Salatul Layl
Salatul Layl
Salatul Layl
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Salatul Layl
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Qur'anic verses and ahadith on the merits of reciting Salatul Layl. Includes method of recitation along
with Arabic and English along with a rich collection of basic and additional supplications given to us by
the Ahlul Bayt (a) that can be recited along with the prayer itself.
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Preface
This book is a republication of our earlier book on Salatul Layl. With the Tawfiq of Allah, we have been
able to improve the format and the content so as to make the book both easier to use and more
comprehensive. We hope the changes will benefit all Mu’mineen.
The book now includes many more du’as for Salatul Layl which have been taught to us by the
Ma’sumeen (a). These du’as are derived from authentic sources of du’as listed in the Bibliography. It is
hoped that Mu’mineen will recite some of these du’as and relish the beauty of these supplications.
We pray that the Almighty may give us the chance to be from among those who recite Salatul Layl
regularly.
H. and T. Kassamali
Sha’ban 1424/October 2003
Introduction
The remembrance of Allah is the greatest deed of the human being. It elevates his life, brings him peace
and happiness, and enables him to fulfill the real mission of his life in this world. When Allah describes
believers in the Holy Qur’an, He says; Those who believe and whose hearts are set at rest by the
remembrance of Allah,
now surely by Allah’s remembrance are the hearts set at rest. (13:28).
The Holy Prophet (s) has said: There is no action more beloved to Allah, and nothing that saves man so
well from the evil of this world and the Hereafter, than the remembrance of Allah.
Among the ways of remembering Allah is waking up at night for Salatul Layl. As explained in the
following pages, the Holy Qur’an and Hadith have much to say about this very important part of the
worship of a believer. Its merits and effects are tremendous. One who recites Salatul Layl regularly is
following the path of the Prophets and the Ma’sumeen (a).
Salatul Layl has a basic method which is explained in this book. It also has many du’as that can be
recited with it, some of which are included in this book. These are beautiful du’as with profound
meaning. Although it is difficult to have time to recite all these du’as, it is possible to recite some of them
at some times. Even portions of these du’as may be read.
There is no doubt that these du’as, if recited with understanding and reflection, can greatly enhance our
experience of reciting Salatul Layl.
May the Almighty help us to recite Salatul Layl in the way it should be recited.
There are many verses of the Holy Qur’an which talk about the importance of Salatul Layl. These verses
describe it as the practice of the pious people, and the means to attain closeness to Allah. Those who
wish to attain this nearness forego a part of their sleep, and wake up early to seek forgiveness from
Allah. They sacrifice their sleep and comfort for the pleasure of reciting Salatul Layl.
In many verses of the Qur’an, Allah enjoins the rising by the night for glorification and worship of Allah.
He says:
And in the night, give Him glory too, and at the setting of the stars (52:49)
He also says:
And during part of the night adore Him, and give glory to Him (for a) long (part of the) night
(76:26)
They used to sleep but little in the night. And in the early part of the morning they asked
forgiveness. (51: 16-17)
َﻘُﻮنﻨﻔ ﻳﻢزَﻗْﻨَﺎﻫﺎ رﻤﻣﺎ وﻌﻃَﻤﻓًﺎ و ﺧَﻮﻢﻬﺑﻮنَ رﺪْﻋ ﻳﺎﺟِﻊﻀ اﻟْﻤﻦ ﻋﻢﻬﻨُﻮ ﺑ ﺟَﺎﻓﺗَﺘَﺠ
َﻠُﻮنﻤﻌﺎﻧُﻮا ﻳﺎ ﻛ ﺑِﻤاءﺰ ﺟﻦﻴﻋ اةﻦ ﻗُﺮﻢ ﻣ ﻟَﻬﺧْﻔﺎ ا ﻣ ﻧَﻔْﺲﻠَﻢ ﺗَﻌﻓَﻼ
Their sides draw away from (their) beds, they call upon their Lord in fear and in hope, and they
spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them So no soul knows what is hidden for them
of that which will refresh the eyes; a reward for what they did. (32: 16-17)
Therefore, the reward for those who rise by night to glorify Allah cannot be described. As the Holy
Prophet (s) has said: There is no good deed except that its reward has been outlined in the Qur’an,
except Salatul Layl. Almighty Allah has not specified its reward due to its greatness with Him.
In yet another verse Allah describes the effect of reciting Salatul Layl for the believer. He says:
اﻮدﻤﺤﺎ ﻣﻘَﺎﻣﻚَ ﻣﺑﺜَﻚَ رﻌﺒن ﻳ اﺴﻠَﺔً ﻟﱠﻚَ ﻋ ﻧَﺎﻓﺪْ ﺑِﻪﺠ ﻓَﺘَﻬﻞ اﻟﻠﱠﻴﻦﻣو
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. (17:79)
In this verse Almighty Allah describes the extraordinary spiritual effects of reciting Salatul layl. It raises
the human being to Maqame Mahmood, a position of glory and praise. It is an elevated position with
Allah, one that few people can attain.
During the day numerous affairs occupy the time and mind of the human being. In the midst of all this
preoccupation, it is difficult to have the peace of mind and heart so necessary for good worship. But at
night when it is dark and silent, when the demands of the material world are quiet for a while, the human
being can acquire a tranquil state which allows him to be in harmony with his Creator.
It is at this time that the human being acquires a special state of mind and energy which is very
conducive to increasing his spirituality and strengthening the connection with his Creator. That is why the
friends of Allah, and those who seek nearness to Him, always make the most of the last part of the night.
They purify their souls, enliven their hearts, strengthen their will, and perfect their sincerity, through
worship at this special time.
Salatul Layl is thus one of the most effective ways of achieving closeness to Allah. That is why Allah
says in Sura al-Muzammil (#73):
Surely the rising by night is the firmest way to tread and the best corrective of speech. (73:6)
There are many hadith that emphasize the importance of Salatul Layl. Some of them are as follows.
2. Jibrael continued to advise me about staying up at night until I thought that the virtuous ones of my
Ummah do not sleep.
Holy Prophet (s)
4. I detest that a man who has recited the Qur’an, wakes up at night but does not rise until the morning
when he wakes up for Salaat of Subh.
Imam as-Sadiq (a)
5. Allah says; “Wealth and children are an ornament of the life of this world” (18:46), but the eight
raka’ats recited by a servant at the end of the night are an ornament of the Hereafter.
Imam as-Sadiq (a)
6. Two raka’ats of prayer recited in the darkness of the night are more beloved to me than the world and
all that is in it.
Holy Prophet (s)
7. The rising by night is healthy for the bodies.
Imam Ali (a)
8. Salatul Layl brightens the faces, makes the night pleasant, and attracts sustenance.
Imam as-Sadiq (a)
9. When the servant of Allah turns to his Lord in the middle of the dark night, and whispers to Him, Allah
establishes His light in his heart . . . then He tells the angels: O my angels, look at my servant. He has
turned to Me in the middle of the dark night while the false ones are playing, and the heedless ones are
sleeping; bear witness that I have forgiven him.
Holy Prophet (s)
10. Whoever has been granted the chance to recite Salatul Layl, a male servant or a female one, and
he(or she) rises for Allah sincerely, does proper wudhu , prays salaat for Allah with a true intention, a
sound heart, a humble body and a tearful eye, Allah will place behind him nine rows of angels. The
number of angels in each row cannot be counted except by Allah. One side of each row is in the East,
and the other is in the West. Then when he completes his prayer, he gets the reward of all of the angels
in the rows.
Holy Prophet (s)
11. There is no good deed except that its reward has been outlined in the Qur’an, except the Salatul
Layl. Almighty Allah has not specified its reward due to its greatness with Him. He says (about the
reward of those who recite Salatul Layl):
So no soul knows what is hidden for them of that which will refresh the eyes; a reward for what
they did.(32:17)
12. A man came to Imam Ali (a) and said: I have been denied the chance to recite Salatul Layl. The
Imam replied: Your sins have prevented you.
13. Whoever tells himself he will wake up for Salatul Layl but sleeps through the time, his sleep will be
charity and the reward of what he intended will be written for him.
Holy Prophet (s)
14. Do not disregard the reciting of Salatul Layl, for the one who is denied Salatul Layl is in a great loss.
Imam as-Sadiq (a)
Salatul Layl
The time for Salatul Layl begins after midnight until the time for Fajr (morning) prayers. The best time for
it is as close to the Fajr prayer as possible. When there is not enough time, it is recommended to at least
recite the last three raka’ats, or even just the last rak’ah of Salatul Witr.
Salatul Layl consists of a total of 11 raka’ats, divided into the following prayers:
1. Nafilah of Layl: 8 raka’ats (4 x 2 raka’ats)
2. Salât al-Shaf’a: 2 raka’ats
3. Salat al-Witr: 1 raka’at
Method
The foundation of the prayer consists of the 11 raka’ats. In addition, there are a variety of surahs and
supplications that have been recommended for recitation during these raka’ats. What follows is the
description of one of the ways that has been recommended.
Additional supplications are also included. Please also refer to the section on Salatul Layl in Al-Baqiyat
al-Salihat (commonly found on the margins of or as an appendix to Mafatihul Jinan) for other variations.
Nafilah of Layl
The 8 raka’ats of Nafilah are divided into four prayers of two raka’ats each. With the intention of reciting
two raka’ats of Salatul layl, recite two raka’ats like the Fajr prayer.
After Sura al-Hamd it is recommended to recite al-Ikhlas (#112) in the first raka’at and Sura al-Kafirun
(#109) in the second raka’at. Qunut is recommended in the second raka’at and can simply consist of
saying a salawat only or subhanallah three times.
In the other salats of Nafilah of Layl, any small surahs can be recited after Sura al-Hamd. It is also
permissible to omit the second surah after Suratul Hamd during these raka’ats.
Salat al-Shaf’a
ذَاﺪٍ اﺎﺳِ ﺣﻦ ﺷَﺮﻣ و، ِﻘَﺪ اﻟْﻌِ اﻟﻨﱠﻔﱠﺎﺛَﺎتِ ﻓﻦ ﺷَﺮﻣ و، ﻗَﺐذَا و اﻖِ ﻏَﺎﺳﻦ ﺷَﺮﻣو
َﺪﺴﺣ
و اﻟْﺠِﻨﱠﺔﻦ ﻣ، ِﺪُورِ اﻟﻨﱠﺎس ﺻ ﻓﻮِسﺳﻮ اﻟﱠﺬِي ﻳ، ِاسِ اﻟْﺨَﻨﱠﺎسﻮﺳِ اﻟْﻮﻦ ﺷَﺮﻣ
ِاﻟﻨﱠﺎس
Salatul Witr
This is a one rak’ah prayer. The following surahs are recited after Sura al-Hamd.
Sura al-Ikhlas (#112) 3 times
Sura al-Falaq (#113) 1 time
Sura an-Nas (#114) 1 time
After completing the Surahs recite Qunut in the following manner. It is highly emphasized to be humble
and tearful in Salatul Witr. Raise the left hand for asking forgiveness and use the right for holding a
tasbih. Some recommended duas are as follows.
ﻦﺘَﻬﺎ ﺗَﺤ ﻣ وﻦﻗَﻬﺎ ﻓَﻮ ﻣ وﻦﻨَﻬﻴﺎ ﺑ ﻣ وﻬِﻦﻴﺎ ﻓ ﻣو
Glory be to Allah
Lord of the seven heavens
and Lord of the seven earths
c) Ask for the forgiveness of forty believers, men and women, who have died or are living, by repeating
forty times:
ِ لﺮ اﻏْﻔﻢاَﻟﻠّﻬ
O’ Allah, forgive
Fill in the names of believers. Apart from relatives and friends, it is recommended to remember the
Ulama (Scholars) who have served and propagated Islam. If it is not possible to name forty believers,
name as many as possible and then say:
Then say:
اﻓﺮﺳ ا وﻣﺮ ﺟ و ﻇُﻠْﻤﻊﻴﻤﺠ ﻟﻮم اﻟْﻘَﻴ اﻟْﺤﻮ ﻫﻻ اﻟَﻪ ا اﻟﱠﺬِي ﻻﻪ اﻟﺮﺘَﻐْﻔاَﺳ
ﻪﻟَﻴ اب اَﺗُﻮ و ﻧَﻔْﺴﻠﻋ
I seek forgiveness of Allah, He who there is no god but He, the Ever living, the subsisting, from all my
oppressions and my sins and my excesses on my soul, and I turn (repentant) to Him
This is the position of one who seeks refuge in You from the fire
Then say:
My Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me, and turn to me Surely You are the Oft-returning, the
Merciful
Basic Du’as
ﺑِﻬِﻢﻨﻤﺣ ارﻢاَﻟﻠّﻬ
ﺑِﻬِﻢﺪِﻧ اﻫو
ﺑِﻬِﻢزُﻗْﻨ ارو
ﻢﻴﻈ اﻟْﻌﻠاَﻟْﻌ
ﻊﺪِﻳ اﻟْﺒﺪِﻳاَﻟْﺒ
دﻮ ﻟَﻚَ اﻟْﺠ ومﺮْﻟَﻚَ اﻟ
ِ اﻟﻨﱠﺎسﻦ ﻣﺸَﺘﺣو
َ ﺑِﻚ اُﻧْﺴو
O Creator, O Sustainer
O the One who gives life
and the One who causes to die
O the Unique, the Sublime
I ask you to bless Muhammad and his family
and to have mercy on my lowliness
before You
and my beseeching You
and my loneliness from people
and my intimacy with You
ﻦﺮِﻳ اﻟﻄﱠﺎﻫﻦِﺒِﻴاَﻟﻄﱠﻴ
ﻦﻴﻠ اَﻟْﻔَﺎﺿﻦِﺮِﻳاَﻟْﺨَﻴ
َﻚﻓوﺮﻌ ﻣﻚَ وﻟ ﺑِﻄَﻮَﻠﺪْ ﻋ ﺟو
Here I am,
Your abject servant
in need of You
hopeful of Your blessings and grace
So, O my Master
if You have bestowed blessings
on this night
on anyone of Your creatures
and turned to him with affection
then bless Muhammad and his family
the pure, the purified,
the virtuous ones
the excellent ones
and favor me with Your grace and bounty
O Lord of the worlds
ﻦِﻴ اﻟﻨﱠﺒِﻴﺧَﺎﺗَﻢ
This du’a is called Du’a al-Hazeen, the sorrowful du’a. It should be recited softly and sorrowfully
My master O my master
if You have had mercy on the likes of me
then have mercy on me
ِﻴﻌ ﺳﺪِّي و ﻛﺎنَ ﻟَﻪ ﻛﻦ ﻣ و اُﻣ وِ اَﺑ وﻢﻧَﻌ
Additional Du’as
This is a beautiful du’a which Imam Zaynul ‘Abidin (a) used to recite before he began Salatul Layl.
But You my God, are Ever Living, Subsistent, slumber or sleep does not overtake you (2:255)
and one thing does not occupy You from another
the doors of Your sky are open
for he who asks You
and Your treasures are never locked
and the doors of Your mercy are never covered
and Your benefits are never forbidden
for he who asks You
rather they are given generously
You are my God, the Generous
َﻟَﻚﺎ ﺳﻦﻴﻨﻣﻮ اﻟْﻤﻦ ﻣﻼﺎﺋ ﺳد ﺗَﺮاﻟﱠﺬِي ﻻ
َكﺮﺪٌ ﻏَﻴﺎ اَﺣﻬﻴﻘْﻀ ﻳ ﻻﻧَﻚَ وو دﻢﻬﺠاﺋﻮ ﺣل ﺗُﺨْﺘَﺰ ﻻﻚَ وﻟﻼ ﺟﻚَ وﺗﺰ ﻋ وﻻ
It is recommended to lengthen the Qunut in the 8 raka’ats of salatul Layl, whenever possible. The
following Du’a for Qunut in Salatul Layl is by Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a). It is allowed to use a book in
qunut of mustahab prayers.
ﻢﻴﺣ اﻟﺮﻦﻤﺣ اﻟﺮﻪ اﻟﻢﺑِﺴ
ِ ﻗَﻠْﺒﻚَ ﻓﺒ ﺣﻓْﺖﺮ ﻗَﺪْ ﻋكَ وﻮﻋ اَد ﻻﻒﻴ ﻛو
I call to You
for there is none like You who is called
and I wish from You
for there is none like You who is wished from
You are the One who answers the call of the distressed, and the most Merciful
I ask You,
by the best of requests
and the most successful of them
and the most mighty of them
ﻳﺎ اَﻟﻪ ﻳﺎ رﺣﻤﻦ ﻳﺎ رﺣﻴﻢ
و ﺑِﺎﺳﻤﻚَ اﻟْﻤﻨُﻮنِ اﻻﻛﺒﺮِ اﻻﻋﺰ ِاﻻﺟﻞ اﻻﻋﻈَﻢ اﻻﻛﺮم اﻟﱠﺬِي ﺗُﺤﺒﻪ و ﺗَﻬﻮاه و
ﺗَﺮﺿ ﺑِﻪ ﻋﻤﻦ دﻋﺎكَ
هد ﺗَﺮ ﻻﻠَﻚَ وﺎﺋ ﺳﺮِم ﺗَﺤﻚَ اَنْ ﻻﻠَﻴ ﻋﻖ ﺣو
The Qunut of Salatul Witr should be recited slowly and with a lot of sadness due to one’s sins. The
following du’a was recited by Imam al-Baqir (a) at the beginning of this Qunut.
O Allah
You are Allah
the Light of the heavens and the earth
You are Allah
the Ornament of the heavens and the earth
You are Allah
the Beauty of the heavens and the earth
You are Allah
the Pillar of the heavens and the earth
You are Allah
the Support of the heavens and the earth
You are Allah
the Object of those who call out for help
You are Allah
the Helper of those who seek help
You are Allah, the Reliever of those in distress
You are Allah
the one who gives happiness to the grieved
You are Allah, the one who answers the call of the distressed
You are Allah, God of the worlds
You are Allah, the most merciful
Du’a at the end of Qunut of Salatul Witr
ِﺪِيﻴِﺪِي ﺳﻴﺳ
ًةﻠُﻮءﻤبِ ﻣﺑِﺎﻟﺬﱡﻧُﻮ
ﺎﺋ ﺑﻞﻴﻓَﺎَﻃ
ﺎﺋﺟ رﺮّﺸﻓَﺎُﺑ
هﻻﻮ ﻣﻦﻣ
My master
have You created me from the unfortunate ones
so I should lengthen my weeping?
or have You created me from the fortunate ones
so I should give glad tidings to my hopes?
My master, if a servant was able to escape
from his Master
then I would be the first of those who escape
from You
but I know that I cannot escape You
My God and my master
have mercy on me
when I am lying on my bed [dead]
and the hands of my loved ones turn me
have mercy on me
when I am placed on the place of ghusl (washing)
and the virtuous near ones wash me
have mercy on me
when I am being carried
and my relatives have surrounded my coffin
have mercy on me
in that dark house
on my fear, my separation, and my loneliness.
they slept little of the night and sought forgiveness at dawn (51:17-18)
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