TAHAJJUD….

And during a part of the night, pray tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you; so that your Lord may elevate you to a position of great glory.  (Al-Isra, 17:79)

Their sides forsake their couches as they call on their Lord in fear and hope…(As-Sajdah 32:16)

Is he who devotes the night hours to worship, prostrating himself and standing up in night prayer, aware of the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord…?(Az-Zumar 39:9)

And who spend the night before their Lord, prostrating themselves and standing up….(Al-Furqan 25:64)

Tahajudd, the night prayer that was observed by our Noble Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam from midnight up to the appearance of the early dawn. The word is derived from “Hujud”, meaning sleep, while "Tahajjud", literally signifies giving up of sleep.

The Prophet was asked to stand up in prayer at night and seek nearness to Allah Ta’ala by the following verses:

You [Prophet] enfolded in your cloak! Keep vigil throughout the night, all but a small part of it, half, or a little less, or a little more; recite the Qur’an slowly and distinctly. We shall send a momentous message down to you. Night prayer makes a deeper impression and sharpens words.  (Al-Muzzammil 73:1-6)

A diagram of the position of the Mubarak Mihrab where our Beloved Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam would stand, until his feet were swollen and his beard soaked with his tears of pearls, entreating his Lord. The small room in front of this place of Tahajjud, was the house of the Queen of Jannah, Lady Fatimah, her blessed husband Ali and their children, RadhiAllahu anhum. (Insha’Allah I will expand on the other Mubarak pillars in the next post) 

Mihrab At-Tahajjud before it was covered with a bookcase. Below, as it is today, hidden behind the bookcase to the left. This is an older photo, as all the pillars and supports are now painted in cream tones.

Great rewards and merits have been promised for the night prayer. Allah descends to the lowest heaven in the latter part of the night and invites invocations and petitions. Therefore the latter part of the night, is the opportune moment for acceptance of prayers. There is a moment in the night in which the prayer of a devotee is accepted. Night prayer expiates and prevents sins. The honoured among the Muslims are those learned in the Quran and those who pray at night.

If a man prays in the night and sleep overcomes him during it, Allah Ta’ala writes for him the reward of his prayer, and his sleep is sadaqa for him. SubhanAllah!

Insha’Allah it is also said that if we sleep in the state of Wudhu and with the intention of waking for Tahajjud, but for some reason we miss it, then it is written as having been performed. But not to make a habit of this generosity from Allah Ta’ala! Some scholars say to recite the following before sleeping helps one to wake for this prayer:

But those who believe and do good deeds will be given Gardens of Paradise. They will remain there never wishing to leave. Say [prophet], “If the whole ocean were ink for writing the words of my Lord, it would run dry before those words were exhausted”-even if We were to add another ocean to it. Say, “I am only a human being like you, to whom it has been revealed that your God is One-anyone who fears to meet his Lord should do good deeds and give no one a share in the worship due to his Lord. (Al-Kahf 18:107-110)

Relevant traditions from our Beloved Al-Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam include:

“While any one of you is sleeping, Shaytan ties three knots on the nape of your neck, and all night long he strikes the spot where each knot is tied, keeping you asleep. But if you wake up and remember Allah, Exalted is He, one knot is undone; if you perform the ritual ablution, a second knot is untied; if you perform Prayer, the third knot is loosened and in the morning you will be fresh and in good spirits, otherwise the morning will find you bad-tempered and slothful.”

“Two cycles of Prayer performed in the middle of the night are better for a man than the world and all it contains. But for the hardship it would have caused my Ummah, I would have made them compulsory.”

“There is an hour of the night when, if any Muslim asks Allah, Exalted is He, for something good, He is sure to grant it to him. And that is every night.”

He SallAllahu alaihi wasallam also said, "Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu, do you wish to enjoy Allah’s mercy in life and in death, in the tomb and at the Resurrection? The get up at night and pray! Do you wish for your Lord’s approval? The pray in the corners of your house; your house will be as radiant in the heaven as the light of the planets and stars is to people on earth.”  

And he SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said to Abu Dharr, “If I were intending to make a journey, would I get provisions ready for it?” “Yes,” said he. “Well, Abu Dharr, how about the journey on the way to the Hereafter? Shall I not tell you what will be useful to you on that day?” “Of course! You are more to me than my father and mother.” “Fast on a very hot day, in preparation for the Day of Resurrection; perform two Prayer-cycles in the darkness of the night, in readiness for the desolation of the tomb; make a Pilgrimage, for the portentous events; do an act of charity, by giving alms to a pauper, by speaking a word of truth, or by holding back a word of evil.”   

And, “Allah grants His mercy to a man who gets up in the night to pray, then wakes up his wife to pray also, sprinkling water on her face if she is unwilling, and Allah grants His mercy to a wife who gets up in the night to pray, then rouses her husband to pray also, sprinkling water on his face if he is unwilling. And if they both pray, they are recorded among the men and women who remember Allah often.”

And from our Noble Mother, Aishah RadhiAllahu anha:

“Once in the middle of the night Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam went out and prayed in the masjid and some men prayed with him. The next morning the people spoke about it and so more people gathered and prayed with him in the second night. They circulated the news in the morning, and so, on the third night the number of people increased greatly. Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam came out and they prayed behind him. On the fourth night the masjid was overwhelmed by the people till it could not accommodate them. Allah’s Apostle came out only for the Fajr prayer and when he finished the prayer, he faced the people and recited "Tashah-hud" (I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Apostle), and then said, "Amma ba’du. Verily your presence in the masjid at night was not hidden from me, but I was afraid that this Prayer of Tahajjud might be made compulsory and you might not be able to carry it out."

Masruq asked ‘Aishah RadhiAllahu anha, "What deed was the most beloved to the Prophet?" She said, "The regular constant one." I said, "At what time did he use to get up at night for the tahajjud night prayer?’ She said, "He used to get up on hearing the crowing of the cock, the last third of the night."

Also from our Noble Mother, Aishah RadhiAllahu anha, who said that our Blessed Nabi SallAllahu alaihi wasallam would say:

“O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; And all the praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allah ! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. And repent to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) And I take You as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive my previous and future sins; and whatever I concealed or revealed. And You are the One who make (some people) forward and (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but You. “

And:

“He began weeping till the tears flowed on to his mubarak chest. He then performed ruku’, and continued crying in this posture. Then performed sajdah and kept on weeping in this posture too. He stood up from the sajdah and remained crying. He remained in this state till the morning when Bilal came to call out the adhan. I said: O Messenger of Allah, why did you cry so much? Allah Ta’ala has forgiven all your past and future sins’. Sayyidina Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam replied: ‘Should I not be a thankful servant of Allah? Then said: ‘Why should I not do so, when these ayat were revealed to me today, and he recited the ayat of the last ruku’ of Sura Aali ‘Imran’".

You who believe, be more steadfast, more steadfast than others; fortify yourselves; always be mindful of Allah, so that you may prosper.

And the reply on another occasion:

If you give thanks, I will surely give more.(Ibrahim 14:7)

Two Abdullahs, two dreams, and how their steadfastness on awaking for Tahajjud began:

Narrated Abdullah Abu Salim RadhiAllahu anhu:  In the life-time of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasalam whosoever saw a dream would narrate it to him. I had a wish of seeing a dream to narrate it to Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasalam. I was a grown up boy and used to sleep in the Masjid in the life-time of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasalam. I saw in the dream that two angels caught hold of me and took me to the Fire which was built like a well and had two poles in it and the people in it were known to me. I started saying, "I seek refuge with Allah from the Fire." Then I met another angel who told me not to be afraid. I narrated the dream to Lady Hafsa RadhiAllahu anha who told it to Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasalam, who  said, "Abdullah is a good man. I wish he prayed Tahajjud." After that ‘Abdullah, Abu Salim RadhiAllahu anhu used to sleep but a little at night. 

Narrated Nafi RadhiAllahu anhu: Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar RadhiAllahu anhu said, "In the life-time of the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasalam I dreamt that a piece of silk cloth was in my hand and it flew with me to whichever part of Paradise I wanted. I also saw as if two angels came to me and wanted to take me to Hell. Then an angel met us and told me not to be afraid. He then told them to leave me. Lady Hafsa RadhiAllahu anha narrated my dream to the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasalam who said, "Abdullah is a good man. Would that he offer the night prayer, Tahajjud!" So after that day ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar started offering Tahajjud. 

Some traditions of the Companions and their Followers from Imam Al-Ghazali:

When others’ eyes were asleep Ibn Mas’ud RadhiAllahu anhu, would get up and until morning a droning sound could be heard from him like the droning of bees.

It is said that Sufyan al-Thawri Rahmatullah alaihi ate his fill one night, saying, “When the donkey gets extra fodder, it works all the harder.” Then he kept vigil that night through till morning.

When Ta’us, Rahmatullah alaihi, reclined on his bed he would feel as restless as peas in a frying pan, so he would jump up and pray till morning. The he would say: “The recollection of Hell sends the sleep of the worshipful flying!”

Said Al-Hasan, Rahmatullah alaihi said: “We know of no harder act of piety than enduring through the night and offering up our money.” He was asked: “How is it that those people who observe the Prayers of night vigil are among the people with the most beautiful faces?” To this he replied: “Because they commune with the All-Merciful and He clothes them from His Light.”

Yusuf ibn Mihran said: “I have heard that beneath the Throne there is an Angel in the shape of a cock. Its talons are of pearl and its spurs of green topaz. When the first third of the night has passed it flaps its wings, crows and says: “Let those who get up arise!” When half the night is gone by it again flaps its wings, crows and says: “Let those who keep vigil arise!” Them when two thirds of the night have passed it once more flaps its wings, crows and says: “Let those who pray arise!” Finally when dawn breaks it flaps its wings, crows and says: “Let the heedless arise, bearing the weight of their sins!”*

[Prophet], your Lord is well aware that you sometimes spend nearly two-thirds of the night at prayer-sometimes half, sometimes a third-as do some of your followers.(Al-Muzzammil 73:20)

Once again, Jazakallah for your query. It has prompted me to further reaserch and gaining further knowledge.

As of yet the only mention about Imam Abu Hanifa that can be verified is the post above which talks about the Sulaimani Mihrab which was built for the Hanafi school and is still there today. I will still try and get mor close up images of this Mehrab in due time. 

Here is a link to a larger image of the second Mihrab posted below should you wish to zoom in and attempt to read it.

http://ne3matullah.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/dsc03839.jpg

Also this link which contains the top section:

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/48392012.jpg

sorry but which one is the Sulaimani Mihrab as both these pics look like pics of the exact same mihrab?

We are still waiting for the correct translation of the above. I have had negative response from Arabs too.

In the mean time here is some additional info.