The Superiority of the Night to the Day
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Allah has made divided time to when worship in some instances are better than others. For example, the best day of the week is Friday, the best hours of the day are Fajr and Asr, the best days of the year are the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah and the best nights of the year are the last ten nights of Ramadan. Along with these then the best day of the year is the day of Arafah. Now when we break down 24 hours there between the night and the day and here we going to look the superiority the night has to the day.
Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdil Baqi Az-Zarqani(1122H) said there is difference of opinion as to which is really more virtuous. Some say the night is better than the day. The night time is the period of rest and relaxation and that’s what takes place in Jannah. On the other hand, the day time is period fatigue and exhaustion and that is the fire. Lailatul Qadr is better than a 1,000 months and there isn’t any day that has that calculated period of time. In addition to this, there is chapter titled Al-Lail and not one titled An-Nahar. Moreover, in most verses the night is mentioned before the day. Furthermore, the night was created before the day.
What’s more there is an hour every night in which supplication is answered and there isn’t any hour during the night in which prayer therein is disliked. The Isra took place at night. During the daytime service is given to creation, but at night it’s given towards the Creator. All of the Prophets did Mi’raj at night.
In contrast, another group of scholars say the day is supreme as most of the obligations were legislated during it. They include fasting, fighting Jihad, Fajr, Thur and Asr. A person pursues his provisions from his Lord during the day. Although some battle took place at night this is rare when compared to those fought during the day. All obligations outweigh the voluntary acts. For example, the Asr prayer and fasting during Ramadan. [1]
Those who support the day being better than night you the fact that its mentioned with virtue and night is absent from such except in the cast Lailatiul Qadr and the 15th night of Sha’ban. These days are the Days of Ashoora, Friday, and the Days of Tashreeq.
Overall, both sides have their arguments, so one can’t truly impose his view on another. However, let’s look at the hour during the night in which the supplication is answered. This takes place every night.
عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ فِي اللَّيْلِ لَسَاعَةً لَا يُوَافِقُهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ، يَسْأَلُ اللهَ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ، وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ»
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “Every night there is a special time during which whatever a Muslim asks Allah of any good relating to this life or the Hereafter, it will be granted to him; and this moment comes every night.”[2]
- Every night there is a special time during… the exact hour when this occurs is unknown to us. This is similar to Lailatul Qadr and the hour that is hoped for on Friday. This exact hour that this is hidden from so that we may strive diligently all throughout the night searching for it. This pushes us to not be serious in worship in some hours of the night and not in others.
- whatever a Muslim asks Allah of…Women are included in this as well. This sentence describes the hour by what takes place therein. Hence the Muslim takes advantage of this opportunity during the night. This is from the whiffs of mercy from a Merciful God. It’s similar to a flash of lighting. Whoever agrees with it, i.e. is exposed to it and spends his time anticipating its brightness, then he will attain it.
- of any good relating to this life or the Hereafter, it will be granted to him…This is another description for this hour during the night. Allah literally gives him everything he asks for, or he’s rewarded for worshipping Allah during that time.
- and this moment comes every night.” This proves that it happens every night and isn’t restricted to some nights and not on the other. For that reason, the Muslim should pursue this hourly nightly to the best of his ability.
- Imam An-Nawawi said this proves that there is an hour every night when Dua is answered, which pushes to supplicate all throughout the night in hope of attaining this hour.
- Al-Azizi said this includes the entire night and not any particular hour of it. Although it is known that the last part of the night is best to make dua. At any rate the 1st ½ of the second part of the night is the best time to make dua.[3]
- This hour remaining hidden from us encourages us to not just relax and sleep all night, but instead to be attentive by having our hearts connected to Allah.
Prepared by
Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle
Doha, Qatar 1444©
[1] Al-Ajwabatus Sadedah Ala As’ilatil Adedah by Sheikh Muhammad Az-Zarqani pg 149-151
[2] Sahih Muslim 757
[3] Mirat Al Mafatih Sharh Mishkat Al Mafatih vol 4/224 by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mubarkpuri