricted only at this part of the night.

 

Allah has made thahajud an optional to Ummah. Even though it is optional, Allah forgive the committed sins of the one who performs it. It brings closeness to Allah. It gives mental peace to the stressed ones. It also gives inner strength and patience to face everyday problems. So wake up and pray at the last one third of the night to attain supreme success in this world and Hereafter.