Certainty in Allah's Existence

Qualities of Those Who have Taqwa and Their Reward Allah the Exalted informs about those who have Taqwa, that on the Day of their Return they will be amidst gardens and springs. To the contrary the miserable ones will be amidst torment, punishment, fire and chains. Allah said, ءَاخِذِينَ مَآ ءَاتَـهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ (Taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them.) His statement; ءَاخِذِينَ (Taking) describes the state of the people of Taqwa in the midst of gardens and springs. They will receive what their Lord gives them, meaning, delight, happiness and favors. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said, إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ (Verily, they were before that), in the life of the world, مُحْسِنِينَ (gooddoers) As He said: كُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ هَنِيئَاً بِمَآ أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِى الاٌّيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ (Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!)(69:24) Allah the Exalted described the good acts that they performed, كَانُواْ قَلِيلاً مِّن الَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ (They used to sleep but little at night.) The scholars of Tafsir have two opinions about this: The First Opinion The first is that, they used to spend a little part of every night awake. Ibn `Abbas said, "Every night, they would worship Allah, even during a little part of the night." Qatadah narrated that Mutarrif bin `Abdullah said, "Hardly a night would pass by them that they did not pray to Allah the Exalted and Most Honored, either in the beginning, or the middle of it." Mujahid said, "Only a few nights, if any, would they sleep through the night until the morning without praying Tahajjud." Qatadah said similarly. Anas bin Malik and Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "They used to pray between Al-Maghrib and Al-`Isha'." The Second Opinion They used to spend a little part of the night in sleep. This was preferred by Ibn Jarir. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: كَانُواْ قَلِيلاً مِّن الَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ (They used to sleep but little by night), "They performed voluntary night prayer and would not sleep during the night except a little. They were active and would continue until they were seeking forgiveness right before dawn." `Abdullah bin Salam said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived at Al-Madinah, people quickly gathered around him and I was among them. When I saw his face, I knew that it was not the face of a liar. The first statement I heard from him was, «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّ��سُ أَطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ، وَصِلُوا الْأَرْحَامَ، وَأَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ، وَصَلُّوا بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ، تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِسَلَام» (O people! Feed with food, keep relations to kith and kin, spread the Salam, pray at night while people are asleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace.)" Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا يُرَى ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا وَبَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا» (Verily, there are lofty rooms in Paradise in which their outside can be seen from inside and their inside from the outside.) Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "Who are they for, O Allah's Messenger" He said, «لِمَنْ أَلَانَ الْكَلَامَ، وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَبَاتَ للهِ قَائِمًا وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام» (For those who use soft speech, feed food and spend the night in voluntary prayer while people are asleep.) Allah said: وَبِالاٌّسْحَـرِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ (And in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness.) Mujahid and several others said: "They were performing Salah." Others said that they would stand in prayer during the night and delayed asking Allah for forgiveness until the latter hours before dawn. As Allah, the Exalted the Blessed, said; وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالاٌّسْحَارِ (And those who seek forgiveness during the last hours of the night.)(3:17); This is because it is better if asking for forgiveness is done while praying. It is confirmed in the Sahih collections as well as others, from several Companions, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَنْزِلُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْأَخِيرُ، فَيَقُولُ: هَلْ مِنْ تَائِبٍ فَأَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِ. هَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ. هَلْ مِنْ سَائِلٍ فَيُعْطَى سُؤْلَهُ؟ حَتْى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْر» (Allah, the Most High, descends each night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains. He says, "Is there anyone who is repenting so that I may accept his repentance Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, so that I may forgive him Is there anyone asking of Me, so that I may grant him his request" until Fajr begins.) Many of the scholars of Tafsir said that when the Prophet Ya`qub said to his sons: سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّى (I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you)(12:98), he delayed doing so until the hours before dawn. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said, وَفِى أَمْوَلِهِمْ حَقٌّ لَّلسَّآئِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ (And in their wealth there was the right of the Sa'il and the Mahrum.) After Allah mentioned their quality of performing prayer, He then mentioned their quality of spending in charity and acts of compassion and kindness, وَفِى أَمْوَلِهِمْ حَقٌّ (And in their wealth there was the right), a designated part which they dedicated to the Sa'il and Mahrum. The Sa'il is the poor who begs others, and he has a due right. As for the Mahrum, Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, "He is the poor person who does not receive a stipend." Meaning he does not receive a stipend from the Muslim treasury, nor does he have a means of income, nor a profession. The Mother of the faithful, `A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, said about the Mahrum, "He is the displaced, the one who does not have a profession to easily earn an income from." Qatadah and Az-Zuhri: "The Mahrum is the one who does not ask the people for anything." Az-Zuhri added that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ بِالطَّوَّافِ الَّذِي تَرُدُّهُ اللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ وَالتَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ، وَلكِنِ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي لَا يَجِدُ غِنًى يُغْنِيهِ وَلَا يُفْطَنُ لَهُ فَيُتَصَدَّقَ عَلَيْه» (The poor (Miskin) is not the one who goes round to the people and asks them for a mouthful or two or a date or two. But the poor is the one who does not have enough to satisfy his needs and whose condition is not known to others, so that others may give him something in charity.) This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs using another chain of narration. Allah's Signs on the Earth and in Mankind Allah the Exalted and the Blessed said next, وَفِى الاٌّرْضِ ءَايَـتٌ لِّلْمُوقِنِينَ (And on the earth are signs for those who have faith with certainty.) Allah says that there are signs on earth that testify to the might of the Creator and His boundless ability. These signs include what Allah placed on the earth, the various plants, animals, valleys, mountains, deserts, rivers and oceans. He also created mankind with different languages, colors, intentions and abilities, and a variety among them, differences in the power of understanding and comprehension, their deeds, and ultimately earning happiness or misery. Allah put every organ in their bodies in its rightful place where they most need it to be. So He said؛ وَفِى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَفَلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ (And also in yourselves. Will you not then see) Qatadah commented, "He who thinks about his own creation will realize that he was created with flexible joints so that it is easy for him to perform acts of worship." Allah the Exalted said next, وَفِى السَّمَآءِ رِزْقُكُمْ (And in the heaven is your provision,) meaning, rain, وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ (and that which you are promised.) meaning Paradise. This was said by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and several others. Allah said: فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِّثْلَ مَآ أَنَّكُمْ تَنطِقُونَ (Then by the Lord of the heaven and the earth, it is the truth, just as you can speak.) Allah is swearing by His honorable Self, all of the matters of the Judgement, Resurrection, and Recompense that they have been promised shall certainly occur. Therefore, it is the truth, there being no doubt about it, so do not doubt its coming, just as you do not doubt that you can speak When he would talk to one of his friends, Mu`adh used to say: "What I am saying is as true as your being here."

Qualities of Those Who have Taqwa and Their Reward Allah the Exalted informs about those who have Taqwa, that on the Day of their Return they will be amidst gardens and springs. To the contrary the miserable ones will be amidst torment, punishment, fire and chains. Allah said, ءَاخِذِينَ مَآ ءَاتَـهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ (Taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them.) His statement; ءَاخِذِينَ (Taking) describes the state of the people of Taqwa in the midst of gardens and springs. They will receive what their Lord gives them, meaning, delight, happiness and favors. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said, إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ (Verily, they were before that), in the life of the world, مُحْسِنِينَ (gooddoers) As He said: كُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ هَنِيئَاً بِمَآ أَسْلَفْتُمْ فِى الاٌّيَّامِ الْخَالِيَةِ (Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!)(69:24) Allah the Exalted described the good acts that they performed, كَانُواْ قَلِيلاً مِّن الَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ (They used to sleep but little at night.) The scholars of Tafsir have two opinions about this: The First Opinion The first is that, they used to spend a little part of every night awake. Ibn `Abbas said, "Every night, they would worship Allah, even during a little part of the night." Qatadah narrated that Mutarrif bin `Abdullah said, "Hardly a night would pass by them that they did not pray to Allah the Exalted and Most Honored, either in the beginning, or the middle of it." Mujahid said, "Only a few nights, if any, would they sleep through the night until the morning without praying Tahajjud." Qatadah said similarly. Anas bin Malik and Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "They used to pray between Al-Maghrib and Al-`Isha'." The Second Opinion They used to spend a little part of the night in sleep. This was preferred by Ibn Jarir. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: كَانُواْ قَلِيلاً مِّن الَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ (They used to sleep but little by night), "They performed voluntary night prayer and would not sleep during the night except a little. They were active and would continue until they were seeking forgiveness right before dawn." `Abdullah bin Salam said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived at Al-Madinah, people quickly gathered around him and I was among them. When I saw his face, I knew that it was not the face of a liar. The first statement I heard from him was, «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَطْعِمُوا الطَّعَامَ، وَصِلُوا الْأَرْحَامَ، وَأَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ، وَصَلُّوا بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَامٌ، تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِسَلَام» (O people! Feed with food, keep relations to kith and kin, spread the Salam, pray at night while people are asleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace.)" Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا يُرَى ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا وَبَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا» (Verily, there are lofty rooms in Paradise in which their outside can be seen from inside and their inside from the outside.) Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "Who are they for, O Allah's Messenger" He said, «لِمَنْ أَلَانَ الْكَلَامَ، وَأَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَبَاتَ للهِ قَائِمًا وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام» (For those who use soft speech, feed food and spend the night in voluntary prayer while people are asleep.) Allah said: وَبِالاٌّسْحَـرِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ (And in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness.) Mujahid and several others said: "They were performing Salah." Others said that they would stand in prayer during the night and delayed asking Allah for forgiveness until the latter hours before dawn. As Allah, the Exalted the Blessed, said; وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالاٌّسْحَارِ (And those who seek forgiveness during the last hours of the night.)(3:17); This is because it is better if asking for forgiveness is done while praying. It is confirmed in the Sahih collections as well as others, from several Companions, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَنْزِلُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْأَخِيرُ، فَيَقُولُ: هَلْ مِنْ تَائِبٍ فَأَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِ. هَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ. هَلْ مِنْ سَائِلٍ فَيُعْطَى سُؤْلَهُ؟ حَتْى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْر» (Allah, the Most High, descends each night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains. He says, "Is there anyone who is repenting so that I may accept his repentance Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, so that I may forgive him Is there anyone asking of Me, so that I may grant him his request" until Fajr begins.) Many of the scholars of Tafsir said that when the Prophet Ya`qub said to his sons: سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّى (I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you)(12:98), he delayed doing so until the hours before dawn. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said, وَفِى أَمْوَلِهِمْ حَقٌّ لَّلسَّآئِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ (And in their wealth there was the right of the Sa'il and the Mahrum.) After Allah mentioned their quality of performing prayer, He then mentioned their quality of spending in charity and acts of compassion and kindness, وَفِى أَمْوَلِهِمْ حَقٌّ (And in their wealth there was the right), a designated part which they dedicated to the Sa'il and Mahrum. The Sa'il is the poor who begs others, and he has a due right. As for the Mahrum, Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, "He is the poor person who does not receive a stipend." Meaning he does not receive a stipend from the Muslim treasury, nor does he have a means of income, nor a profession. The Mother of the faithful, `A'ishah may Allah be pleased with her, said about the Mahrum, "He is the displaced, the one who does not have a profession to easily earn an income from." Qatadah and Az-Zuhri: "The Mahrum is the one who does not ask the people for anything." Az-Zuhri added that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ بِالطَّوَّافِ الَّذِي تَرُدُّهُ اللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ وَالتَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ، وَلكِنِ الْمِسْكِينُ الَّذِي لَا يَجِدُ غِنًى يُغْنِيهِ وَلَا يُفْطَنُ لَهُ فَيُتَصَدَّقَ عَلَيْه» (The poor (Miskin) is not the one who goes round to the people and asks them for a mouthful or two or a date or two. But the poor is the one who does not have enough to satisfy his needs and whose condition is not known to others, so that others may give him something in charity.) This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs using another chain of narration. Allah's Signs on the Earth and in Mankind Allah the Exalted and the Blessed said next, وَفِى الاٌّرْضِ ءَايَـتٌ لِّلْمُوقِنِينَ (And on the earth are signs for those who have faith with certainty.) Allah says that there are signs on earth that testify to the might of the Creator and His boundless ability. These signs include what Allah placed on the earth, the various plants, animals, valleys, mountains, deserts, rivers and oceans. He also created mankind with different languages, colors, intentions and abilities, and a variety among them, differences in the power of understanding and comprehension, their deeds, and ultimately earning happiness or misery. Allah put every organ in their bodies in its rightful place where they most need it to be. So He said؛ وَفِى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَفَلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ (And also in yourselves. Will you not then see) Qatadah commented, "He who thinks about his own creation will realize that he was created with flexible joints so that it is easy for him to perform acts of worship." Allah the Exalted said next, وَفِى السَّمَآءِ رِزْقُكُمْ (And in the heaven is your provision,) meaning, rain, وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ (and that which you are promised.) meaning Paradise. This was said by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and several others. Allah said: فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِّثْلَ مَآ أَنَّكُمْ تَنطِقُونَ (Then by the Lord of the heaven and the earth, it is the truth, just as you can speak.) Allah is swearing by His honorable Self, all of the matters of the Judgement, Resurrection, and Recompense that they have been promised shall certainly occur. Therefore, it is the truth, there being no doubt about it, so do not doubt its coming, just as you do not doubt that you can speak When he would talk to one of his friends, Mu`adh used to say: "What I am saying is as true as your being here."

The Qur'an and the Proofs of its Truth Allah says: قُلْ (Say) -- `O Muhammad, to these idolators who disbelieve in the Qur'an'-- أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كَانَ (Tell me, if it) -- this Qur'an -- مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ كَفَرْتُمْ بِهِ (is from Allah, and you disbelieve in it) means, `what do you think your position is before the One Who revealed it to His Messenger' Allah says: مَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ هُوَ فِى شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ (Who is more astray than one who is in opposition far away.) means, he is in a state of disbelief, stubbornness and opposition to the truth, and is following a path that leads far away from guidance. Then Allah says: سَنُرِيهِمْ ءَايَـتِنَا فِى الاٌّفَاقِ وَفِى أَنفُسِهِمْ (We will show them Our signs in the universe, and within themselves,) meaning, `We will show them Our evidence and proof that the Qur'an is true and has indeed been sent down from Allah to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , through external signs, فِى الاٌّفَاقِ (in the universe), ' such as conquests and the advent of Islam over various regions and over all other religions. Mujahid, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi said, "And signs within themselves means, the battle of Badr, the conquest of Makkah, and other events which befell them, where Allah granted victory to Muhammad ﷺ and his Companions, and inflicted a humiliating defeat on falsehood and its followers." It may also be that what is meant here is man and his physical composition. As detailed in the science of anatomy, which indicates the wisdom of the Creator -- may He be blessed and exalted -- and the different inclinations and opposite natures that people have, good and bad, etc., and the (divine) decrees to which man is subjected, having no power to change and over which he has no control. حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ (until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur'an) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things) means, sufficient is Allah as a Witness over the words and deeds of His servants, and He bears witness that Muhammad ﷺ  is telling the truth in what he says, as Allah says: لَّـكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ أَنزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ (But Allah bears witness to that which He has sent down unto you; He has sent it down with His knowledge) (4:166). أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمْ (Lo, Verily, they are in doubt concerning the meeting with their Lord.) means, they doubt that the Hour will come, they do not think about it or strive for it or pay heed to it; on the contrary, they regard it as irrelevant and do not care about it. But it will undoubtedly come to pass. Then Allah states that He is Able to do all things and He encompasses all things, and it is very easy for Him to bring about the Hour: أَلاَ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّحِيطُ (Verily, He is surrounding all things!) means, all of creation is subject to His control, dominion and knowledge; He is controlling all things by His power, so whatever He wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen, and there is no god worthy of worship apart from Him. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Fussilat. To Allah be praise and blessings.

The Proofs of Tawhid for People of Understanding, their Characteristics, Speech, and Supplications Allah said, إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the Earth,) 3:190, referring to the sky in its height and spaciousness, the earth in its expanse and density, the tremendous features they have of rotating planets, seas, mountains, deserts, trees, plants, fruits, animals, metals and various beneficial colors, scents, tastes and elements. وَاخْتِلَـفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ (And in the alternation of night and day), as one follows and takes from the length of the other. For instance, at times one of them becomes longer than the other, shorter than the other at times and equal to the other at other times, and the same is repeated again and again, and all this occurs by the decision of the Almighty, Most Wise. This is why Allah said, لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ (there are indeed signs for men of understanding), referring to the intelligent and sound minds that contemplate about the true reality of things, unlike the deaf and mute who do not have sound comprehension. Allah said about the latter type, وَكَأَيِّن مِّن ءَايَةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ - وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ (And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth they pass by, while they are averse therefrom. And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him) 12:105,106. Allah then describes those who have good minds, الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَـماً وَقُعُوداً وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ (Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides) 3:191. Al-Bukhari recorded that `Imran bin Husayn said that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «صَلِّ قَائِمًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَقَاعِدًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَى جَنْب» (Pray while standing, and if you can't, pray while sitting, and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side.) These people remember Allah in all situations, in their heart and speech, وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the Earth), contemplating about signs in the sky and earth that testify to the might, ability, knowledge, wisdom, will and mercy of the Creator. Allah criticizes those who do not contemplate about His creation, which testifies to His existence, Attributes, Shari`ah, His decree and Ayat. Allah said, وَكَأَيِّن مِّن ءَايَةٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ - وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ (And how many a sign in the heavens and the Earth they pass by, while they are averse therefrom. And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him) 12:105,106. Allah also praises His believing servants, الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَـماً وَقُعُوداً وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ (Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth), supplicating; رَبَّنَآ مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذا بَـطِلاً ("Our Lord! You have not created this without purpose,") You did not create all this in jest and play. Rather, You created it in truth, so that You recompense those who do evil in kind, and reward those who do righteous deeds with what is better. The faithful believers praise Allah and deny that He does anything in jest and without purpose, saying, سُبْحَـنَكَ ("glory to You,"), for You would never create anything without purpose, فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ("Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire."), meaning, "O You Who created the creation in truth and justice, Who is far from any shortcomings, or doing things without purpose or with jest, save us from the torment of the Fire with Your power and strength. Direct us to perform the deeds that make You pleased with us. Guide us to righteous work from which You admit us into the delightful Paradise, and save us from Your painful torment." They next supplicate, رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ ("Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him;), by humiliating and disgracing him before all people on the Day of Gathering, وَمَا لِلظَّـلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ< ("and never will the wrongdoers find any helpers."), on the Day of Judgment, who would save them from You. Therefore, there is no escaping whatever fate You decided for them. رَّبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِياً يُنَادِى لِلإِيمَـنِ ("Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one calling to faith,"), a caller who calls to faith, referring to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, أَنْ ءَامِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَـَامَنَّا (`Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed), accepted his call and followed him. رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا ("Our Lord! Forgive us our sins"), on account of our faith and obeying Your Prophet فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا ("Forgive us our sins"), and cover them, وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَـتِنَا ("and expiate from us our evil deeds"), between us and You, in private, وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الاٌّبْرَارِ ("and make us die along with Al-Abrar."), join us with the righteous people. رَبَّنَا وَءَاتِنَا مَا وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَى رُسُلِكَ ("Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers") for our faith in Your Messengers, or, and this explanation is better; grant us what You promised us by the words of Your Messengers, وَلاَ تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ ("and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection,"), before all creation, إِنَّكَ لاَ تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ ("for You never break (Your) Promise."), for surely, the promise that You conveyed to Your Messengers, which includes us being resurrected before You, shall certainly come to pass. It was the Prophet's tradition to recite the ten Ayat at the end of Surah Al `Imran when he woke up at night for (voluntary) prayer. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "I slept one night at the house of my aunt, Maymunah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke with his wife for a while and then went to sleep. When it was the third part of the night, he stood up, looked at the sky and recited, إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ (Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding) 3:190. The Prophet then stood up, performed ablution, used Siwak (to clean his teeth) and prayed eleven units of prayer. When Bilal said the Adhan, the Prophet prayed two units of prayer, went out (to the Masjid) and led the people in the Dawn prayer." This was also collected by Muslim. Ibn Marduwyah recorded that `Ata' said, "I, Ibn `Umar and `Ubayd bin `Umayr went to `A'ishah and entered her room, and there was a screen between us and her. She said, `O `Ubayd! What prevents you from visiting us' He said, `What the poet said, `Visit every once in a while, and you will be loved more.' Ibn `Umar said, `Tell us about the most unusual thing you witnessed from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' She cried and said, `All his matters were amazing. On night, he came close to me until his skin touched my skin and said, `Let me worship my Lord.' I said, `By Allah I love your being close to me. I also love that you worship your Lord.' He used the water-skin and performed ablution, but did not use too much water. He then stood up in prayer and cried until his beard became wet. He prostrated and cried until he made the ground wet. He then laid down on his side and cried. When Bilal came to alert the Prophet for the Dawn prayer, he said, `O Messenger of Allah! What makes you cry, while Allah has forgiven you your previous and latter sins' He said, «وَيْحَكَ يَا بِلَالُ، وَمَا يَمْنَعُنِي أَنْ أَبْكِيَ، وَقَدْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيَّ فِي هذِهِ اللَّيْلَة» (O Bilal! What prevents me from crying, when this night, this Ayah was revealed to me,) إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ (Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.) (Woe to he who recites it but does not contemplate it.)."