Night vigil, qiyam al-layl (legal rulings)

In jurisprudence, the night vigil is spending the night, even for an hour, in prayer or other worship; it need not fill most of the night ¹. Ibn Abbas held that it is achieved by the night prayer in congregation and the resolve to pray the dawn prayer in congregation ¹. In the technical sense tahajjud is voluntary prayer at night after sleep, so it is narrower than the vigil ^{1 2}.

All agree it is prescribed. It is a sunna for the Hanafis and Hanbalis, recommended for the Malikis, and desirable for the Shafi'is. Night prayer is held better than day prayer. The jurists disagree on whether it was obligatory for the Prophet ﷺ ¹.

All agree it begins only after the night prayer, and that doing it after sleep is better ². The majority hold that the best time in every case is the fourth and fifth sixths of the night, citing the hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr about the fasting and vigil of David ². Those who split the night in two prefer the last half; those who split it in three prefer the middle third ^{2 3}. The Malikis prefer the last third for someone who usually wakes at the end of the night, and otherwise the first part as more cautious ³. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis dislike standing the whole night ².

It is recommended to open the vigil with two light rak'at, on the hadith of Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him) ³. The jurists differ on the upper limit: the Hanafis eight, the Malikis ten or twelve, and the Shafi'is no limit ³. Ibn Qudama reports differing narrations of the Prophet's night prayer, among them thirteen rak'at from Ibn Abbas and eleven from 'A'isha ^{3 5}.

On the form, Malik, the Shafi'is, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad hold that it is performed two by two, on the hadith that "the night prayer is two by two" and the practice of the community in the Tarawih; Abu Hanifa holds four by four ^{5 6}. Al-Mawsili holds two, six or eight, and dislikes more ⁶.

It is disliked to abandon a night prayer one is used to without excuse, on the Prophet's words to Abdullah ibn Amr not to be like a certain man who used to pray at night and stopped, and on the hadith that the most beloved deed to God is the most constant, even if small ⁵. 'A'isha reports that his practice was constant ⁶.

Most jurists allow voluntary prayer both in congregation and alone. Outside the Tarawih, the home is better, on Zayd ibn Thabit (may God be pleased with him)'s hadith to pray in your houses ⁶. If the home has distractions that reduce devotion, the mosque is better, alone ⁶. The Hanafis dislike congregation in voluntary prayer when it is a gathering of followers, and the Malikis dislike it when the congregation is large, from fear of showing off ⁷.

• Friday night: the Hanafis recommend keeping it awake; the Shafi'is dislike singling it out for prayer, but not for other worship such as recitation or remembrance ^{6 7}.
• The two Eid nights: recommended by agreement ⁷.
• The nights of Ramadan: a sunna by agreement; the Tarawih is the vigil of Ramadan ⁷.
• The middle of Sha'ban: recommended by most jurists ⁴.
• The first ten of Dhu al-Hijja: recommended by the Hanafis and Hanbalis ⁴.
• The first night of Rajab: recommended by some jurists ⁴.

• Opening with two light rak'at, for the Shafi'is and Hanbalis ^{4 8}.
• Remembrance on waking, on the hadith of Ubada ibn al-Samit (may God be pleased with him); one jurist adds reciting verses from the Surah Al 'Imran ^{8 9}.
• Loud or quiet recitation: the Hanafis and Hanbalis leave it to choice, favouring loud recitation if it aids the worshipper; the Malikis recommend loud recitation unless it disturbs others; the Shafi'is prefer a middle way ⁹.
• Waking one's family where their vigil is hoped for, unless harm is feared, for the Shafi'is ⁹.
• Lengthening standing versus multiplying prostrations: most Hanafis and some Malikis favour longer standing; the Malikis (in the sounder view) and one Hanbali narration favour more bowing and prostration; a third Hanbali view makes them equal ^{9 10}.
• Intending the vigil on going to sleep, for the Shafi'is and Hanbalis ¹⁰.

The book refers readers to the entries on reviving the night, on tahajjud and on the Tarawih prayer for details ^{5 4}.