Salat ut Tahajjud was Fard for the Beloved Prophet

Three unique attributes of the Greatest Prophet ﷺ

1. Salat-ut-Tahajjud was Fard

Salat-ut-Tahajjud was Fard for the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Most Islamic scholars are of the opinion that, besides five daily Salahs, Salat-ut-Tahajjud was also Fard for the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Mufti Na’eemuddin Muradabadi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ عَلَيْه stated: Salat-ut-Tahajjud was Fard for the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. This is the opinion of most Islamic scholars. And, for the Ummah of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, this Salah is Sunnah^[1]. (Khaza’in-ul-Irfan, Bani Israel, Taht-al-Ayah: 79)

The Revered and Renowned Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘ثَلٰثٌ ھُنَّ عَلَیَّ فَرِیْضَةٌ وَھُوَ لَکُمْ سُنَّةٌ’, i.e. there are three things which are Fard for me and which are Sunnah for you. (One of those things is) ‘قِیَامُ اللَّیْل’ “means offering Salah during the night”. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsat, vol. 2, pp. 274, Hadees 3266)

Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ عَلَيْه stated: According to a strong and preferred opinion of most Islamic scholars, [Salat-ut-Tahajjud] was Fard for the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, as witnessed by the words of the Holy Quran. This is also narrated in a Hadees (i.e. the Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has also mentioned it). Allah Almighty has stated: ‘یٰۤاَیُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُۙ(۱) قُمِ الَّیْلَ’ O you who wraps himself (Prophet Muhammad). Stand up (for prayer) during the night.^[2] Allah Almighty has further stated: ‘وَ مِنَ الَّیْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهٖ’ And offer Tahajjud in some part of the night. ^[3] These Ayahs especially contain Divine commandment for the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and a commandment expresses the meaning of Wajib. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 7, pp. 402)

2. Salah-offering person must come to the blessed court when called by Holy Prophet ﷺ

If the Benevolent and Beneficent Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم calls a Salah-offering person, it is compulsory for him to be present. Salah will not be invalid. (Zurqaani ‘alal Mawahib, vol. 7, pp. 318)

Almighty Allah has stated:

یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوا اسْتَجِیْبُوْا لِلّٰهِ وَ لِلرَّسُوْلِ اِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا یُحْیِیْكُمْۚ-

O believers! Present yourselves upon the call of Allah and His Messenger, when the Messenger calls you for a thing (faith, or Quran, or Jihad or martyrdom) which will give you life.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 9, Surah Al-Anfaal, Ayah 24)

This Ayah shows that whenever the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم calls anyone, it is compulsory for him to be present in the blessed court, giving up any work he is busy with. (Siraat-ul-Jinaan, vol. 3, pp. 539)

Guidance on replying to Holy Prophet ﷺ during Salah

Sayyiduna Ubay Bin Ka’b رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ was offering Salah. Meanwhile, the Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came and called him, saying ‘O Ka’b!’ He رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ looked towards the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم but did not give any reply. Then, offering short Salah, he رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ came to the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and respectfully said, ‘اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْكَ یَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰە’. Replying to the Salam, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, ‘O Ka’b! What was the hurdle in reply when I called you?’ He رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ humbly said, ‘Ya Rasoolallah (صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم)! I was offering Salah.’ He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Have you not found [the following Ayah] in the Holy Quran: ‘اسْتَجِیْبُوْا لِلّٰهِ وَ لِلرَّسُوْلِ اِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا یُحْیِیْكُمْۚ-’. He رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ replied, ‘Yes, indeed. [I have found it]. اِنْ شَـآءَ اللّٰە, this will not happen [i.e. I will not do that] in the future.’ (Tirmizi, vol. 4, pp. 400, Hadees 2884)

Salah will not become invalid

Commenting on the above Ayah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ عَلَيْه stated in his commentary notes ‘Noor-ul-Irfan’:  No matter whatever the condition of a Muslim is, he must come to the blessed court when called by the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. In fact, if a Salah-offering person comes to the blessed court in the state of Salah when called by the Greatest and Noblest Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and he does what he is asked by the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to do, even then he will remain in the state of Salah. He will offer only the remaining Rak’aat of the Salah.

3. Salam in Salah

When reciting Tashahhud during Salah, a Salah-offering person says Salam to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in these words: ‘اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْكَ اَیُّھَا النَّبِیُّ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ وَ بَرَکَاتُەٗ’ i.e. (May Salam be upon you, O Prophet! And may the mercy of Allah and blessings be upon you.) If any other person is addressed in this way during Salah, then Salah will become invalid. (Tahzeeb-ul-Asma wal-Lughaat, vol. 1, pp. 64)

What to imagine when saying Salam?

The commentator of Bukhari, Imam Ahmad Muhammad Qastalani رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ عَلَيْه narrated from some righteous people: When Salah-offering Muslims recite Attahiyyat, it is as if they knock on the door of Divine mercy. They are then granted the permission to get present in the court of the Pure Being [i.e. Allah] Who is Alive and will never die. Being present in Divine court, they pray to Almighty Allah, feasting their eyes. They are then made to realize that they have gained this great wealth because of the Merciful Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and by following him. When they pay attention, they find the Prophet of Allah صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم to be present in the Divine court. They then say Salam to his blessed court, reciting ‘اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْكَ اَیُّھَا النَّبِیُّ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ وَ بَرَکَاتُەٗ’. (Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah, vol. 3, pp. 229)

Tumhari salami namazaun mayn dakhil

Tasawwur tayra shart misl-e-Wuzu hay

Meanings of Azkar in Salah

Dear Islamic brothers! Whatever is recited during Salah, has a particular meaning. Just pronunciation of these words without understanding their meaning is not the actual purpose. The same is the case of Tashahhud. Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ عَلَيْه stated: Blessed Shari`ah has not declared any such Zikr in Salah which is only to be pronounced without having a meaning. Not, at all. In fact, what is needed is to [understand] the meaning. When reciting ‘اَلتَّحِیَّاتُ لِلّٰەِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ’, the Salah-offering person should intend to glorify Allah and when reciting ‘اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْكَ اَیُّھَا النَّبِیُّ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ وَ بَرَکَاتُەٗ’, he should intend to say Salam to the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and to say to him intentionally, ‘May Salam be upon you, O Prophet! And may the mercy of Allah and blessings be upon you!’ (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 29, pp. 567)

O devotees of Rasool! To think of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم reverently during Salah is a great privilege. This does not cause any defect in Salah, مَعَاذَ اللّٰە, but rather it increases the humility of the heart and the body, making the Salah perfect.

Riyazat naam hay tayri gali mayn aanay jaanay ka

Tasawwur mayn tayray rehna ‘ibadat is ko kehtay hayn

(Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 8, pp. 527)