Question:
Assalamualaikum Dato. When is the best time during the night for supplications to be granted stated in the hadith?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt. wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Supplication is a weapon for the believers and is one of a special worship for it directly connects a slave to his Creator which is Allah SWT. Furthermore, we are encouraged to enliven the night. Allah SWT state:
وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا
“And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.”
Surah al-Isra’ (79)
According to the above question, we would like to first present the hadith mentioned which state the time where supplication will be granted by Allah SWT during the night:
- From Jabir bin Abdillah RA, he said, I heard the Prophet PBUH once said:
إِنَّ فِي اللَّيْلِ لَسَاعَةً لَا يُوَافِقُهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ، يَسْأَلُ اللهَ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ، وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ
“There is an hour during the night in which no Muslim individual will ask Allah for good in this world and the next without His giving it to him; and that applies to every night.”
Sahih Muslim (757)
When commenting on the above hadith, Imam al-Nawawi said, the hadith mentioned a certain time every night where any supplication will be granted and the hadith is also an encouragement to always supplicate (during the night) with the hopes that it coincides with the time all supplication will be granted. (See al-Minhaj, 6/36)
Reviewing the commentary of scholars regarding the above hadith, it is not stated specifically the time meant in the hadith. Moreover, among the wisdoms Allah SWT withheld its time is to motivate us to strive in searching for it. Furthermore, the same happens for when Allah SWT conceal the night of al-Qadar and the time where supplications will be granted on Fridays. The reason is, we are encouraged to always enliven the night with acts of worships such as prayer, zikr, recitation of the Quran, supplication and others. Likewise, prayers during the night is the prioritized prayer after the obligatory prayers according to a hadith:
- From Abu Hurairah RA, he said, the Prophet PBUH was once asked what is the prioritized prayer after the obligatory prayers? The Prophet PBUH answered:
أَفْضَلُ الصَّلَاةِ، بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ، الصَّلَاةُ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ
“Prayer was most excellent after the prescribed prayer is the prayer offered in the middle of the night,”
Sahih Muslim (1163)
Furthermore, the most excellent supplication is the supplication in the middle of the night according to a hadith:
- From Abu Umamah RA, the Prophet PBUH was asked regarding the supplication most likely be heard by Allah SWT. The Prophet PBUH answered:
جَوْفَ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرِ، وَدُبُرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ المَكْتُوبَاتِ
“(During) the last part of the night, and at the end of the obligatory prayers.”
Sunan al-Tirmizi (3499) [Imam al-Tirmizi state the hadith is hasan (good)]
Closing
To conclude, among the signs of Allah SWT’s love and care for us is the special time He set every night and certain times specially stated as a time where all supplication will be granted. Hence, it is our responsibility to strive in search of the time given to us. Lastly, may Allah SWT give us the opportunity and bless us with these special times. Amin.
Wallahua’lam.