The Time for Night Prayer

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: "The time for the night prayer (salat al-layl) is from midnight until its end."

Umar ibn Hanzalah said to Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام: "I have spent eighteen nights intending to rise (for the night prayer) but did not get up. Should I then pray at the beginning of the night?" He عليه السلام replied: "No, make it up during the day, for I dislike it becoming a habitual practice."

It is reported from Mu'awiyah ibn Wahb that He said: "I said to him (Abu Abdullah عليه السلام): 'One of your followers, who is among your righteous adherents, complained to me about the difficulty he experiences with sleep. He said to me: ‘I wish to rise for the night prayer (salat al-layl), but sleep overcomes me until I wake up in the morning. Sometimes I make up my prayer continuously for a month or two and endure the difficulty.’ Imam عليه السلام said: 'By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it is a source of delight, by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it is a source of delight!' But he did not permit performing the Witr (single unit of the night prayer) at the beginning of the night. Imam عليه السلام said: 'Making it up during the day is better.'"

Abdullah ibn Muskan reported from Layth al-Muradi who said: "I asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about praying the night prayer during the summer, when the nights are short, and performing it at the beginning of the night. Imam عليه السلام said: 'Yes, what you have considered is good, and what you have done is good.'"

He (Layth al-Muradi) said: "I asked him (Abu Abdullah عليه السلام) about a man who fears becoming ritually impure (janabah) while traveling or in cold weather and thus performs the night prayer (salat al-layl) and Witr at the beginning of the night. Imam عليه السلام said: 'Yes.'"

Abu Jarir ibn Idris narrated from Abu Al-Hasan Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام who said: "Perform the night prayer (salat al-layl) during travel at the beginning of the night, in the carriage, and also perform the Witr and the two units (rak'ahs) of the Fajr prayer."

Al-'Ala' reported from Muhammad ibn Muslim from one of the Imams عليه السلام who said: "There is no servant except that they are awakened during the night once or twice. If they rise (for prayer), it will be for their benefit; otherwise, Shaytan comes and urinates in their ear. Do you not see that when one rises and has not risen for prayer, they do so sluggishly and heavily, feeling lazy?"

Al-Hasan al-Sayqal reported from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "I despise a man who comes to me asking about the actions of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and then says, 'Should I add more?' as if he sees that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was lacking in something. And I despise a man who has read the Qur'an and then wakes up during the night but does not rise (for prayer) until, when it is near dawn, he hastily performs his prayer."

Abu Hamzah al-Thumali reported from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "There is no servant who intends to rise (for prayer) at any hour they intend, and Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Blessed and Exalted, knows this intention from them, except that He assigns two angels to move them at that hour."

Ays ibn al-Qasim reported from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "If a man is overcome by sleep while he is in prayer, let him put his head down and sleep, for I fear that if he wishes to say, 'O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, admit me to Paradise,' he might instead say, 'O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, admit me to the Fire.'"

Zakariyya al-Naqqad reported from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام regarding the words of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic: "Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying" (Surah An-Nisa 4:43). Imam عليه السلام said: "This includes the intoxication of sleep."