60THE STRUGGLE WITH NAFS
The struggle with the nafs consists of eating less, sleeping less, talking about worldly things less and spending the rest of your time praying. It is to fulfill worshipping carefully, either alone or in public, and try to perform the sunnah exactly as the Prophet did.
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1- “He will indeed be successful who purifies it (the nafs),
And he will indeed fail who corrupts it.” (Shams, 9-10)
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2- “O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah's way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer; this is Allah's Face, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.” (Maeda, 64)
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3- “And whoever strives hard, strives only for his own soul; most surely Allah is Self-sufficient, above (the need of) the worlds.” (Ankaboot, 6)
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4- “The nafs consists of seven states and the first state is nafs ammarah” (cont.)… (Marifatnama, p. 956)
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5- “Your nafs is your mount. So feel pity for it.” (Bariqa, Vol. 2, p. 483)
The nafs can be called cruel, but not an infidel. The nafs could be likened to horse, mule, donkey or dog, but nothing worse.
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6- “O Human! Know your nafs in order to know Me.” (Marifatnama, p. 426)
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7- “Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said that we turn from small struggle to a great one. (He called the fight with the enemy (unbeliever) a small struggle and the struggle with the nafs the great struggle).” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 474; Marifatnama, p. 957; Ramuz al-Hadith, Hadith no: 4135; Ibn Abedeen, Vol. 8, p. 370; Gunyat-at-Talebeen, p. 316; Ihya, Vol. 3, p. 150)
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8- “One who knows his nafs, knows his Lord.” (Struggle with your nafs fruits good manners to your Lord) (Imadiyal Islam, p. 38, similar; Muzakkin Nufus, p. 24; Marifatnama, p. 424)
The nafs is placed inside. It is something of you and it is other than you. The nafs wants to eat, drink, enjoy itself and do anything, be it for the sake of Allah or not. My father Bilal said:
- The nafs is your mount or your horse. If you feed it more, it bites and harms you. If you feed it less, it does not carry you. Likewise, it is not appropriate to leave it hungry, since it can take you away from praying and obedience to Allah. It is not appropriate, either, to feed it more since it can make you forget Allah, worshipping and the Hereafter.
Perhaps you will ask whether the friends of Allah prefer to starve (riyadhat) or not.
Of course they did. For instance, Pir ate just the root of plants for 17 years. However, Allah helped him and others like him. The Brothers of the Cave slept for 309 years without eating or drinking. (Kahf, 25) Yunus, alaihissalam, stayed for six months in the belly of the fish. (Anwar-al Ashkeen, p. 196; Another narration is that he stayed twenty days.) Man normally cannot bear in these situations. They are fed by the ghaib, as was the case for Maryam. (Al-e-Imran, 37)
My Father (Sheikh) Bilal said:
I dreamt that I was in a grand assembly. The prophets and the friends of Allah were all standing up. I was offered a book, which was very big and was told to give a sermon. I wondered how I could give a sermon to those great prophets. Then I thought that they were dead. I said: “Fatiha to their spirits (May the rest in peace)”. I recited and they recited, too. I opened the book and I read it, as follows:
“Ettaqullaha wala taqun khain”
“Fear Allah and do not betray!”
I read and began to give a sermon.
Ettaqullah means to fear Allah. Fear of Allah makes the heart brilliant and lightened. Fear of Allah makes the eye weep. Fear of Allah makes much sustenance. Fear of Allah makes any trouble disappear. Fear of Allah allows the heart to reach perfection. Fear of Allah increases love and muhabbat. In any case, I was in such a state that I was excited and about to fall down. When I was speaking passionately, I awoke, saying “O love!”, “O love!” Ayats and hadiths regarding what I spoke were in my mind. They were indeed accepted. I began to write them down. (What he wrote was the book of Jawaher-al Islam)
Love burns where it enters. It obliterates everyone.
The public is a curtain that hides your nafs.
Your nafs is a curtain that hides your Lord.
When you notice the public, you cannot see your nafs.
When you see your nafs, you cannot see your Lord.
Sheikh Hadji Muhammad Bilal-i Nadir
Leave people to know your nafs
And forget your nafs
Know only your Lord and reach Him. Reach Allah, wassalam.
Nafs is like a dragon with seven heads. Every head connotes a bad manner which Allah dislikes. If you crush six of its heads and leave one, it will take you into Hell with the one head.
These bad manners are as follows:
1- Arrogance, 2- Conceit, 3- Ostentation, 4- Misery, 5- Envy, 6- Anger, 7- Love of the World.
Good manners are the opposite of these; Allah Almighty likes good manners.
The attributes of Allah Almighty that humans have (Sifat as-Subutiyya) number eight:
1- Life, Vitality 2- Knowledge, 3- Hearing, 4- Seeing, 5- Will, 6- Power, 7- Conversation, 8- Creating.
60-1SECLUSION (UZLAT)
Seclusion is defined as being intimate with Allah Almighty, separating oneself from people and confining the nafs because of its harm to oneself and others. The Companions of the Cave reached the highest ranks in friendship of Allah, sleeping without performing any good deeds, merely by isolating themselves and leaving all belongings, including homes, children, worldly possessions and status from fear of Allah. For their sake, Allah put their dog into Paradise. (Kahf, 18; Khulasat-al Bayan, Tafseer of Qur’an Kareeem, Vol. 8, p. 3099)
Allah grants seclusion to His servants whom He loves. Adam, alaihissalam, fell from Paradise and he could not find Eve for thirty or a hundred years. He prayed to Allah alone. Allah made him isolated.
Nobody can meet Haqq without isolating oneself
No heart can find treasure unless it is pure and clean
One who attains the secret of “mutu qabla an tamutu”
Surely he saw Hashr and Nashr before the trumpet was blown
a- Nobody can meet Haqq without isolating oneself, (One should separate from people to reach Allah).
b- No heart can find treasure unless it is pure and clean (Unless a heart shines andis light, it cannot be open to the treasure of knowledge.)
c- One who attains the secret of “mutu qabla an tamutu” (One who grasps the truth of “Die spiritually before you die physically.”)
d- Surely he saw Hashr and Nashr before the trumpet was blown.
Those fulfilling the above-mentioned attributes will witness the Gathering Place, the Scale, the Day of Judgment and the world of grave. There are many friends of Allah who prefer isolation by separating themselves from people or by traveling. Every prophet or awliya followed this custom. Suleiman, alaihissalam, was a king. Allah took his kingship away from him. He became poor and herded sheep in a village. Thus, he isolated himself. Uways al- Qarani advised Umar:
You need unity which is salvation
You need to be alone with Allah
Salvation is isolation
My father (Sheikh) Bilal stated that He spoke spiritually to the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam:
“Do not allow the married to become single or the single to be married.” Do not allow the married person, who has improved his spiritual state through marriage to livealone. If he has improved his spiritual state by being single, then do not allow him to marry until he completes his spiritual training. If one works for both the world and the Hereafter, do not tell him to leave the world. If he works only for the Hereafter and prefers isolation, do not tell him to work for the world. If he works for knowledge of the inner world, do not tell him to work for knowledge of the outer world.”
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“Let nobody separate from people as was done by other nations. Let my ummah both separate from people and aid them. If they isolate themselves in caves, this is no good.”
There are hadiths that say that one should isolate (Sahih Bukhari, at-Tajrid as-Sarih, Vol. 8, Hadith no: 1177; Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 10, Hadith no: 3978) and that one should isolate at one’s residence. (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 359; Marifatnama, p. 653) We prefer to make isolation at our residence because it is better to be beneficial to people than to isolate themselves in caves or uninhabited places.
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1- Narrated by Abu Hurairah, radhiallahu ‘anhu: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
‘Every Prophet has tended sheep.’ He was asked:
‘And did you?' He replied:
‘Yes, I tended them for a few carats for the Makkans.’” (Sihah Sita, Vol. 7, Hadith no: 2077; Narrated Bukhari, Muwatta and Ibn Maja, too)
Being a shepherd is a great isolation. The shepherd always remembers Allah alone.
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2- Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, bequeathed his sacred cloak to be given to Uways al-Qarani. After he passed away, Umar and Ali, radhiallahu ‘anhum, conveyed the sacred cloak to Uways. They saw him isolating himself in a small place next to a river and worshipping there. Sometimes he went to inhabited places but would never join the people. They found him isolated and showed him the sacred cloak, conveying the will of the Prophet.
Uways al-Qarani said: “Please stay here.”
He took the sacred cloak and passed his worshipping place. He prostrated and began to pray:
“O my Lord! Your Habib bequeathed that I wear this sacred cloak and to pray for his ummah. O my Lord! I will not wear it until You have forgiven Ummat-e-Muhammad.”
For a long time, he prayed and beseeched yearningly. Umar and Ali, radhiallahu ‘anhum, could wait no longer and told him: “O Uways! Tell us what has happened!”
Uwas al-Qarani held his head up: “I had three groups of Ummat-e-Muhammad to be forgiven, one was left and you came.”
He took the sacred cloak, kissed it and rubbed it over his face. Putting it on, he thanked Allah Almighty and sent salawat to the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
Umar approached and said: “O Uways! Give me some advice.” Uways asked:
“Do the people know you?”
“Yes, they do.”
“Then, make them forget you. It is sufficient to be known by Allah.”
“O Uways! Give me some more advice.”
“O Umar! Do you know Allah?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Do you know other things?”
“Of course I do.”
“Forget what you know other than Allah. It is sufficient to know Allah.”
“O Uways! Give me some more advice.”
“That was enough,” he said and then left.
It can be understood that those who make demands from Allah should be separate from people and isolated. (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 359-360)
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3- Narrated by Ali, radhiallahu ‘anhu:
“We were with the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. We saw Mus’ab Ibn Umayr, radhiallahu ‘anhu, approaching us. He wore clothing patched with leather pieces. As soon as the Prophet remembered how rich he was and enjoyed wearing fine clothes before he became a Muslim, he cried. Then he said:
‘What would you be better off with a day when you change your clothes from morning to evening, when you are offered meals and dishes upon dishes (one should not cook too much or in too great a variety) and you can decorate the walls of your houses as Ka’ba was decorated?” (You should not exceed the limits in possessing households and should not decorate the walls with carpets. On the other hand, you should not be in a situation where infidels, hypocrites and sinners make fun of your poverty.)
“‘We would be better off, because our life would be easier and we could spend our time praying more.’
‘Not, really. On the contrary, you are better off now.’ (Sihah Sita, Vol. 7, Hadith no: 2079; Tirmidhi, Qiyama-36 (2478)
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4- “Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, first isolated (to enrich himself spiritually) in the cave of Hira.” (Bariqa, Vol. 5, p. 129)
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5- “The best man is he who lives on a small hill or next to a brook herding a flock of sheep and performing his prayers perfectly andon time. (cont.)” (Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 10, Hadith no: 3977)
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6- “There will come a time when the best property of a Muslim will be sheep, which he will take to the tops of mountains and the places of rainfall so as to flee with his religion from afflictions.” (Forty Hadiths Forty Subjects, Hadith no: 13, p. 636; Marifatnama, p. 645; Narrated Bukhari, too)
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7- “Comfort and peace comes in ten parts. Nine parts of it is silence (not talking too much) and one is isolation. (Separation from people)” (Ramuz al-Hadith, Hadith no: 2694)
Seclusion contains silence, as well. One separates from people and is silent so that they can think of Allah.
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8- “An hour of tafaqqur (thinking upon Allah and His actions) is better than one thousand hours worshipping.” (Marifatnama, p. 689)
Tafaqqur is best done in isolation and alone.
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9- “So when the night over-shadowed him, he (Ibrahim) saw a star; said he: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: I do not love the setting ones. Then when he saw the moon rising, he said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: If my Lord had not guided me I should certainly be of the erring people. Then when he saw the sun rising, he said: Is this my Lord? Is this the greatest? So when it set, he said: O my people! Surely I am clear of what you set up (with Allah). Surely I have turned myself, being upright, wholly to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists.” (Anam, 76-79; Anwar-al Ashiqin, p. 69)
[Allah made Himself known to Ibrahim (alaihissalam) in isolation.]
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10- “There is no comfort for a believer other than meeting Allah. Whoever wants to meet Allah, let not him be interested in anything other than Him.” (Ramuz al-Hadith, Hadith no: 4505)
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11- “Once, the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was asked:
‘O Rasoolullah! Who is best of people?’
‘Those who fight with their properties and bodies for the sake of Allah.’
‘Who next? The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
‘A believer who resides at the tops of mountains and the places of rainfall since he fears Allah and takes his nafs out from among people so that they may be safe from it.’” (Sahih Bukhari, at-Tajrid as-Sarih, Vol. 8, Hadith no: 1177; Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 10, Hadith no: 3978)
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12- The Prophet, the pride of the universes, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“Whoever socializes is behaving ostentatiously as he is trying to change people’s behavior.”
One should apply this hadith to life.
Sufyan Sawri (Mercy Upon Him) says:
“By Allah, today, seclusion is halal and socializing is haram, because people have so exceeded the limits that they commit haram acts as halal.”
Imam Ghazali (Mercy Upon Him) says:
“Today seclusion is obligatory. The evidence is following ayat:
‘And I will withdraw from you and what you call on besides Allah.’” (Maryam, 48; Muzakkin Nufus, p. 357-358)
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13- Umar, radhiallahu ‘anhu, says:
“Take your share from isolation.” (Kimya-e-Saadet, p. 300)
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14- Ibn Sirin says: “Isolation is worship.” (Kimya-e-Saadet, p. 300)
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15- “…Allah truly loves those servants who are obedient, pious and isolated so that nobody searches for them when they are absent. And nobody calls them when they are present. Their hearts are lights of guidance. They come out of dark and dusty places.” (Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 10, Hadith no: 3989)
This hadith explains the quality that obedient servants of Allah should have. Nobody pays attention to these things (clothing, hairstyle, etc), yet, their hearts are lightened. Allah made every great prophet and awliya isolated. Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, was secluded in the Cave of Hira and when herding sheep. Dawoud, Ibrahim and Musa, alaihimassalam, were shepherds. Uways al-Qarani was a camel shepherd and King Suleiman was a cattle herder. Uzlat (seclusion) is to separate from people and be alone with Allah Almighty.)
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16- “A prayer performed in isolation is better than a prayer performed in the Ka’ba.” This is uzlat. (Ihya, Vol. 1, Hadith no: 644, p. 553)
Allah says in Qur’an : “One who worships devoutly during the hour of the night prostrating himself or standing (in adoration)” (Zumar, 9) This is uzlat, too.
Allah Almighty orders in both being isolated and spreading the word of Islam in the Qur’an (Tawba, 122).
The hadith states that those who isolate seem dirty and women do not like to marry them. Those with untidy hair are the first to meet the Rasoolullah at Hawz-e-Kawsar. (Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol. 10, Hadith no: 4303)
They wander from place to place or are shepherds and separate from people.
Rabia Adawiyyah could control deer. Ibrahim Adham could control fish. Yunus Amra could control snakes. Abubakr Hawari could control lions. They achieved this with uzlat.
My father (Sheikh) Bilal was asked:
“ Where does the Mahdi emerge from?”
“What would I say if he comes out from behind a bush?” He meant uzlat.
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17- Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“There will come a time when people do not keep their promises and betray their trusts. They become enemies to one another. That is the time of fitna.” The Companions of the Prophet, radhiallahu ‘anhum, asked:
“What do you suggest to a believer who lives at that time?”
“At that time, let believers not interfere in others’ actions. Let them talk carefully. Let them prefer to stay in their houses and not go out, except to work. Let them enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong.” (Marifatnama, p. 653)
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18- Sheikh Jafar Sadiq, radhiallahu ‘anhu, said:
“Times have worsened. The attitudes of the brothers have changed. This is a time to be silent and reside in the houses.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 359)
66HUNGER
One in the tariqat strives for chille, itiqaf, seclusion, tazkiya al-nafs (purification of the soul), and tasfiya al-qalb (purification of the heart). The Shariah requires everyone to work for taqwa. The people of the tariqat people struggle with their nafs and hunger to be able to do the hardest deeds. They abandon those things that prevent them from worshipping, more so if it is halal. They are completely committed to worshipping.
On return from a battle, our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“We have returned from a lesser battle to the greatest battle.” (Ramuz al-Hadith, Hadith no: 4135; Ibn Abeden (Radd al Mukhtar) vol. 8, p. 370)
The companions said:
“With whom we will fight in our homes?”
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“Jihad with the nafs brings good manners.” (Marifatnama, p. 424; Muzakkin nufus, p. 23, a similar version.) “We will fight with our nafs.”
The companions said:
“ How can we fight with our nafs?”
“Eat less, sleep less, talk less. Spend the rest of your time for dhikr, worship, obedience and good deeds.”
Some talk too much about hadiths of the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, regarding ‘ilm (knowledge), reciting the Qur’an, and learning His sunnahh. They do not talk about ‘ilm ladunni (inspired knowledge) that can be gained by asceticism, struggle, dhikr of Allah and hunger, Sufism or tariqats.
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, who was ummi (illiterate) but the peak in ‘ilm ladunni, Yunus Emre, Ummi Sinan, and Vaysal Qarani all gained their states by striving, mujahadah, by hunger, and dhikr of Allah.
All I write down is ayats and hadiths. No objection can be made. However, I have heard that some read our book just to find mistakes. I am human and I can make mistakes. I will be very pleased if I am told what they are.
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“Al muntahinu mal’unun- Those who test are traitors (cursed).”
The aim in talking to someone should be either to teach or to learn, not to test. The objections made so far have not been noteworthy. If those who challenge are one person, then those who are pleased and send a letter afterwards number more than a hundred. Let those who challenge recite the entire subject to people and to scholars, so that they will be persuaded.
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1- “O Muhammad! Leave them that they may eat and enjoy themselves and (that) hope may beguile them, for they will soon know.” (Hijr, 3; Muzakkin Nufus, p. 293)
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2- “O Messengers! Eat of the good things and do good; surely I know what you do.” (Mumenoon, 51)
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3- “Eat of the good things and do good deeds.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 289)
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4- “Worship is ten parts. Nine of these is eating what is halal.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 290)
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5- “The master of deeds is hunger. The humiliation of nafs is to wear wool cloth.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 291)
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6- “The contended are glorious, the greedy are miserable.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 296)
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7- “Persist in knocking on the doors of Paradise so that they will be opened.”
The companions asked:
“How can we knock on the door of Paradise if they are not opened, at least for now?”
Our Prophet joyfully said:
“Knocking on the door of Paradise is with hunger and thirst. Bear hunger and thirst. Fight with your nafs so that Haq Taala will open the doors of Paradise.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 299)
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, fasted two days every week. [Ramuz al Hadith, Hadith no: 352, 601 (Sect. 30). He fasted every 13th, 14th, and 15th days of the month. (Sihah as Sita, Vol. 9, Hadith no: 3164) He fasted in Rajab, (Sihah as Sita, Vol. 9, Hadith no: 3153) Shaban, and Ramadan (Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, Hadith no: 733-734; Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 9, Hadith no: 2336; Sunan Ibn Maha, Vol. 4, Hadith no: 1648-1649)
Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, fasted in Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan.
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8- “I placed knowledge in hunger, yet people search it in satiation.” (Marifatnama, p. 597; Anwar al-Ashiqin, p. 130)
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9- “Hunger is the cloud of wisdom.” [Ihya, Vol. 3, Hadith no: 144, p. 195 (a similar version); Marifatnama, p. 600 (Similar)]
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10- “Reserve a third of your stomach for food.” (Marifatnama, p. 598; Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol. 4, Hadith no: 2486; Mukhtar-al Ahadith Nabawiyya, Hadith no: 1058, p. 535)
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11- “Nothing but too much eating kills the heart.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 293; Kimya al Saada, p. 399)
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12- “Fight with your nafs for hunger and thirst. Those who endure hunger and thirst are rewarded as mujahedeen who have fought in the path of Allah.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 300)
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13- “Hunger is the means to reach the highest places.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 300)
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14- “O human being! How dare you ask for knowledge and deed while you have a full stomach?” (Marifatnama, p. 597)
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15- “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. (Cont.)” (Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol. 4, Hadith no: 2486; Mawahib Ladunniya, Vol. 1, p. 505)
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16- “Whoever decorates his zahir (outer) with mujahada, Allah decorates his batin (inner) with the light of mushadaha. (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 300)
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17- “Eating with full of stomach is not only a disease but also forbidden (haram).” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
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18- “Those who are servants of their stomach are harsh, deprived of wisdom, and unmindful of Haq.” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
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19- “If Allah loves one of His servants, He makes him hungry in a place of cheap food.” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
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20- “One who is hungry, yet contended and remembers Allah is definitely of the muqarrabeen.” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
[Muqarrab is to be nearest to Allah. “Ulaiqal muqarrabun-These will be those Nearest to Allah” (Wakia, 11)]
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21- “If one eats less, he fills his stomach with light.” (Ramuz al-Hadith, Hadith no: 415; Kanz-al Irfan, Hadith no: 920)
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22- “Nothing causes the heart to die spiritually but eating too much.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 293)
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23- “The light of wisdom shines in the hearts of those who are hungry.” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
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24- Our Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, said:
“Let me be full one day and hungry another. Let me thank You when I am full and let me supplicate when I am hungry.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 117)
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25- “Those nearest to Allah Taala have the best of manners. Those hungry and thirsty are the most worried. Allah Taala feeds His creatures, yet He makes His awliya hungry and thirsty.” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
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26- “Those who prefer hunger have wisdom and their bodies are healthy.” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
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27- “Let your stomach be empty so that the noor of wisdom shines in your heart. Your heart fills with outpourings of wisdom. Those in the earth and skies rejoice with you.” (Marifatnama, p. 598)
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28- “Satan runs through the son of Adam like the blood circulating. To make his passage more difficult is possible with hunger and thirst.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 274; Marifatnama, p. 964; Ramuz al-Hadith, Hadith no: 1388)
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29- “He is not a true believer who goes to sleep with his stomach full while his neighbor goes to sleep hungry” (Ramuz al-Hadith, Hadith no: 4468; Kanz al-Irfan, Hadith no: 460)
68SLEEPING LESS
1- There are six types of sleep:
a- The sleep of heedlessness, b- The sleep of insurgence, c- The sleep of infliction, d- The afternoon nap (Qaylula), e- The permitted sleep, f- The sleep of longing. (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 333)
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2- “All types of sleep are haram to the lovers.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 335)
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3- “And those who pray for pardon in the watches of the night.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 336; Al-e-Imran, 17)
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4- “And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory.” (Muzakkin Nufus, p. 336; Isra, 79)
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5- Dawud’s son Sulaiman was told by his mother:
“O my son! Do not sleep all night! Because spending all of your night sleeping makes one poor on the Judgment Day.” (Mukhtar-al Ahadith Nabawiyya, Hadith no: 850, p. 455)
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6- “I placed polish of the hearts in remaining awake of the night. People search for it mostly in sleeping. How can they find it?” (Marifatnama, p. 597)
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7- “How can you expect your heart to be polished while you sleep too much?” (Marifatnama, p. 597)
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8- “Look for the polish of the heart in remaining awake at night.” (Marifatnama, p. 597)
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9- “My two eyes sleep, yet my heart does not.” (Marifatnama, p. 615)
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10- “Sleeping at dawn hinders sustenance and attracts sorrow.” (Marifatnama, p. 616)
Wake up, wake up o sleepers
Dawn defeats the night soldiers
O sleeper, get up and rouse,
Otherwise you will lose
O sleeper, uninterrupted and silent,
You sleep, but your Lord does not.
Your Lord invites you to His places,
Awake and ask not for revenge, but forgiveness.
Salli ala Sayyidina Mustafa
Ahmadun al-Hadi alaihissalam.