the qualities of the God-fearing for whom Allah has prepared gardens and springs. One of those qualities is that they sleep only a little of the night, because they occupy themselves with standing in prayer, voluntary night worship (tahajjud), recitation of the Quran, and other devotions.

Allah, Exalted be He, says: “Your Lord knows that you stand in prayer nearly two-thirds of the night, or half of it, or a third of it, along with a group of those who are with you” (Q 73:20). They would therefore rise for prayer at night, and when they finished they still felt they had fallen short, so they would seek Allah’s pardon, imploring His forgiveness in the pre-dawn hours.

He also says in Sūrat Āl ʿImrān, “and those who seek forgiveness at dawn” (Q 3:17), that is, at the end of the night.

The author then cites the relevant hadiths, among them the report of ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her): the Prophet ﷺ used to stand in night prayer for so long that his feet cracked and split, as the blood settled in them. It was said to him, “How can you do this when Allah has forgiven you your earlier and later sins?” He replied, “Should I not love to be a grateful servant?”

Thus the Prophet ﷺ regarded such deeds as an expression of gratitude for Allah’s favor, indicating that true gratitude consists in obeying the Benefactor, not merely in saying, “I thank Allah.” Uttering thanks is gratitude of the tongue alone, and it is not sufficient; gratitude must also be shown by the limbs through obedience to Allah.

This also proves the Prophet’s endurance in worship and his profound love for it, for no one could persist in such deeds unless driven by intense love. For that reason he said, “The delight of my eyes has been placed in the prayer.” Prayer was therefore the most beloved act to the Messenger ﷺ.

Among the Companions who once rose with him in the night was ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him); he stood with the Prophet one night, and the Prophet prolonged the prayer.