Central Sermon: “Enhance Your Nights with these Acts of Worship”

Each one of us goes through trials and tough situations in life. Believers experience numerous hardships and difficulties throughout the day, insults from people, injustices at work, and so on, so they return home daily exhausted and burdened. If you want to dispel worries, if you want fatigue to vanish, then when night falls, when everything quietens down, perform ablutions and pray at least two units of the night prayer, you will see that worries and fatigue will disappear because these are the most beautiful moments of a person’s solitude with their Lord. Every night, we have the opportunity to speak directly to the Sovereign of all sovereigns, to the Lord of all worlds, and we miss out on these opportunities.

In a narration, it is reported that Allah, may His grandeur be exalted, said: “He who claims to love Me lies if he forsakes Me when night falls.”

These are moments when veils are lifted, when you seek closeness with the One who created you and knows you better than yourself, to guide you, to show you the truth in every situation, because we live today in a time of great turmoil where few people, at the right moment, know how to reason correctly and make the right decision. And when the craters and devastation caused by our wrong conclusions and actions become evident, then everyone sees the true truth, but by then, unfortunately, it’s too late.

The night prayer dispels anxiety in the chest, as the verses suggest: “And when you have finished, then stand up [for worship]. And to your Lord direct [your] longing.” (The Expansion, 7-8)

When you have finished all earthly matters, when you empty your heart of all earthly worries and needs and leave room only for remembrance, recitation of the Quran, and supplications to Allah in the silence of the night, you will feel an expansion in your chest and an indescribable pleasure in your soul.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the scholar and devout Muslim Sabit al-Benani said: “By Allah, there is no greater pleasure for me than that which I feel during the night prayer.”

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The pride (greatness) of the believer lies in the night prayer.” (Tabarani and Hakim) And there is much pride for the one who has prayed the night prayer in the fact that the Quran will intercede for him on the Day of Judgment and say: “Lord, I deprived this person of sleep at night, so make me his intercessor.” (Ahmed)

It is especially valuable to pray the night prayer (tarawih) during Ramadan behind the imam.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever prays behind the imam until the end of the prayer will have the reward as if he had prayed the whole night.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, hadith classified as good and authentic)

In the commentary of Tirmidhi’s Sunan, in the well-known work Tuhfat al-Ahwazi 3/448, it is mentioned that Ahmed said: “A person should not leave the prayer until the imam has completely finished.” And in the same work, it is mentioned that Abu Dawud said: “I saw Imam Ahmed praying the witr prayer with the imam during Ramadan, except one night when I was not present.”

This reward cannot be obtained except by one who prays behind the imam until he finishes the prayer, while one who prays fewer units of prayer than the imam does not receive the reward mentioned in the cited hadith.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, it will suffice him.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

• Satan does not approach the house where these verses are recited for three nights. It is reported from Nu’man ibn Bashir that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allah wrote the Book two thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and He revealed two verses with which He concluded Surah Al-Baqarah. There is no house where these verses are recited for three nights without Satan staying there!” (Tirmidhi)
• No one will recite a letter of these verses without Allah giving him what he asks for and desires. It is reported from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: “Once, while the Angel Gabriel was sitting with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he heard a creaking above him, so he raised his head and said: ‘These are the gates of heaven that have opened, and they have never opened before.’ Then the angel descended, and Gabriel said: ‘This is the angel who descended to earth today, and he has never descended before’, then he gave greetings and said to the Messenger of Allah: “Rejoice in the two lights you have received, which no prophet has received before, these are: Al-Fatiha (the beginning of the Quran) and the last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah. You will not recite a letter of this without Allah giving you (what you ask for).” (Muslim)

Therefore, if you want to increase blessings in your life, rid yourself of troubles, and enhance your good deeds and rewards, in addition to the obligatory acts you must perform and other good deeds, recite Surah Al-Baqara daily. Initially, it might seem challenging, but over time, it will become very easy, and you won’t be able to do without it because without this study, you will feel a huge void and lack after experiencing all the goodness and blessings of Surah Al-Baqara in your life.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever prays behind the imam until the end of the prayer will have the reward as if he had prayed the whole night.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, hadith classified as good and authentic)

Praying for believing men and women is an opportunity. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever seeks forgiveness for believing men and believing women will have a reward for each of them.” (Sahih al-Jami’)

One who prays for their Muslim brother in their absence, the angel supports their prayer and implores Allah to grant the good they seek for their Muslim brother. In fact, in a hadith reported by Safwan ibn Umejje, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The prayer of a Muslim for their Muslim brother is answered. Next to the head of the one who prays for their Muslim brother stands an angel, and every time the believer prays for the good of their brother, the angel says: ‘Amin! And for you too.'” (Muslim) Therefore, if you want the angels to support a special prayer for you, then address Allah for your Muslim brothers, especially for your family and friends, and know that the benefits of this prayer will come back to you.

We seek forgiveness from our Lord and His mercy.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on March 29, 2024, at the “Centre Culturel Islamique de Luxembourg” in Mamer)