Close Your Night Prayers with an Odd Number

قَالَ رسول الله صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : اجْعَلُوا آ خِرَصَلَا تِكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وِتْرًا (صحيح البخاري

Rasulullah S.A.W declared: “Close your night prayers with an odd number.” (Shahih Bukhari)

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh Praise be to Allah S.W.T The Most Gracious, The Greatest Emperor, The Only God Almighty, The Creator of the whole world from nothing into something until it is all ended, and The Greatest in creating everlasting faith and obedience of all His servants. As the beginning of His everlasting Love within the eternal magnificence. How noble it is, the souls which remember Allah, and Allah S.W.T makes this world as the calling for all His servants.

Introducing the Perfection of Allah, introducing the Excellence of The Creator as declared by Allah “the creation of the whole world until the Judgment Day in the presence of Allah is as easy as creating one mankind”. (QS Luqman 28). There is nothing complicated for Rabbul Alamin to create so many variety of colors, characters and shapes under the perfect guidelines of life and Allah has declared, “the creation of the whole world from the start until the end has no difference than creating one mankind”.

Ladies, and gentlemen, this is the Most Perfect God, Allah. How noble it is, the souls which glorify Allah, how dignified it is, all the souls that wish for the blessings of God, leave sinful things, avoid disgraceful actions, welcome the sublimity, moreover when we enter the Islamic New Year (Muharram) that reminds us the start of departures of the Muhajirin Radiyallahu Anhum Ajmain. One by one had been allowed by The Prophet S.A.W to depart and move to Ardhul Madinah (Medina Land) and they moved to Madinah Al Munawwarah to wait for the arrival of The Prophet S.A.W. The Prophet S.A.W started to leave Mecca on the first week of the month of Rabiul Awwal. As written in Sirah Ibn Hisyam until the arrival of The Prophet S.A.W in Madinah Al Munawwarah on the 12th Rabiul Awwal.

Ladies and gentlemen, 1st Muharram is made as the beginning of Hijriyah (Islamic) calendar by Sayyidina Umar bin Khattab radiyallahu anhum, because in this month of Muharram, the permission to move to Madinah Al Munawwarah started, so that they were given the noble title, ‘Muhajirin’ (people who moved or departed to Madinah Al Munawwarah) to maintain and protect the continuation of Islam, such departure had been occurred many times. The first departure was to Habsyah, then Persia, and the last was to Madinah Al Munawwarah. Ladies and gentlemen being glorified Allah, The incident of Moslem’s eviction from Makkah Al Mukarramah which at first seemed to be the weak point and powerless of Islam, in fact the movement had spread out the God’s guidance light from West to East until returned 10 years later to Makkah Al Mukarramah, and made this Makkah Al Mukarramah a direction for prayer for all servants of Allah on earth from West to East to bow down and perform prayers.

Ladies and gentlemen being glorified Allah, Prophet S.A.W always called us towards nobility, called us towards happiness, and he know exactly things that would bring harms to us. Therefore The Prophet S.A.W guided us towards the most perfect guidance. He is our idol and my idol, Sayyidina Muhammad S.A.W. The idol who deserves most to be followed amongst all idols. The most dignified leader amongst all leaders and becomes the icon for all kind of people. Ladies and gentlemen, therefore Allah introduced The Prophet S.A.W in His command, “laqad jaa akum rasulun min anfusikum a’ziizun a’laihi maa a’nittum hariishun a’laikum bil mu’miniina raufurrahiim” QS. At Taubah : 128 (Has come a Prophet, being assigned for all of you, from your kind, from mankind. It is hard for him to see all of you suffer from disasters and troubles. He really protects all of you and towards the faithful people he is very soft and gentle). This is My Prophet and your Prophet who has been introduced by Allah as the most considerate and caring person towards all his people.

Ladies and gentlemen, his attention towards all people is far beyond our beloved one’s attention towards us. His guidance will always try to save all of us from sinful things in the world and the world beyond so that we are protected and saved from disasters, accidents, paltriness and humiliation, protected from any problems in the world and beyond. This is my Prophet and The Prophet of all of you and The Prophet of all of us, Sayyidina Muhammad S.AW.

Ladies and gentlemen being glorified by Allah, Indeed The Prophet S.A.W is not pleased if we only perform the compulsory religious duties(fardlu), so does Rabbul Alamin Allah S.W.T assigned The Prophet S.A.W to introduce recommendable religious activities (sunnah). In which once they perform it, they are getting closer towards Allah S.W.T. “If My servants come closer to Me by performing compulsory religious duties (fardhu), and they don’t want to stop there, indeed they continue getting closer to Me by also performing the recommendable religious activities (sunnah) until I love them.” (Shahih Bukhari). From this sentence, it is clearly explained that compulsory religious duties (fardhu) followed by recommendable religious activities (sunnah) will guide us to be loved by Allah S.W.T. This is the guidance from our Prophet, Muhammad S.A.W. And we have learnt that praying five times a day is the compulsory (fardhu) prayers and The Prophet S.A.W has guided us with more that that, which is continued with the recommendable prayers (sunnah). As written in one of the following hadits, “Ij’aluu akhira shalaatikum billaili witraa” (make your recommendable (sunnah) prayers at night ended with an odd number, which is witir prayer).

Ladies and gentlemen, The Prophet S.A.W never missed out to perform witir prayer. In safar aw hadhar (safar or at home), whether he is at home or on a trip, he never missed it. And in sick or health, whether he was able to stand up or sit, he never missed to perform witir prayer.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, for all of us who have understood the dignity of obligated prayers, it is highly recommended that we multiply its nobility by performing witir prayer. Because witir prayer is the noblest sunnah prayer as it is found through qiyamullail, for those who are able to perform it in the middle of the night, they could, or even better if we perform it after waking up from our sleep on the last part of the night (one third part of the night, around 3-4am before Subuh), which is more dignified. But for those who are not able to perform it on such late hours before dawn, do it after Isya prayer before sleeping and if possible after performing sunnah prayer ba’diyah after Isya prayer, then perform witir prayer for three rakaat, and witir is limited until 11 rakaat, then sleep. But if we are able to wake up few minutes before subuh prayer, it would be better to perform witir in the middle of the night or the last part of the night.

Ladies and gentlemen, as written in Shahih Bukhari and Shahih Muslim that Allah S.W.T comes down to earth, to the closest surface to this earth (on the last part of the night). But it doesn’t mean that Allah S.W.T comes down to earth literally, because Allah will never be entrapped into certain time nor place. What it really means is that Allah is very close to His servants who want to get closer to Him on the last part of the night. This particular time is the most beautiful moment for Allah S.W.T to welcome all His servants who love Him. Because on that moment, the servants who don’t love Allah S.W.T are still sound asleep. Hence Allah S.W.T are proud of them and boast them in front of His angels, look at My servants, they leave their comfy bed, leave their resting time at the time when others fall asleep, they bow down and prostrate religiously to glorify My Name.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the peak nobleness of all sunnah prayers, that is qiyamullail and naturally is ended with witir prayer. Then what if we have performed witir prayer after Isya’ prayer before we go to sleep, then we awake again at night, are we allowed to perform Tahajjud prayer again or not? Yes, we may perform Tahajjud prayer again, as for witir prayer, if we perform it twice, it will be considered makruh (should be avoided). Tahajjud prayer can be performed many times, qiyamullail before we sleep, after witir or after sunnah prayer at night. Sleep then wake up again for night prayer is allowed! Although we have performed witir prayer. Because what is wanted by The Prophet S.A.W and what is recommended is the odd number when performing it. Not how many times we perform witir, therefore 2 times witir is not allowed as it all will be ended with an even number, instead of an odd number.

My beloved audience being glorified by Allah, Therefore, if someone has performed witir prayer for 3 rakaat, and at night he wants to perform it again, 2 rakaat, 4 rakaat, 6 rakaat, 8 rakaat, as long as the total number is an odd number, it is allowed. This is the month of Muharram, thus I bring up this particular hadits with the hope that starting tonight, we will miss out to perform witir prayer until we pass away. May all of us are able to inherit the nobility of sunnah from Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. Perhaps there are some of the audience who have yet to perform the obligated 5 times prayers regularly, may all be given easiness by Allah to immediately perform 5 times prayers and progress themselves by performing witir prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen being glorified by Allah, “Innal malaikat tushalli ala ahadikum maa daama fi mushallaahilladzi fiihi maa lam yahduts,” as mentioned in Shahih Bukhari, Prophet Rasulullah S.A.W declared, “indeed those angels are praying for those among you who are sitting on their praying mat while they are still having their wudhu”. While he is still sitting on his praying mat, either in a mosque or in musholla. “alladzi fiih ma lam yahduts, allahummarhamhu Allahummaghfirlahu, ” O’ Allah kindly forgive him, O’ Allah kindly love him (this is the pray of the angels while the person is still sitting on his praying mat). If we are still having our wudhu, be it reciting dzikir, or just being silent, or tafakkur, the angels are still praying for us. Therefore, after we perform shalat, it is highly recommended (sunnah) to sit longer on our praying mat if we are not in a hurry, to continue reciting our dzikir as being taught by Nabiyyuna Muhammad S.A.W. This is, ladies and gentlemen the quotation from Shahih Bukhari.

And also Rasul S.A.W explained that the angels will keep on praying and reciting isthighfar for us as long as we are still on our praying mat. How magnificent it is, ladies and gentlemen, our Prophet opens up the doors to dignity for as long as we live, even as we sit on our praying mat, Allah S.W.T glorifies us when we are there. Subhanallah!! If only we sit on our praying mat for a while, hence what about our prayer? If Allah keeps on glorifying us at the place for our shalat while we are sitting there, before we break our wudhu, then what about our shalat? Definitely it will be even more glorifying and noble, the bigger nobility will certainly be given by Allah S.W.T.

Ladies and gentlemen being glorified by Allah, Nabiyyuna Muhammad S.A.W would never feel satisfied and would always be there to help his followers who are in trouble and difficulties. As written in Shahih Muslim, when one of the shahabiyah (female comrades) passed away, hence the one who used to be piously staying in masjid nabawiy had no longer be seen. Rasul S.A.W asked, “where is that woman? she used to stay quietly in this mosque, sweeping the floor of the mosque, why didn’t we see her anymore? Hence all his comrades said, “she passed away, O’ Rasulullah”. The face of Rasul turned red, “why didn’t all of you inform me that she passed away?, didn’t inform me where she was buried?”, hence the comrades said, “she was buried at night, O’ Rasulullah, we didn’t have the heart to wake you up when she was buried”. Rasul said, “show me her grave”. Rasul S.A.W performed ghaib prayer (for the dead body) followed by his comrades. After praying, Rasul S.A.W declared, “inna hadzihil qubur mamlu’atun dhulmatun alayhaa, Innallaha yunawwirha bisshalaati alayhim ” (this grave is dark, said Rasul. With bad things, filled with darkness (perhaps with screams and cries) but Allah lights up this grave with my prayer towards her just now). This is the syafa’at (exceptional help given to certain people with Allah’s will) from Prophet Muhammad S.A.W towards his followers, he wouldn’t be pleased if his followers are in sadness.

As also written in Shahih Bukhari, he passed by the graveyard and stopped while saying, “2 of these graves are in trouble, the first one is someone who lived in this world playing off against each other and made people argue.” Be careful if we have given a tongue by Allah, not to use it for playing off against each other or finger pointing towards others. It could be false accusation, look at some of those religious clerics fighting with each other, while he is a Moslem, and in fact he is a religious cleric. This kind of action is definitely inappropriate, they will be severely punished inside their grave because they used to play off against each other.

Ladies and gentlemen, “the second one is someone who never cover parts of her body which are not allowed to be seen.” These two persons are in trouble now in their grave, Rasul said. Then Rasul took 2 leaves, the first one was placed on one grave, and the other one is for the other grave. Rasul S.A.W then said, “may Allah ease the tortures before that leaf goes dry.” There, ladies and gentlemen, Rahmatan lil Alamin who never have the heart seeing his Moslem bothers and sisters being suffered or in trouble. Prophet S.A.W bequeathed this character towards all of us, so if we see our brothers are in trouble, don’t sit on the fence and do nothing, lend them a helping hand.

Ladies and gentlemen being glorified by Allah, If we see our relatives, our friends are in trouble, don’t be ignorance. Help them, inherit the character of Nabiyyuna Muhammad S.A.W who had declared in Shahih Bukhari “Allah loves a gentle character, and Allah gives more towards those people who are gentle and soft spoken compared to other people. Audience being glorified by Allah, this is indeed the most noble mankind, the most beautiful one created by Allah, he is Sayyidina Muhammad S.A.W.

As written in Shahih Bukhari, when Tsumamah bin Utsal radiyallahu anhu before converted to Islam, he came, being arrested because he was one of the kuffar (atheist) leaders, he was arrested and was about to be killed. Rasul S.A.W said, “don’t kill him, just tie him on the mosque’s pillar”. “then what we should do towards him?”, Rasul replied, “just leave him there, give food, give drink but leave him there, not in prison, not in his cell but inside the mosque”. Then that afternoon, Rasul asked, “O’ Tsumamah how are you?”, Tsumamah said, “if you kill me, then you kill someone who has blood”. It means, that if Tsumamah is killed, then his followers would not be quiet and will take revenge. “If you release me, you will find me as someone who knows how to be thankful”, replied Tsumamah. Hence Rasul S.A.W was silence, he knew it. The day after, he asked again, “Tsumamah, how are you?”, “my condition is if you release me, you will see that I am a person who are very thankful.” Tsumamah was getting frightened, he didn’t say “I am a person who has blood, could take revenge”, now he didn’t use such words, he said, “if you release me, then I am a person who are very thankful”. Rasul S.A.W went again and on the third day he S.A.W asked the same question, “Tsumamah how are you now?”, Tsumamah answered, “didn’t change from what I already said yesterday.”

This Tsumamah was very stubborn, indeed he deserved to be beheaded with a sword, and Rasul said, “release him”, “O’ Rasulullah, but he is a hostage?”, Rasul said “release him!”. Hence Tsumamah was released, where did he go? He went to the back of the mosque, took a bath, took wudhu then returned and said “Asyhadualla Illahailallah wa asyhaduanna Muhammadurrasulullah”. Tsumamah was a warrior, he didn’t want to convert to Islam while he was tied, he wanted to convert to Islam in freedom. If he was released he would convert to Islam, he didn’t want to be forced, Rasulullah knew it. And Tsumamah was touched by the character of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W while saying (this all is written in Shahih Bukhari) “indeed there was no other face I hate so much in this world but your face, but now it is your face that I love most from all faces in this world. Before, the religion I hated most is your religion O’ Muhammad, but now what I love most is your religion. There is no place, hometown that I hated so much other than this place, Madinah Al Munawwarah, but now this village is the place I love most compared to any other places.”

How could the soul change so fast, the face he hated most was the face of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, but it turned out to be the face most loved. It is because of the character of Nabiyyuna Muhammad S.A.W which could tear down the souls of those people who were drawn in their stubbornness, in all their arrogance. Tsumamah was a warrior, he didn’t want to convert to Islam when he was tied, once he was released, he wanted to convert to Islam. But he didn’t say, “release me, then I would have the willingness to convert to Islam”, instead he said “if you release me, I would be thankful”, that was it. And Rasul S.A.W released him. There, ladies and gentlemen, the character of Nabiyyuna Muhammad S.A.W in which the warrior voluntarily recited, “Asyhadualla Illahailallah wa Asyhaduanna Muhammadar Rasulullah”.

Ladies and gentlemen being glorified by Allah, How beautiful the guidance from Prophet Muhammad S.A.W is, how beautiful it would be if such best character like his, can be found now in midst of nowadays’ chaos situation. They start blaming each other, between father and son, son and father, husband and wife, or wife and husband, they try to underestimate each other. Be it due to the economic crunch, or because they are too rich, too many reasons. Because they are weak in their faith, this is in the world. When it comes to Judgment Day, they would behave even worse, underestimating one another. Remember our idol, Nabiyyuna Muhammad S.A.W, remember our behavior, this is the month of Muharram, in the new Islamic year, let us fix our relationship with our father and mother, and if the relationship is already good, make it even better and better, if it still not good, still make our parents upset or angry, make this night the starting night of our devotion towards our father and mother.

And of course we also congratulate RAS-FM (Radio Alaika Salam) that covers this event live (to be broadcasted through their radio station). To all their listeners, and towards all divisions which also support this noble program from RAS-FM, may Allah S.W.T give them Blessings. Ladies and gentlemen, in a few days we will pass the night of 1st January. We (Majelis Rasulullah) will conduct Tabligh Akbar on that night. Not to celebrate the new year’s eve, but to perform prayers and silent prayers for those of our brothers and sisters who are trapped in sins on that night. On that night, there will be the most sins conducted by the followers of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W, there will be the most gambling and adulteries, all occur on that night from all over the world.

Hence we understand that such sins would be quickly wiped out by Allah S.W.T with disasters. Therefore, from year to year, we witnessed that while in December everything looked calm and the weather seemed okay, but once the new year’s eve ended, on the 1st January onwards we would see many disasters that would bring us tears. Why? Because it is the clean-up of all sins from Allah S.W.T and there are many hadits shahih from Shahih Bukhari and Muslim already mentioned that all disasters that come to these people are the cleaning of sins for them. But of course we don’t want any disasters, then what to do? Therefore we will always conduct Dzikir Akbar on that night.

While our brothers and sisters blow up the trumpet to celebrate new year, we call out the Name of Allah S.W.T, The Most Eligible Name to be glorified from all the names in the world. We recite dzikir with the words Allah, Allah as many as 1000X on that night of 1st January. It is definitely not to glorify the night of 1st January, but to compete with the dreadful of sins on that night. We pray in order for Moslem people to be protected by Allah S.W.T now that on all the surface of this earth, from all disasters that will come or sins that will occur on that night. There, my beloved audience being glorified by Allah.

Why must we do this? Because Allah S.W.T declared, “fadzkurullah dzikran katsira” (perform dzikir towards Allah, with a lot of dzikir) (QS. Al Ahzab 41) and also Rasul S.A.W declared, as written in Shahih Muslim, “there would never come the Judgment Day in this world, as long as there is still a Moslem who recites the Name of Allah, Allah”. As long as there are sill souls that perform dzikir towards Allah, the earth will not be ended. Why? Because Allah glorifies it. Allah glorifies the faithful souls, perform dzikir to call the Name of Allah. And indeed reciting dzikir is placed in sirran wa jahran, as mentioned in Shahih Bukhari : Allah S.W.T declared in hadits Qudsiy “ana ma’a ‘abdi haitsu maa dzakaranii wa taharrakat bii syafataah (I am with My servants when My servants remember Me and their lips are trembled while calling My Name). both lips which are trembled when calling the Name of Allah are noticed by Rabbul Alamin.

Ladies and gentlemen being glorified by Allah, Therefore we make that night not for the sinful night, but for the night of prayer and silent prayers. For those who are able to attend, please come and inform all of our Moslem brothers and sisters. We will perform Dzikir Akbar on that night at Majelis Taklim Al Karimah led by KH. Ahmad Baihaqi in Manggarai, we will notify you the address later on. Ladies and gentlemen being glorified by Allah, the program will be started at 21.30pm, when people start making noise with their trumpets, we will loudly call out the Nobility of The Name of Allah S.W.T. While they celebrate, we perform silent prayer, praying to Allah S.W.T, may Allah S.W.T give blessing towards those who are drawn in the darkness of their sins, may Allah take out their desire to conduct sins and replace it with the desire to perform noble activities.

Ya Rahman Ya Rahim we perform silent prayer towards Your Presence tonight, together with thousands of Moslem people, the palm of our hands are raised with a high hope towards Your Most Beautiful Name, The Most Powerful, Ya Rabb O’ The Name that will open up all kind of happiness in the world and beyond, in which by reciting dzikir to call Your Name, You will be with us and Your Love will be with us, O’ Rabbiy, in which each time we call Your Name, You wipe out and You clean our sins and You raise us up to get closer towards Your Presence. In which by calling up your Name, You will take out the disasters that come our way, and You will bring us happiness in the world and the day after.

Ya Rahman Ya Rahim, kindly manage us and all Moslem people, kindly tidy up the whole Jakarta and all areas from West to East, Ya Rahman Ya Rahim, kindly ensure that all these face of us will never see the fire of hell forever, kindly ensure all of us pass away in khusnul khotimah (died in a good way), kindly ensure all of us pass away in the dignity of the meaning of the tauhid words Laailahailallah Muhammadurrasulullah S.A.W. Faquuluuu jamii’an (say this together) Ya Allah..Ya Allah..Ya Allah.. Faquuluuu jamii’an (say this together) Laillahailallah Laillahailallah Laillahailallah Muhammadurrasulullah

Ladies and gentlemen, increase the recitation of Laillahailallah and make this sentence a method to search for Allah’s blessings, as declared by Nabiyyuna Muhammad S.A.W in Shahih Bukhari “Whoever recites Laillahailallah to receive My blessings, hence Allah will rescue him from the fire of hell.”

Allah will raise from their body and soul, the desire to conduct good deeds and noble things and Allah will put out from their mind and soul, the desire to conduct sinful actions. That is the light of the sentence: Laillahailallah Muhammad Rasulullah.

Tabligh Akbar of Majelis Rasulullah S.A.W will be held on the night of 1st January (Wednesday night) at Majelis Taklim Al Karimah, and will be followed by Dzikir Akbar on Saturday at Majelis Taklim of Moslem Youth RW 03, Johar Baru, Central Jakarta. While on Friday, dzikir akbar would be conducted at the residence of Mr. Sulaiman on Jl. Kp.Tipar Rt.04/07 P.Kelapa Duren Sawit, East Jakarta. On Saturday night, Tabligh Akbar will be held in Johar Baru, Central Jakarta continued by visiting the holy grave of Habib Ahmad bin Alawi Al Haddad, Kalibata.

That’s all, beloved audience being glorified by Allah, we will meet up and gather again on next Monday night, Insya Allah with the excitement to welcome the arrival of our Noble Guru. We will conduct this majelis on January 12th, 2009 in MONAS, Insya Allah and will be attended by more than 1 million of Moslem people. Let us pray that this program will be a success and may all his events will be a success, as well as all his dzikir and tabligh.

Washallallahu ala Sayyidina Muhammad Nabiyyil Ummiy wa Shohbihi wa Sallam Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 April 2009 )