Perhaps the reason there are so many pleasures in the depths of the night is that, in the darkness, there is a precious opportunity to share the secrets of the heart with the Divine. Naturally, due to the veil of the night separating human beings from other things, and the closure of the eyes and ears from the sights and sounds around them, a kind of detachment from the material world occurs, allowing the person to engage in heartfelt prayer and supplication to God with tranquility and peace of mind.
Worship and supplication to God, especially in the last third of the night, during the early hours before sunrise, has a special sweetness and flavor for the “people of the heart.” Those who have been granted the privilege of this closeness and have tasted even a drop of that deep, endless ocean, strive to continue on this path and, if possible, invite others to join.
Thus, worshipers and those engaged in supplication consider these hours extremely valuable. Not only the people of the heart but even God Himself attaches special importance to these moments. As Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said:
“There is no drop more beloved to God than the tear that is shed in the darkness of the night out of fear of God, and with no one else in mind but Him.”[1]
However, despite all the value and indescribable pleasures, why do we sometimes neglect these important moments? Perhaps the following story can provide part of the answer.
It is said about one of the great scholars residing in Najaf:
One night, when he had risen for worship, he woke his young son and said, “Get up so we can visit the shrine of Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) and pray there.” The young son, finding it difficult to rise from bed at such an hour, apologized and said, “I’m not ready right now, don’t wait for me. I’ll come later.” The great scholar replied, “No, I am here waiting. Get up and prepare yourself so we can go together.” The son, reluctantly, got up, performed ablution, and set off with his father.
When they arrived at the gate of the holy shrine of Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him), they saw a poor man sitting, extending his hand in need of charity. The scholar stopped and said to his son, “What is this man doing here at this hour?” The son replied, “He is begging from people.” The scholar asked, “What benefit can he gain from the passersby?” The son indicated a very small amount. The scholar then said, “Think about it: this poor man, for such a small and insignificant amount of worldly goods, which may not even reach him, has sacrificed his comfort and sleep and has come here at this hour of the night, relying on the generosity of others. Do you not have as much trust in the promises of your Lord about those who wake up for the night prayers and stay awake?”
Imam Muhammad Baqir (peace be upon him) mentions one of these promises: “God, the Blessed and Exalted, loves that among His believing servants, the one who prays the most. So, it is upon you to make supplications during the last part of the night until the sunrise, for that is when the heavens open, sustenance is distributed, and great needs are fulfilled.”[2]
If we truly believed in even this one promise from God, would we not rise from our beds at dawn?
(Adapted from the book “The Night of the Men of God” by Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Zia Abadi, with abridgment and additions.)
Footnotes:
[1] (Usul al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 482)
[2] (Usul al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 478)